Comparing is a kind of thinking

When we compare, we

think about how things are similar

When we compare, we

think about how things are different

Let’s try to compare

Let’s try to compare

The ocean

A creek

What do we know about the ocean?

• Has water• Has waves• Is at the beach• The water is

salty• Can’t see to the

other side

What do we know about a creek?

• Has water • Has a current• Is not at the

beach• The water is

fresh, not salty• Can see from one

side to the other

Let’s compare!

• Has water• Has waves• Is at the beach• The water is salty• Can’t see to the

other side

The Ocean

Let’s compare!

• Has water• Has waves• Is at the beach• The water is salty• Can’t see to the

other side

The Ocean A Creek

• Has water • Has a current• Is not at the

beach• The water is fresh,

not salty• Can see from one

side to the other

Let’s compare!

• Has water• Has waves• Is at the beach• The water is salty• Can’t see to the

other side

The Ocean A Creek

• Has water • Has a current• Is not at the

beach• The water is fresh,

not salty• Can see from one

side to the other

This is a similarity. Both the ocean and a creek have water.

Let’s compare!

• Has water• Has waves• Is at the beach• The water is salty• Can’t see to the

other side

The Ocean A Creek

• Has water • Has a current• Is not at the

beach• The water is fresh,

not salty• Can see from one

side to the other

These are differences. They show how the ocean and a creek are not the same.

We compared!

We thought about how the ocean and a creek are similar. We thought about how they are different.

We compared!

There are many more similarities and differences that we could find. Any ideas?

Comparing helps us to learn. When we think about how

things are similar and different, we

notice new features

Let’s compare these creatures

Let’s compare these creatures

Green frog Salamander

We can create a chart to compare

Frog SalamanderLegsColorTailWhere it livesSkin

Frog SalamanderLegsColorTailWhere it livesSkin

This chart helps us to look at different features of the frog and the salamander

We can create a chart to compare

Let’s start with the legs

Green frog Salamander

Let’s start with the legs

Green frog Salamander

4 legs

Let’s start with the legs

Green frog Salamander

4 legs

4 legs

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegsColorTailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

ColorTailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

ColorTailWhere it livesSkin

We’ll look at color next

What color do you notice?

What color do you notice?

Brown with black spots, some green

What color do you notice?

Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

TailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

TailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

TailWhere it livesSkin

What is our next step?

What do you notice about the tails?

What do you notice about the tails?

No tail

What do you notice about the tails?

No tail A long tail

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it livesSkin

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it livesSkin

What should we think about next?

Where do these creatures live?

Where do these creatures live?

Ponds and creeks

Where do these creatures live?

Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin What should we look at next?

What do you notice about the skin of these creatures?

What do you notice about the skin of these creatures?

Smooth

What do you notice about the skin of these creatures?

Smooth Smooth

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth

Let’s fill in the chart!

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

What are the similarities?

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

What are the similarities?

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

What are the differences?

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

What can this chart teach us?Frog Salamander

Legs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

We could find even more similarities and differences

Frog SalamanderLegs 4 4

Color Brown with black spots, some green

All black

Tail No tail Long tailWhere it lives Ponds and creeks Ponds and creeks

Skin Smooth Smooth

What have we learned?

When we compare, we look for ______________ and ______________.

What have we learned?

When we compare, we look for similarities and ______________.

What have we learned?

When we compare, we look for similarities and differences.

What did we do with these pictures?

What did we do with these pictures?

We looked at how the ocean and a creek are similar and different.

What did we do with this chart?

Frog SalamanderLegsColorTailWhere it livesSkin

What did we do with this chart?

Frog SalamanderLegsColorTailWhere it livesSkin

We used it to compare a frog and a salamander

What else can you compare?

How can comparing help you as a

learner?

By Emily Kissner