Identifying Similarities and Differences
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Venn Diagram #1
Basics:
Process Directions:
This strategy provides a clear comparison between two ideas, while also allowing students to understand what the two have in common. Example topics include:
- Time needed: 15 minutes
- Room Arrangement: normal
- Materials: whiteboard, overhead, or smartboard and corresponding writing utensil
Process Directions:
- Draw two overlapping circles on an overhead transparency or chart paper.
- Label each side with the name of one of the things you are comparing.
- Ask students for attributes to go in the three areas, some that belong to each item separately and some that the two items share.
This strategy provides a clear comparison between two ideas, while also allowing students to understand what the two have in common. Example topics include:
- Finding the similarities and differences between to ideas, such as bass/treble clef
- Comparing, in several cultures of the world, the functions music serves.
Concept Formation #2
Basics:
Process Directions:
When/Example:
This strategy finds similarities between two or more topics, which allows students to see how the categories relate. Example topics include:
- Time needed: 15-20 minutes
- Room Arrangement: small groups
- Materials: sticky notes and writing utensils
Process Directions:
- Give a topic so that participants have a focus for brainstorming a data set.
- Give each student at least five to six sticky notes.
- Have each person jot down one idea per note.
- Have people share their notes in their group, and begin organizing them in clusters based on similarities. Set outliers to the side.
- Once participants are satisfied with the arrangement, have them label each cluster with a title that is representative of the grouping.
- Share labels with the class to see the class’ vision of the topic.
When/Example:
This strategy finds similarities between two or more topics, which allows students to see how the categories relate. Example topics include:
- Qualities of a good audience member and qualities of a supportive class.
- Traits of baroque and classical instrumental pieces.
Think Pair Share #3
Basics:
Process Directions:
When/Example:
This strategy gives time for students to individually analyze the topics and then share their ideas with each other. Example prompts include:
- Time needed: 5 minutes
- Room Arrangement: normal
- Materials: none
Process Directions:
- A question or idea is presented.
- The prompt might be to think about the question or idea that is presented.
- Give about 30 seconds for people to think.
- Say, “Now turn to a partner and share your answer.”
- Pairs discuss for 60 seconds and then are asked to share with the whole group.
When/Example:
This strategy gives time for students to individually analyze the topics and then share their ideas with each other. Example prompts include:
- “We are two differences between the romantic and renaissance periods?”
- “What do (two songs from different diverse cultures) have in common?”
Comparison Matrix #4
Basics:
Process Directions:
When/Example:
This strategy allows students to compare and contrast multiple items, while narrowing the focus to specific characteristics. Example topics include:
- Time needed: 20-30 min
- Room Arrangement: normal
- Materials: copies of the comparison matrix
Process Directions:
- Pass out the comparison matrix to the class.
- Give students the information to fill in the “Items to be compared” and the four “Characteristics.”
- Have students fill in the similarities and differences in the middle section of the comparison matrix.
- Discuss the middle section as a class.
When/Example:
This strategy allows students to compare and contrast multiple items, while narrowing the focus to specific characteristics. Example topics include:
- Different composers: Vivaldi, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, etc.
- Different periods of music: renaissance, classical, medieval, baroque, modern, etc.
Analogies #5
Basics:
Process Directions:
When/Example:
This strategy helps students break down the concept being taught, analyzing it in order to relate it to other ideas. Example topics include:
- Time needed: 10-15 minutes
- Room Arrangement: normal
- Materials: student notebooks and writing utensils
Process Directions:
- Have students draw the image below in their notebook.
- Give students an analogy for the first two boxes. Example: forte is to piano.
- Discuss the relationship as a class. The example’s relationship would be opposites.
- Have students come up with the rest of the analogy, can be musical or non-musical. (This can also be done in small groups.) Continuing the example: as black is to white.
- Have students share with the class so you can check thinking and misunderstandings.
When/Example:
This strategy helps students break down the concept being taught, analyzing it in order to relate it to other ideas. Example topics include:
- Comparing kinds of notes
- Comparing dynamics
- Comparing relationships among voices (especially in madrigals)
Click here to continue to Summarizing and Note Taking.