Critical Thinking &
The Traits
“It is possible to have a brain
and not have a mind.
A brain is inherited;
a mind is developed.”
-Feuerstein
Comparing 
• Teacher directed
– Teacher identifies for
students items they are to
compare and
characteristics on which to
compare
– Ex. Unit on First Ladies students compare M.
Washington, E. Roosevelt,
and H. Clinton on
background, major
responsibilities at First
Ladies, and things they
were praised for
• Student directed
– Students select
characteristics on which
items are to be compared
– Ex. Unit on fairy tales –
after identifying major
elements, students can
select elements to use to
compare two fairy tales

Graphic Organizers for Comparing
Characteristi
cs
Items to be compared
#1
#2
#3
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Venn Diagram
Comparison Matrix
-most useful when comparing only two items
-more useful to provide a greater number of
details
Example Lesson: Comparing
song vs. poem 
1. Guiding question: Poem vs song
lyrics…what’s the difference 
1. Discuss high quality comparisons
2. Introduce topics to be compared
1. http://www.wordle.net/
3. Establish a purpose for comparison
1. Analyze for words and purpose
5. Model use of graphic organizer 
6. Pose a deep question to students
"What are these two mentor texts about, and
are
their messages similar or different?"
7. Write About
•
“Brainstorm a list of things someone
shouldn't be
•
the Comparison
able to ask for”
Go through writing process – focus on ideas,
word
choice

 Comparing topic to a known…

Graphic Organizers for Classification
Place Categories in column headings
-most useful when all categories are equal in
generality
-more useful when all categories are not equal in
generality

Graphic Organizer for Metaphors
Element 1
Literal
Pattern 1
Abstract
Literal
Pattern 2
It depicts that two elements have
somewhat different literal patterns,
but they share a common abstract
pattern.
Element 2
 Metaphor – two items are
connected by abstract or nonliteral
relationship
• Teacher directed
– Teacher provides first
element of metaphor
– Teach content area
information that
develops a pattern
• Have students use
pattern to identify
something that fits
pattern
• Student directed
– Once have worked
with metaphors can
create own
• Ex:
Cell
General Abstract
Enterprise
Nucleus
Part that
runs system
The Bridge
Permeable
membrane
Parts keeps
bad things
out
Transporter
Room

Graphic Organizers for Analogies
Is to
Relationship
Is to
Comparing 
• Teacher directed
– Teacher identifies for
students items they are to
compare and
characteristics on which to
compare
– Ex. Unit on First Ladies students compare M.
Washington, E. Roosevelt,
and H. Clinton on
background, major
responsibilities at First
Ladies, and things they
were praised for
• Student directed
– Students select
characteristics on which
items are to be compared
– Ex. Unit on fairy tales –
after identifying major
elements, students can
select elements to use to
compare two fairy tales

Graphic Organizers for Comparing
Characteristi
cs
Items to be compared
#1
#2
#3
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Similarities
Differences
Venn Diagram
Comparison Matrix
-most useful when comparing only two items
-more useful to provide a greater number of
details
Example Lesson: Comparing
song vs. poem 
1. Guiding question: Poem vs song
lyrics…what’s the difference 
1. Discuss high quality comparisons
2. Introduce topics to be compared
1. http://www.wordle.net/
3. Establish a purpose for comparison
1. Analyze for words and purpose

 Comparing topic to a known…

Graphic Organizers for Classification
Place Categories in column headings
-most useful when all categories are equal in
generality
-more useful when all categories are not equal in
generality

Graphic Organizer for Metaphors
Element 1
Literal
Pattern 1
Abstract
Literal
Pattern 2
It depicts that two elements have
somewhat different literal patterns,
but they share a common abstract
pattern.
Element 2

