Similarities+&+Differences

Read and Reflect
How do you currently apply this strategy with or without technology?

Similarities and Differences is one of the first instructional strategies that I learned about and applied consistently in the classroom. The strategy easily is applicable to all content areas. Activating prior knowledge and background knowledge are critical to making connections and building a bridge to new learning. In reading, we make text to self, text to text, and text to world connections. In math we explore the similarities and differences between addition/subtraction, multiplication/division, and geometric patterns. Graphic organizers lend themselves well to this strategy.

Young children naturally apply this strategy as they organize and make sense of their environment. In preschool and kindergarten, children sort all types of items, such as blocks, buttons, shapes, and toys. I distinctly remember my son, who had an extensive collection of plastic animals, spending hours sorting and lining them up in all sorts of patterns.

This strategy helps students to see relevance and connections. It also utilizes higher order thinking skills asking students to integrate learning.

Although I taught students about metaphors and analogies, I never had students generate their own to reinforce learning. However, now it is one of my favorite introductory or closure activities to use in workshops/meetings. I frequently use Four Box Synectics, picture, or video clip to have participants make a connection to focus topic. The creativity of the responses never ceases to amaze me or expand my own thinking. [|Four Box Synectics]

Apply and Reflect
Provide evidence of the tool that you learned.

The district currently has Kispiration in the elementary buildings. This is a great tool that can be applied to all curricular areas. Teachers can use it during whole group, small group, or individual instruction. I especially like how students can develop their own graphic organizers to reinforce and demonstrate understanding.

Currently, Webspiration offers many of the same applications for free. It was interesting to peruse the global and example templates. While there is a subcritption for these, it did give you ideas for application that you could easily replicate. I especially liked the teplates for vocabulary web, theme and character, cause and effect, analyze author's technique, and determine truth.

Previously, I had used paper/pencil graphic organizers in the classroom. Now, development is far easier and you can incoporate graphics and color.

I did notice that Webspiration is converting to a paid service starting on April 4. For current subscribers, there is a reduced rate of $9.99 for a year subcription versus the regular rate of $39.99.

I chose to develop a comparison reinforcing parallel sides, a concept that third graders often struggle. It was interesting that global or example templates were not included for math in Webspiration. There are many applications from vocabulary to concepts.

[|Parallel or Not Parallel]