Bridging the comparison to short
Objectives
-
¥ to learn the skills of comparison
-
¥ to find all the possible attributes that can be used in comparing.
-
¥ to look for the most relevant characteristics as the basis for comparison.
Subgoal
To improve participation in class discussion.
-
1. Spontaneous comparative behavior
-
2. Systematic work
-
3. Summative behavior
Concepts and vocabulary to be introduced
Analysis, relevant, irrelevant, opposite.
Bridging the discussion to every day life analyzing the Pros and cons of moving to another house, of changing schools, moving from the United States to their own country.
In academics
When analyzing sentences looking for nouns, verbs, articles.
In Interpersonal relationships
When a new friend is introduced to you. You look for relevant attributes such as name, language spoken, personality.
In Vocational
opposite: Seller vs. Buyer, pilot and train conductor, doctor and patient, teacher and student.
Procedure
After reading the stories, the teacher will define the task: To analyze the two stories and compare them, looking always for the most relevant things. The teacher will provide each student with the paper and pencil and will write on the blackboard the subject with two columns in blank and on the left side the attributes by which the two will be compared.
For Example:
Subject
Christmas Celebration
Costa Rica Puerto Rico
Location
Language
Characters
Sex
Time
Food
Drink
Ingredient
Entertainment
Emotions
The teacher will start by asking to the students to complete the columns recalling the story. They can check each attribute; the teacher will write the answers on the blackboard at the same time that they write the answers in their papers.
After this task has been completed, the teacher will say: Now let us look for the similarities and differences in the two stories. The teacher goes to the blackboard and writes in two columns;
Similaritiess
_____
_____
Differences
_____
_____
The teacher says to the students: let us look for the similarities first, and start asking to the students to find all the common things in each celebration. The teacher induce the students to make a systematic work by checking every attribute in both columns in order not to skip any.
Once they have finished with the similarities, the students will start looking for the differences (here the teacher emphasizes opposite after this task is done emphasizing again systematic work and commenting about everything.) The teacher proceeds to bridge the vocabulary words into daily life experiences, academics, interpersonal relationships and vocational (summary)
Materials
¥ stories printed in dittos
¥ maps
¥ paper
¥ pencil
¥ blackboard
¥ film of Christmas celebration if available
Related activities:
-
1. Look for similarity and differences between two pictures; marking the differences.
-
2. Present a picture on an overhead projector and ask the students to look for similarities and differences in the picture.
-
3. Present two short films and ask the students to comment on the films and state the similarities and differences between the films, films: Human and Animals Beginning Motion Picture. Audio Visual Material Catalog. New Haven Public Schools
-
4. Check the weather every day during a week and compare the differences on degrees on the last days.
-
5. In math: Plot a graph using weather, length, population, sold items in a month etc., and analyze the graph in terms of:
-
____
____
larger—shorter
-
____
____
more—less
-
____
____
hotter—cooler
-
6. Improve comparison at a more abstract level by giving an expression and ask the students to complete it.
-
____
¥ The day is so beautiful as _____.
-
____
¥ This girl is as pretty as _____.
-
____
¥ This paper is as white as _____.
-
____
¥ This room is as dark as _____.
-
____
¥ This orange is as sweet as _____.
-
____
¥ The motor is to the car, as the heart is to the _____.
-
____
¥ The fins are to the fish, as the wins are to the _____.
-
____
¥ The green is to the leaves, as the _____ is to the sky.
-
____
¥ white is to snow as _____ is to coffee etc.
Try always that the students name the attributes by which we are comparing.
-
Example: If I say Mary is eight years old and Jose is Six (I am comparing age).
-
If I say Tony is quiet and Joe talks too much (I am comparing behavior).
The teacher would try that the students give the attributes.
Example:
-
Teacher: If I say Marie has blue eyes and Jill has Black eyes, What am I comparing?
-
Student: Color
-
Teacher: If I say New York is larger than New Haven, What Am I comparing?
-
Student: Size
-
Teacher: If I say honey is sweet and coffee is bitter, what am I comparing?
-
Student: Flavor, etc..
-
7. Movie recommended for comparison, “Human and Animals beginning Motion Picture”, Audio Visual Materials Catalog. New Haven Public Schools.