Graphic Organizers for Analogies
Is to
Relationship
Is to

Web sites for Analogies
• http://www.teachersdesk.org/vocabanal.html
card game
• http://www.infoplease.com/spot/analogy.html
explanation, examples, analogy of the day
• http://www.factmonster.com/analogies?month=Nov&d
ay=30 analogy of the day
• http://www.wordmasterschallenge.com/more_sample
s.htm samples
• http://www.quia.com/cb/7146.html game, like
Jeopardy
 Opposite Acrostic Poems
• To compare/contrast need multiple words
– Can be complete opposite or slightly different
– Great for jigsaw activity
• Have students teach their concepts to others
• At end, list all words and have students write 2
sentence summaries
• Differentiate:
– Have it sound like a sentence
– Have it sound like a poem
 Diamond Poem
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Diamond Poem:
Line1: one noun
Line2: two adjectives that describe the noun in
line 1
Line3: three –ing verbs the writer associates
with the nouns in line 1
Line4: four nouns - the first two nouns are
associated with the noun in line 1; the other two
are associated with the noun in line 7
Line5: three –ing verbs the writer associates
with the nouns in line 7
Line6: two adjectives that describe the noun in
line 7
Line7: one noun that is the opposite of the noun in line 1

 Di-Ku or Tri-Ku
• Di-Ku – pair of haikus
– to compare 2 things
• Tri-Ku – compare 3
things
– Both show similarities
and differences
• Haiku
– 17 syllables (5-7-5)
– 17 words (5-7-5)
Amoeba
Amoebas changing. - 5
Like horizon’s clouds at dawn.-7
Run, run on false feet.-5
Amoeba
He suffers from it…pseudopodia. -5
His false feet move him, feed him,-7
But he wants real Nikes.-5
 To create
• Begin with Venn diagram (2 or 3 circles)
– Key is to find interesting shared comparison
• Can write independently or partners
• Differentiate: genuine haiku connects to
nature – the challenge
 Opposing Points of View
• Students create comic strip to present
both points of view
– Revolutionary war…
• Read aloud: I Am the Cat, I Am the Dog by
Donald Hall – debrief
• Model with graphic organizer, then use
classroom topic & fill in organizer
• Have them choose event & fill in graphic
organizer
 Event/Topic to think about:
_____
Person #1
____________
Both Think:
Person #2:
___________
 To the comic strip
• Analyze comic strip –
determine attributes
of comic strip
• Strips should go back
and forth with differing
points of view –
ending with both
people in last strip
saying same thing
 The Important Book
by Margaret Wise Brown
• The important thing about The Important Book is that
you use it to model a form of writing that will allow your
students to tell you what is important about the sun and
the moon, two seasons, living and non-living things, or
two characters in a book.
• Students will write two important book pages describing
the essential elements of two contrasting subjects to
demonstrate understanding.
• Read aloud book, make T-chart and compare two
concepts. Have students complete T-chart with content
topics, then determine what is most important!
 Dueling Important Book pages
The important thing
about living things is
they need food, water, air
and sunlight to live and
grow.
Some living things
watch TV, drink, sleep, eat,
and play. All living things
die.
But the important
thing about living things
is they need food, water,
air and sunlight to live
and grow.
The important thing about
non-living things is they
don’t need food, water, air,
sunlight, and they don’t live
and grow.
Non-living things don’t walk
or see, and they don’t move by
themselves. They don’t talk,
watch TV or drink.
But the important thing
about non-living things is
they don’t need food, water,
air, sunlight, and they don’t
live and grow
 Text-to-Self Comparisons
• Objective: Compare text student is reading
to his/her own life in order to demonstrate
comprehension. Respond in lit
journal/writing log
 Process…Model using read
aloud
“Think aloud”
Summarization of Text
This reminds me of…
Martin Luther King and his sister
use to play with all of the neighbor
children in their backyard.
When I was young, all the kids in
my neighborhood used to play
together at the park behind my
house.
There was a time in Martin Luther
