Sophia Learning
Sophia: Comparing and Contrasting Texts
This tutorial focuses on writing a comparison and contrast paper for both literary texts and informational texts. It offers a YouTube video about writing a synthesis paper using either a point by point or a source by source arrangement....
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Interactive Forum
Read two poems and follow the prompts to interpret them using four approaches: reader response, inquiry, cultural studies, and critical pedagogy. Use the prompts to guide personal reflection, launch a lesson with students, or join an...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Common Themes in Literature
This tutorial focuses on common themes in literature, beginning with a slide show discussing 11 different, common themes and literary examples. This is followed by a 11-minute YouTube video with students acting out common themes in...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Themes in Literary Texts (English 6 Reading)
Learn how to infer the implicit theme in a work of fiction, distinguish theme from topic, and make complex inferences using textual evidence.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Synthesize Ideas in Informational/expository Text
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] Learn how to synthesize and make logical connections between ideas within a text and across two or three texts representing similar or different genres and support with...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway:analyze Various Texts With Similar Themes (English I Reading)
In this learning module, the user will learn and apply the skills to analyze themes.
Colorado State University
Colorado State University: The Wac Clearinghouse
Although this site is primarily designed for instructors at the post-secondary level, the information and suggestions given can also be used, with only minor changes, at the high school or middle school levels as well. Learn ways for...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Describe Themes in Literary Texts (English 7 Reading)
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson is about themes, the central messages in literature. Whatever their genre might be, writers have some wisdom, some universal truth or insight to share; this...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Annotate and Analyze a Paired Passage: Practice 1
In this lesson, students will read and annotate a pair of texts to make inferences, draw conclusions, and synthesize ideas and details using textual evidence.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Story, Identity, Unity
Delve into the art of storytelling in this self-guided unit. Multiple topics are covered such as literary genres, the 7 elements of fiction, figurative language, theme, characterization, etc. At the end of the unit, write your own flash...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: There Is Something in Common: Finding Common Themes
Learners will synthesize information from multiple historical fiction books to find common themes and support them with evidence from the text. Working with a partner who has read a different book, they will share their theme from their...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Rl.3.9: Compare and Contrast Themes, Settings, and Plots
Links to 16 lessons that focus on skills within third grade reading standard RL.3.9.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Compare/contrast Themes and Genres in Literary Texts
Determining the theme is not easy; you have to use the clues the author leaves to figure it out yourself. The author implies information about the story through plot points, setting, and characters. You infer and draw conclusions based...
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Analyze Texts With Similar/different Purposes
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson is about being able to identify the author's purpose in a specific text. Specifically, it's about looking at several authors' works on the same topic and...
Other
Curriculum Associates: Comparing and Contrasting Texts [Pdf]
In these activities, students are asked to compare and contrast two versions of each event with two pieces of writing that are about the same topic. Teaching notes with answer keys are provided as well.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Similarities and Differences Between Two Text
In this lesson, through guided practice, the students use two texts about Martin Luther King to compare the similarities and differences between those texts. Includes videos of the lesson in action, printable charts, and a graphic...
Utah Education Network
Uen: One True Story, Told Two Ways
Analyze the different perspectives presented by two authors telling the same story.
Other
Penn. Department of Education:comparing and Contrasting Different Versions
Comparing and contrasting is a higher-level thinking skill promoted in the Common Core Standards leading to the ability to comprehend and analyze texts through various topics and genres. This lesson plan on Comparing and Contrasting...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Cool Tools for Finding Information (Grade 3 4)
Identify text structures in various informational sources.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: A Storm of Ideas
The first step in writing an informational text on the topic of learners' choice is helping the student choose a topic of interest. Students will brainstorm ideas that will be possible final topics.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Literary Elements and Techniques Collection
These animated shorts introduce or review literary elements and techniques like theme, setting, figurative language, characterization, and conflict. They can be used when students are just learning how to identify the most commonly used...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: So Much Character! How Characters Help to Develop Theme
A module to practice skills that will identify how characterization helps the development of theme in a literary work.
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Read Like This: Determining Theme in Literary Texts
In this module you will read a story called "The New Dress" by Virginia Woolf, with the purpose of determining themes and how they develop over the course of the text.
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Read Like This: A Strategy for Analyzing Literary Nonfiction
Read, analyze and answer text-dependent questions about several excerpts from a famous slave narrative called The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.