Jessica: Second Grade: Exploring Compare and Contrast

By: Jessica Herrmann

Mentor Text Selections: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and Pinduli by Janell Cannon

Writing Skill: Students will develop a writing piece that compares and contrasts two books by the same author. Students will learn that they can use mentor texts to develop content for their own writing pieces.

Connection to Six Traits: Ideas and Content, Organization

Mentor Text Summaries:

Stellaluna is about a baby bat that is separated from her mother and lands in a bird’s nest. She learns to behave like a bird until one day she is reunited with her bat family. Pinduli is about a hyena that comes across different animals that make negative comments about her physical features. Feeling embarrassed, the hyena decided to roll in dust to hide her stripes and pin her ears back to change her appearance. The other animals mistake Pinduli for a ghost and in fear listen to everything she says. With Pinduli’s new appearance, she is able to teach the other animals that they should be kind to others and apologize to those they have treated badly.

Purpose for Mentor Text Selections: These two books are written by the same author. Students will be able to discover similarities and differences in the way the stories are written and in the content. Students will then be able to write about the discoveries they made.

Possible similarities for students to discover:

-Books written by the same author

-Fiction stories

-Nonfiction information about animals in the back of book

-Written about an animal

-Beautiful illustrations with similar features

-Includes dialogue between characters

Possible differences for students to discover:

-Written about two different animals

-Two different stories are told

-Lesson in Stellaluna: Sometimes you can meet friends in unexpected places

-Lesson in Pinduli: Everyone is unique and you should treat others the way you want to be treated

-Different setting, problem, and solution

Lesson Plan:

1. Students will be introduced to the terms compare and contrast. The teacher will guide students in brainstorming what those words mean and lead a discussion of the similarities and differences between objects in the classroom.
2. As students compare and contrast objects in the room, the teacher will record responses on a Venn diagram. This will serve as a review for students on how to use this graphic organizer. The teacher will then model for students how good writers take that information and turn it into a writing piece.
3. The teacher will explain the idea of using an author’s work to help give ideas in writing. Also, the teacher will explain to students that they will be comparing and contrasting two books by the same author and will then be writing about their discoveries.
4. To build background, the teacher will tell students a little bit about the author.
5. The teacher will read Stellaluna to the class. Afterwards, the students will brainstorm a list of characteristics of the book as the teacher records on chart paper.
6. Next, the teacher will read Pinduli to the students. The students will again brainstorm a list of characteristics of the book as the teacher records on chart paper.
7. A class discussion will begin in which the students examine the class text charts and record similarities and differences on their personal Venn diagrams based on what they wrote on the charts. The teacher will walk around to monitor, guide thinking, and answer questions.
8. Students will take the information they recorded in their graphic organizers and write their compare/contrast writing piece.

Possible Lesson Extensions: -Students can use these books as models to write their own fiction story about an animal. Students can then research their animal to include information in the back just as Janell Cannon did.

-Students can study two books written by another author to compare and contrast. That author’s writing can also be compared to Janell Cannon’s writing.

Second Grade Ohio Academic Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Indicators for Writing:

Writing Process Standard

Benchmarks:

A. Generate ideas for written compositions.

C. Use organizers to clarify ideas for writing assignments.

Indicators:

1. Generate writing ideas through discussion with others.

4. Use organizational strategies (e.g., brainstorming, lists, webs and Venn diagrams) to plan writing.

Writing Applications Standard

Benchmark:

B. Write responses to literature that demonstrate an understanding of a literary work.

Indicator:

2. Write responses to stories by comparing text to other texts.

Links to Additional Information:

Books by Janell Cannon and Biography

Interview with Janell Cannon