6th Grade Compare and Contrast

Poison ivy and poison oak are woody plants that grow in almost any habitat and are very similar in appearance. Both poison oak and poison ivy have berrylike fruit and brown stems. But poison ivy acts more like a vine than a bush and can grow high in trees. The fruit of poison ivy is gray and smooth. On the other hand, poison oak acts more like a bush than a vine. The fruit of poison oak is hairy instead of smooth.

How are poison ivy and poison oak similar?

• Both are vines.

• Both have hairy fruit.

• Both look exactly alike.

• Both have berrylike fruit.

Bananas are a yellow fruit that grows in hot climates. They grow on tall plants, in bunches called hands. They're easy to carry and fun to eat. Sometimes bananas are called the “perfect fruit” because they have many nutrients to keep you healthy. They have lots of potassium, which helps your muscles grow. For a delicious treat, add some banana slices to other foods, like cereal, ice cream, or a peanut butter sandwich. A banana is also an excellent breakfast food.

Pineapples are another yellow fruit that grows in hot climates. They grow on low plants, close to the ground. Pineapples are very juicy and sweet. They are not very easy to carry around because they are large and have prickly skin. Pineapples are very healthy food. They have lots of vitamin C, which helps your body fight germs and build strong bones. Slices of pineapple taste wonderful when added to other foods, like pizza, ice cream, and hamburgers. Some people even put pineapple slices on cakes.

According to the paragraphs above, how are bananas and pineapples alike?

• They are both dirty fruits.

• They both grow in bunches.

• They are both easy to carry.

• They both grow in hot climates.

When we compare and contrast while reading, we are looking for?

• Pretty girls and good looking boys.

• Clues and facts.

• Justice and Injustice

• Similarities and differences.

Bananas are a yellow fruit that grows in hot climates. They grow on tall plants, in bunches called hands. They're easy to carry and fun to eat. Sometimes bananas are called the “perfect fruit” because they have many nutrients to keep you healthy. They have lots of potassium, which helps your muscles grow. For a delicious treat, add some banana slices to other foods, like cereal, ice cream, or a peanut butter sandwich. A banana is also an excellent breakfast food.

Pineapples are another yellow fruit that grows in hot climates. They grow on low plants, close to the ground. Pineapples are very juicy and sweet. They are not very easy to carry around because they are large and have prickly skin. Pineapples are very healthy food. They have lots of vitamin C, which helps your body fight germs and build strong bones. Slices of pineapple taste wonderful when added to other foods, like pizza, ice cream, and hamburgers. Some people even put pineapple slices on cakes.

How are bananas and pineapples different?

• Pineapples grow on plants, but bananas do not.

• Pineapples are healthy, but bananas are not.

• Bananas are easy to carry, but pineapples are not.

• Bananas and pineapples grow in hot climates.

Teri and Tom were brother and sister. Each of them had to do chores daily. Tom did the trash and Teri did the vacuuming. One day they decided to switch jobs. After a few days, Teri thought the vacuuming was much better than the new job of taking out the trash. Tom thought vacuuming was like searching for treasure on the carpet. He told his sister he liked it much better than the trash and how he made it a fun job using his imagination. Teri gave it some thought and decided that taking out the trash was sort of neat because she got to go outside. and the job was completed quickly as well. Neither job was pleasant, but maybe taking out the trash was better than vacuuming after all. They decided to switch jobs for good!

How did Teri compare garbage duty and vacuuming?

• They both had to be done every day.

• They both smell bad.

• They both are noisy.

• They both are unpleasant jobs.

When using a Venn diagram where do you put the differences (contrasts)?

• Top and bottom

• Backside

• Right and Left

• Middle

Going to the beach is a lot of fun. At the ocean, you can see colorful fish and different kinds of birds. If the weather is warm enough, you can even go for a swim. Most beaches have lots of space to run, play, build sandcastles, fly kites, and have a picnic. When you run on the sand, be careful that a jellyfish doesn’t sting you!

Visiting the mountains is very exciting. You can see beautiful, tall trees and many different kinds of green plants. If you watch carefully and quietly, you might even see a deer, a squirrel, and or a snake. If you feel strong, you might go for a long hike on a trail or even climb to a mountaintop. There is plenty of space to play Frisbee, eat lunch outdoors, or play hide-and-go-seek. At night, you can build a bonfire. Be careful of the mosquitoes!

According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the beach the same?

• Both places are great for flying kites.

• Both places are great for swimming.

• Both places are great for hiking.

• Both places are great for eating outdoors.

Going to the beach is a lot of fun. At the ocean, you can see colorful fish and different kinds of birds. If the weather is warm enough, you can even go for a swim. Most beaches have lots of space to run, play, build sandcastles, fly kites, and have a picnic. When you run on the sand, be careful that a jellyfish doesn’t sting you!

Visiting the mountains is very exciting. You can see beautiful, tall trees and many different kinds of green plants. If you watch carefully and quietly, you might even see a deer, a squirrel, and or a snake. If you feel strong, you might go for a long hike on a trail or even climb to a mountaintop. There is plenty of space to play Frisbee, eat lunch outdoors, or play hide-and-go-seek. At night, you can build a bonfire. Be careful of the mosquitoes!

According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the beach different?

• There is plenty of room to play at both places.

• The beach has different animals than the mountains.

• The beach is hot, and the mountains are very cold.

• The beach is a safer place to visit than the mountains.

An American tall tale tells of a giant named Paul Bunyan who was a logger in the north. He had an ox named Babe that was also rather large by most standards. Most people do not know that Paul had a cousin named Tony Beaver who was also a logger. Tony was like Paul in that he too had an ox. He actually had two oxen. One was named Hannibal and the other was named Goliath. Paul’s cousin lived in the south. The two cousins had many good times together and lived long successful lives with a lot of great adventures.

One way that Tony Beaver and Paul Bunyan were alike was

 

• Paul was Tony’s cousin

• They were both loggers.

• Each had a blue ox named babe.

• They were from the South.

What tool is useful when comparing and contrasting two things?

• T-Chart

• Venn Diagram

• Slime

• Brainstorming Web