Comparing and Contrasting

Here are some great questions to ask your child to help them as they think about various attributes when working on comparing and contrasting at home:

- In what group or category would we find these items/words?

- What does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it smell like? What is it made of? (e.g., size, shape, color, number, pattern, material, parts, etc.)

- What can each item do?  -Can you use it? -If yes, how?

- Can people make these things? Do they come from nature? Are they living?

- Does it have feelings? /   -How do they feel? 

- Where do you find or keep each item?

- Can we eat or drink them? If yes, what does it taste like?

 Here is a visual that may be helpful for children to refer to as they work on developing this concept:

Ways to Say Very Good!

Here is a list of a variety of ways to tell your child Very Good!

Story Grammar Marker

A Story Grammar Marker assists students with reading and listening comprehension as well as when writing narratives. It has symbols which correspond to all of the parts of a story: character, setting, -initiating event, plan, internal response, attempt , obstacle, direct consequence, and resolution.  
Sometimes it is beneficial for students to self-generate the symbols they want to use to represent the different story components.The has series of four pictures (see below) describe each of the parts of the story grammar marker in more detail and can be used with your child if you choose to make a story grammar marker. The fifth picture shows an example of a marker made with a child.

 

Useful Tips and Strategies for Working with Your Child at Home

Here is a strategy to assist with enhancing vocabulary by writing object descriptions, since defining concepts is important across all academic areas. This strategy will assist students with retaining, recalling, and writing definitions using an appropriate structure.  In order to use the strategy of object descriptions you must ask your child these seven questions in this order: 
1) What is it called?
2) What is the category?
3) What do you do with it? What does it do? 
4) What does it look like?
5) What parts does it have?
6) What does it feel like?
7) Where can I find it?

**Not every question needs to be answered.**

Then, you build a definition with the answers the students give to the seven questions: A(n) ______(#1)______ is a(n) ________(# 2)________ that _____(#3)_______. It _______ (#4, 5, 6 or 7)_________ and ____(#4, 5, 6 or 7)_________.

Here's an example:
1) What is it called? A blueberry
2) What is the category? Fruit
3) What do you do with it? What does it do? Eat it
4) What does it look like? Round, Dark Blue
5) What parts does it have? Small seeds and a small stem
6) What does it feel like? Smooth
7) Where can I find it? At the grocery store, On a plant

Definition: A blueberry is a fruit that you can eat. It is round, dark blue, and smooth with small seeds and a small stem. You can find them at the grocery store or on a plant.

(Zimmerman, 2007) (Montgomery, 2012)