King’s childhood when black
children and white children could
not play together anymore. This
made him and his sister ask their
grandmother why this happened.
I remember when a family in our
neighborhood got divorced and the
kids moved away. I asked my
mom, “Why do parents have to get
divorced?”
 Writing in Reading…
 Writing a Memoir, Then and
Now
• Read mentor text
• Show student
samples
– Analyze
Questions to ask
How did you look?
What did you do with
your time?
What did you like or
dislike?
What were you afraid
of?
Was there anything you
got in trouble for doing?
What can you do now
that you could not do
then?
Then
Now
 Comparison/Contrast Graffiti
Walls
• Groups of 4-6 work together
• One pen per group
• Teacher posts “graffiti walls” – chart paper
with comparison questions on them
• Teacher says “go”
– Groups decides on their answer and sends
one person up to write – passes the pen
• May have second round
 Comparison/contrast Word
Splash Sentences
• Use content words
• Students analyze words related to more
than one concept
• Put in sentences to demonstrate
understanding
– Demonstrate understanding to write different
explanations of how several of the words are
connected
 Great for assessments
• Choose two comparative concepts
– Igneous rock and metamorphic rock
• Create list of vocabulary that fit both
categories
– some could fit just one
• Use graphic organizer
– Require fact checking & editing
– “publish” best sentence from each student
– Have class pick 10 best from whole class
 Postcards to the Absent
 Trilogues, Pentalogues &
Decalogues
• Trilogues
– List of 3 things believed by writer
• Pentalogues
– List of 5
• Decalogues
– List of 10 things
• “logues” are lists of beliefs in form of sentences
• Prompts are key
– “Five ways cumulus clouds are just like the other cloud types:
– Five ways that representatives think differently than Senators:
– How you phrase them is key – What are 10 facts about the civil war? =
lower level
• Differentiation: word choice revisions, prioritize list
• Sentences begin with “I believe” to get started
 Comparison/Contrast Essay
• Focus: Think deeply about two ideas with
multiple similarities or differences
• Four parts:
– Intro to topic
– Focus on similarities
– Focus on differences
– Conclusion
– Draft then revise and edit
 Think about…
• Need opportunities to
see models, have
conversations about
drafts
• Look for interesting
comparisons, not
simple and obvious
• Differentiation
– Create # of
paragraphs you need
 Resources
• Fountas & Pinnell. Guiding Readers and Writers.
Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH
• Lane, Barry. The Reviser’s Toolbox. Discover
Writing Press, 2003
• Wormeli, Rick. Summarization in Any Subject: 50
Techniques to Improve Student Learning. ASCD,
2004.
• Marzano, Robert. Classroom Instruction That
Works. ASCD, 2001.
• Payne, Ruby. UNDERSTANDING LEARNING the
How, the Why, the What. Aha! Process, Inc.,2002
 Picture books
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The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown
I am the Dog, I am the Cat by Donald Hall & Barry Moser
The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
The Wise Woman and Her Secret by Eve Merriam
The Three Questions by Jon J Muth
Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth
The Discovery of the Americas by Betsy & Guilio
Maestro
• Encounter by Jane Yolen
• Meet Christopher Columbus by James T. deKay
• Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg
 Websites
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Tagxedo: http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html
Wordle: http://www.wordle.net
http://www.tagxedo.com/app.html
Writingfix – www.writingfix.com
http://penfieldtraits.wikispaces.com/
More on Bloom’s:
http://www.eduscapes.com/tap/topic69.htm
• Graphic organizers:
http://www.nvo.com/ecnewletter/graphicorganizers/
• Metaphor cards:
http://www.writingfix.com/PDFs/Comparison_Contrast/N
ew_Metaphor_Cards.pdf
Thank you for all you do for
students in Penfield
Please contact me if you have questions or if
you’d like to work together on any of these
strategies, or have me teach a lesson or....
Dawn @ x5719
Dawn_Pruszynski@penfield.monroe.edu