Comparing Characters Across Stories
METACompare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories; identify similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic
Mastery Evidence
- Identify what two stories have in common (e.g. 'Both have a bear character')
- Compare information from two books about the same topic
- Discuss how characters' experiences are similar or different across stories
Assessment Prompt
“If [child] has read two stories with similar themes — like two tales about a brave hero — can they tell you what was the same and what was different between them?”
Curriculum Standards7 alignments
RI.1.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsIdentify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
RI.2.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsCompare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.
RI.3.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsCompare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
RI.K.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsWith prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
RL.1.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsCompare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
RL.3.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsCompare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
RL.K.9Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical SubjectsWith prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
Prerequisites5
- Connecting New & Old IdeassoftAges 7—8
- Main Topic of Informational TextssoftAges 5—7
- Feelings Change and DiffersoftAges 5—7
- Characters, settings, and eventshardAges 5—8
- Spotting PatternssoftAges 7—8
Show full prerequisite tree
- Connecting New & Old Ideas soft
Comparing and contrasting characters or texts draws on the universal habit of connecting new ideas to existing knowledge
- Thinking Before Starting hard
Making connections between new and old ideas requires the habit of activating prior knowledge first
- Persisting When It's Hard hard
Activating prior knowledge requires the foundational habit of persistent engagement with new material
- Feelings Change and Differ soft
Comparing characters' adventures and reactions in stories is enriched by the foundational SEL understanding that the same event can make different people feel differently
- Spotting Patterns soft
Identifying patterns and similarities across texts is the reading form of the universal pattern-recognition habit
- Connecting New & Old Ideas soft
Spotting patterns across domains is an extension of the habit of connecting new ideas to existing ones
- Thinking Before Starting hard
Making connections between new and old ideas requires the habit of activating prior knowledge first
- Persisting When It's Hard hard
Activating prior knowledge requires the foundational habit of persistent engagement with new material
Unlocks2
- Different Accounts of the Same EventsoftAges 6—8
- Characters' Viewpoints and ResponsessoftAges 6—8