Comparing and Contrasting Short Stories

Beginning:

• Before reading, front-load the definitions of character, problem, solution, and theme. Write them down for student reference.
• At the end of each book, have students turn and tell a seat partner the character, then the problem, and so on.

Intermediate:

• Before reading, ask student volunteers to define character, problem, solution, and theme.
• Tell students to be thinking about each of these in the two stories while you read.
• After reading each book, ask students to tell you about the characters, problem, solution, and theme of each.

Beginning: Provide written questions and sentence stems for partner discussion before filling out the graphic organizer as a class. For example:

• How are the characters in the books the same?
  • "The characters in both books are ____."

Intermediate: Pair ELs with sympathetic non-EL peers to turn and discuss each portion of the graphic organizer before you ask for a student volunteer to share.

Beginning:

• Provide a student-friendly glossary of terms that may be unfamiliar to beginning ELs, such as responsible or goal.
• Allow beginner ELs to continue working with a partner to fill out a single graphic organizer.

Intermediate: Allow ELs extra time to complete the work.