Grade 5 English Language Arts | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.5.R.3.3
Compare and contrast how authors from different time periods address the same or related topics.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
| Term | Definition | Student-Friendly Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Perspective | The point of view from which something is considered | The way someone sees or thinks about a topic based on who they are |
| Approach | The way an author chooses to present or organize information | HOW an author decides to write about something (structure, style, focus) |
| Treatment | The way a subject is handled or dealt with in a text | How an author "treats" a topic - what they include, leave out, emphasize |
| Structure | How a text is organized (chronological, compare/contrast, problem/solution) | The way the author arranges and organizes the information |
| Emphasis | Special importance given to certain aspects of a topic | What the author spends the most time on or highlights as most important |
| Aspect | Questions to Ask |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Why did each author write this? To inform? Persuade? Entertain? |
| Audience | Who is each text written for? Experts? Kids? General readers? |
| Focus/Emphasis | What does each author spend the most time on? |
| Structure | How is each text organized? What order? What text features? |
| Tone | What attitude does each author have toward the topic? |
| Perspective | What viewpoint or bias might each author have? |
| Day | Focus | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Comparing Texts | Define key terms. Compare two short texts on same topic. Use Student Concept Worksheet. |
| 2 | Analyzing Structure & Focus | Examine how organization and emphasis differ. Use graphic organizers. |
| 3 | Purpose & Perspective | Explore why authors make different choices. Practice Worksheet passages 1-2. |
| 4 | Writing Comparison Responses | Model and practice writing comparison responses. Complete Practice Worksheet. |
| 5 | Assessment | Administer FAST Format Quiz. Review and reteach as needed. |
Create a two-column chart with headings for each text. As students read, they record notes in parallel: Topic, Purpose, Main Points, Structure, Tone, What's Emphasized, What's Left Out. This visual comparison reveals differences immediately.
Have students role-play as the authors of each text. Other students ask: "Why did you choose to write about X?" "Why did you organize it this way?" "What do you want readers to learn?" This builds understanding of author's choices.
Teach stems for comparison writing: "Both texts discuss... however..." "While Author A focuses on..., Author B emphasizes..." "The texts are similar in that they both... but differ in how they..." "Author A's approach is... whereas Author B takes a... approach."
For each text, students identify: (1) Purpose - Why was this written? (2) Audience - Who is it for? (3) Approach - How does it achieve its purpose for that audience? This helps students see that different purposes lead to different approaches.
Correction: Comparison includes BOTH similarities AND differences. Strong comparisons address what texts have in common as well as how they differ.
Correction: Authors make choices about what to include, emphasize, and leave out based on their purpose, audience, and perspective. Different approaches are not "wrong" - they serve different purposes.
Correction: Comparison requires analyzing texts IN RELATION to each other. Students should discuss how texts are alike and different, not just what each one says independently.
Correction: Different texts serve different purposes. A scientific article isn't "better" than a personal essay - they have different goals. Students should evaluate which text is better FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, not which is objectively superior.
On the FAST assessment, comparing texts questions typically ask students to:
Key Strategy: Teach students to read BOTH texts completely before answering comparison questions, and to look for specific evidence in both texts when writing responses.