How to Write a Comparing Paragraph

Lately in language we have been learning how to write a paragraph which compares two things. We started by reading the story "Stella Luna". Click here to see the Youtube video we watched of the story. Afterwards, we created a Venn diagram to compare the similarities and differences of bats and birds. Finally, we used the Venn diagram to help us write a comparative paragraph.

In Grade 3 I always stress the importance of using an opening (topic) sentence. I also try to encourage students to write a sentence that is a "Big" grade 3 sentence - a compound sentence. Students are encouraged to use a linking word to join two ideas together. For example, "You might think that birds and bats look similar, but in fact they are very different."

Next, we might discuss some of the similarities of birds and bats for a sentence, and then discuss the differences. I usually ask students to write one sentence for bats, then one for birds and then repeat that pattern.

Example: "Bats have sharp, pointed teeth, which they use to bite things with. Birds have beaks, which can be pointed or flat depending on what they eat." (This is the type of sentence I would love to see!)

I would usually ask students to do three repetitions of this for a good paragraph - essentially covering three main differences between the two items.

Finally, at the end, I ask students to write a closing sentence, which should restate the main idea. For example, "Birds and bats are very different, but they are both amazing animals."

Here is the example that we wrote together in class. If you are practicing this type of writing at home with your child, please encourage them to follow this format.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me any time.