Engage students in a visualizing lesson that teaches them about the nonfiction text feature comparisons.

Teaching primary age students about nonfiction text features will help them become better readers and writers of nonfiction. One text feature that is important to focus on is nonfiction comparisons. Comparisons help the reader to visualize something by comparing it to a familiar object.

Similes

It helps to have previously taught a lesson on similes before discussing comparisons. Remind students how similes compare one thing to something else using the words like or as. The cloud was as soft as a pillow. Her hair was like silk. However, similes are normally used in fiction or poetry with similes you can stretch the truth. It’s nice to describe a cloud as soft as a pillow, but is the cloud really soft or does it just appear soft?

Comparisons

Explain that comparisons in nonfiction are like similes, but they have to be true. Tell students, “A goliath spider is 7 inches wide. Are you able to picture how big it is?” Next, tell them, “What if I told you a goliath spider can cover an entire dinner plate. Now can you picture how big that spider is?” Explain that authors of nonfiction use comparisons as a way to help the reader visualize something by comparing it to a familiar object.

Visualizing With Comparisons

Practice several examples of comparisons by telling students how much something weighs or how big something is by using a measurement. Then tell them to visualize it and compare it to a familiar object.

Next, write several comparisons on the board and ask the students to choose one to copy. Then have them visualize it by drawing the comparison.

Searching For Examples

Next have students look for examples of comparisons in nonfiction. It’s best to choose nonfiction books that you know contain examples and then have students search through them. Once they find them, they can use sticky notes to mark their example with a post-it note. You can have them copy down the example and draw their visualization of the comparison. Afterwards, have students share the examples with one another. Examples found in the books can be compiled into a class book called Amazing Comparisons!

Students find this activity very exciting because of the power that comparisons have! When they find out that the largest snake in the world is longer than a tractor trailer they are amazed! Or they think it’s fascinating that the giant squid is as long as a school bus!

Great Books for Comparisons

Time For Kids Science Scoops are beautiful nonfiction books perfect for primary aged students. They have great examples of many nonfiction text features, especially comparisons. These books vary on level and would be appropriate grades 1-3.

That’s Wild is a series by Sundance Publishing that contains great examples of nonfiction comparisons. These books are written on a reading level appropriate for grades 2 and 3.

How Big Is It?Is a great book by Ben Hillman [Scholastic, 2007] that compares the size of things to familiar objects in full color photos.