Tuesday and Wednesday 11-29-11 and 11-30-11

TUESDAY

Graphic organizers are useful tools for gathering details about the items that you are comparing and contrasting.

Venn Diagrams help you think about where the various characteristics of the items being compared and contrasted fit.

The Venn Diagram is made up of two or more overlapping circles. It is often used in mathematics to show relationships between sets. In language arts instruction, Venn Diagrams are useful for examining similarities and differences in characters, stories, poems, etc.

It is frequently used as a prewriting activity to enable students to organize thoughts or textual quotations prior to writing a compare/contrast essay. This activity enables students to organize similarities and differences visually.

ACTIVITY 1

The sentences below express the similarities and differences between the twins George and Paul. In each sentence, identify the joining word(s) that show comparison or contrast and then list the words you've circled below.

1.   Both George and Paul have brown eyes and brown hair.

2.   George and Paul both are tall and slim.

3.   George likes to read science fiction, but Paul likes to read poetry.

4.   George runs three miles daily, yet Paul hates to exercise.

5.   While George works as a cartographer's assistant 15 hours per week, Paul works 20 hours per week as an usher in a theater.

6.   Although George is an engineering major, Paul still hasn't found a major.

Comparison Words                                   Contrast Words

                   _________________                                 _________________

                  

                   _________________                                 _________________

                   _________________                                 _________________

DISCUSS YOUR ANSWERS WITH A PARTNER.

WEDNESDAY

ACTIVITY 2

 Carl wants to begin a regular exercise program, but he can't decide between running and walking. To make a rational choice, he lists what he knows about each activity:

Running                                                 Walking

improves cardiovascular endurance       can be done in an urban or rural area

burns 800 to 1000 calories per hour      is relatively injury-free

can be done in an urban or rural area     requires no special equipment

can cause shinsplints and muscle strain improves circulation and posture

requires no special equipment                burns 300 calories per hour

Step 1:        Organize the two lists according to related points:

RUNNING	WALKING
1.     can be done in a rural or urban area.	1.     can be done in a rural or urban area.
2.	2.
3.	3.
4.	4.
5.	5.

Step 2:       Using the transition words  and, but, yet, while, whereas, and  although,, write five sentences in which you compare and contrast running and walking, using the information you organized in step 1.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.