This document discusses identifying similarities and differences, which is a higher-order thinking skill. It explores comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies. Specific steps and graphic organizers are provided for each technique to help students identify patterns and make connections between concepts. Examples and activities are included to demonstrate how to teach these skills in a structured way beginning with teacher-directed instruction and progressing to more student-directed approaches.

2. Identifying
Similarities and
Differences
• Basic to human thought
• Possibly the core to
learning
• Higher-order on Bloom’s
• Level 4: Analysis

3. Why is this important?
• Leads to deeper student understanding of
the content.
• Students make connections with old
knowledge to new knowledge.
• The brain works by building connections
and associations constantly.
• The brain remembers more easily things
that are unusual or different.

4. Identifying
Similarities and
Differences
• Comparing
• Classifying
• Creating Metaphors
• Creating Analogies

5. Comparing
• Definition: Identifying the similarities and
differences. (Note: Traditionally, comparing
refers to identifying similarities; contrasting
refers to identifying differences.)
• How are the objects below the same? How
are they different?

6. Comparing in Action
• When introducing the activity, start very
structured, explicit, and teacher-directed. Use
familiar and simple content.
• Teacher-directed: Teacher selects items to
compare and how to compare.
• Student-directed: Teacher selects items,
students decide how to compare.
• Advanced student-directed: Students select
items to compare and how to compare.

7. Comparing in Action
• Steps for students:
• What do I want to compare?
• What things about them do I
want to compare?
• How are they the same?
• How are they different?

8. Graphic Organizers for
Comparing
• Venn Diagram (especially for younger
grades)

9. Graphic Organizers for
Comparing
• Comparison Matrix (for older grades- can be
done in younger grades whole-group.)
Simple Advanced

10. Comparison Activity Time!
1. Get your Comparison Matrix out.
2. Work with your table to complete
the matrix for five minutes.
3. Stop working and talking when
the timer goes off. (Thanks!)
4. Reward yourself with some
candy- you deserve it!

11. Classifying
• Definition: Grouping things that are
similar into categories on the basis of
their characteristics.
• It is critical to first identify the rules of
the categories before
classifying.
• If your class
“sorts”, you are

12. Classifying in Action
• Remember to model and start out very
structured when introducing. Emphasize
how you are grouping them and why you
are grouping them.
• Teacher-Directed: Students are given the
elements to classify and the categories.
• Student-Directed: Students are given the
items but come up with their own
categories.
• Advanced Student-Directed: Students
come up with the items to classify and the

13. Classifying in Action
• Steps for classifying:
• What to classify?
• What things can I group?
• How are the things alike?
• Can I make the groups another way?
• Does everything fit into a group?
• Would it be better to split up any of the
groups or combine any groups?

14. Graphic Organizers for
Classifying
Categor Categor Categor Categor Categor
y y y y y
Items Items Items Items Items

15. Classifying Activity Time!
1. Empty the envelope.
2. Work with your table to classify the items in
the graphic organizer for two minutes.
3. Stop working and talking when the timer
goes off. (Thanks!)
4. Turn your paper over and come up with new
categories. Classify your items for three
minutes.
5. Stop working and talking when the timer
goes off. (Thanks!)
6. Stand up, stretch, and move around!

16. Creating Metaphors
• Definition: Identifying a pattern in a specific topic
and then finding another topic that appears to be
quite different but has the same general pattern.
• In other words… two items
that are connected by an
abstract (non-literal)
relationship.
• Note: Similes connect two
things using the words like
or as.

17. Creating Metaphors in
Action
• Teacher-Directed: Teacher provides the first
element and the abstract relationship.
• Student-Directed: Teacher provides first
element and the student identifies the
second element and the relationship.
• The brain is _______________.
• Love is ____________.
• For younger students, starting out with
similes may help them understand the

18. Graphic Organizer for
Metaphors
Literal Abstract Literal
Element 1 Element 2
Pattern 1 Relationship Pattern 2

19. Ms. Metaphor!

20. Metaphor Activity Time!
(5 minutes)
1. Read the metaphors describing the Internet.
2. Choose the one that you think best
describes the Internet.
3. Explain your choice to an elbow buddy.
4. Come up with your own Internet metaphor
either on your own or with your elbow buddy.
5. Be willing to share your metaphor when the
timer goes off.
6. Enjoy another piece of candy or another
stretch! We’re almost done!

21. Creating Analogies
• Definition: Identifying relationships between
pairs of concepts. In other words, identifying
relationships between relationships.
• Example:
happy:sad::big:small
“Happy is to sad as big is to small.”
Happy and big are opposites of sad and
small, respectively.

22. Creating Analogies
• Analogies help us to see how seemingly
dissimilar things are similar,
therefore increasing
our understanding of
new information.
• Creating analogies
help us make
connections.

23. Creating Analogies in
Action
• Teacher-Directed: Analogy is given and the
students explain the relationship. As
understanding increases, eliminate one
element. (Younger students- use pictures
or do the activity orally in a whole-group or
small-group setting.)
• Student-Directed: The teacher presents
the first pair, the students come up with the
second pair.
• Advanced Student-Directed: Give students
the type of relationship. Students come up
with their own analogy.

24. Types of Analogies
• Similar Concepts:
hungry:ravenous::tired:exhausted
• Dissimilar Concepts: grim:cheerful::hilly:flat
• Class Membership: carrot:potato::brown:red
• Class Name/Class Member:
whale:mammal::snake:reptile
• Part to Whole: spark
plug:engine::variable:function
• Change: caterpillar:butterfly::tadpole:frog
• Function: pilot:airplane::lawn mower:grass
• Quantity/Size:

25. Graphic Organizer for
Creating Analogies
is to
Relationship:________________
___
is to

27. Analogy Activity Time!
(5 minutes)
1. Open the envelope and distribute the
analogies.
2. Complete the missing element.
3. Sort the analogies by relationship.
4. Stop talking when the timer goes off.
(Thanks!)
5. Say a cheer because we covered the
whole chapter! Woooooo!
6. Look at the resources and attachments
and get excited about using them!

28. Resources
• Venn Diagrams Galore:
• http://www.math-aids.com/Venn_Diagram/
• Comparison Matrix, Bubble Maps, and
more:
• http://www.fresno.k12.ca.us/divdept/sscience/
GraphicOrganizers/MarzanoGraphicA.pdf
• Metaphors and Analogies Graphic
Organizers:
• http://www.fresno.k12.ca.us/divdept/sscience/
GraphicOrganizers/MarzanoGraphicB.pdf

29. Attachments to
PowerPoint
• (On cardstock) Similarities and
Differences Cue Cards- cut them
up, punch a hole in the corner, and
put them on a ring for a quick time-
filler.
• Metaphor Match.
• List of analogies for younger
grades.

30. References
• Classroom Instruction that Works, A
Handbook for Classroom Instruction
that Works. Robert Marzano, Debra
Pickering, Jane Pollock.
• Google Images
• Youtube.com
• Helloliteracy.weebly.com
• Enchantedlearning.com
• Havefunteaching.com