I can compare two texts in different forms or genres and discuss their similar themes or topics.

Essential Questions

• What is topic?

• What is theme?

• How does comparingtopics and themes helpmy understanding?

Key Vocabulary:

topictheme genrecompare/contrast

Key Vocabulary:

• Topic is the one or two words that expresses the subject matter of the piece of writing.

• Theme is the main message about life that the author is expressing in the writing.

• Genre refers to the type of writing. For example, poetry, narratives, and non-fiction are all genres of writing.

• When we compare and contrast ideas, we describe how they are alike and different.

How do I compare the topics and themes of two different texts?

Step One: Read both texts and decide on the topic of each.

• Remember, topic is the one or two words that expresses the subject matter of the piece of writing.

• The pieces of writing might be about the same topic, such as gardening or soccer; or they could be different.

Step Two: Read both texts and decide on the the main theme they both share.

• Remember, theme is the main message about life that the author is expressing in the writing.

• The two pieces of writing that you read might have different topics, but could still have a similar theme.

• For example, you could be reading a poem about gardening, and a story about a soccer game. The topics are different. But, they could both have the theme of: “Working hard can give you great satisfaction.”

Step Three: Decide what details and text quotations support the theme in both pieces of

writing.

Theme:

Text 1: ___________________ Text 2: _________________

Detail:____________________ Detail:____________________

Explanation:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Explanation:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step Three continued: Add another detail and explanation that supports the theme.

Theme:

Text 1: ___________________ Text 2: _________________

Detail:____________________ Detail:____________________

Explanation:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Explanation:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Step Four: Put it all together! Use your notes to write an essay.

• On a separate piece of paper, write an essay explaining the theme that you observed in both texts.

• Use the theme you found as your point.

• Include the details from the texts as your information.

• Add your explanations for each detail.

• Finally, write a conclusion to restate your point and to sum it all up.

Model Product: Exceeds If you could live your life without any pain or obstacles, would you want to? Two pieces of writing that explore the benefit of going through challenges in life are: Nicollette Toussaint’s “Hearing the Sweetest Songs” and James Berry’s poem “One.” In the “Hearing the Sweetest Songs, the author wrote, “My parents said I lost my hearing to pneumonia as a baby, but I knew I hadn’t lost anything” (Toussaint). She then goes on to list many of the things she could still do even though she had hearing loss such as, “...if I wanted to listen to Beethoven, I could put my head between the speakers and turn the dial up to 7” (Toussaint). These details depict a very independent young girl, who seems determined to express herself and live her life no matter what disability she might have. Nicollette seems very glad to live her life the way she wants even with the challenge of hearing loss, and I think that theme is a great lesson for us all. The poem “One” also has the theme of being glad of your individuality even in difficult times. In the third stanza, it says, “Nobody can get into my clothes for me, or feel my fall for me...” (Berry). He also wrote, “Nobody hears my music for me, either (Berry). I believe these details mean that Mr. Berry likes being himself in good times; for example, when he listens to music. However, he also mentions a painful time: falling. I think that Mr. Berry is also saying that he wants to live his life the way he wants to even when there are some challenges. I believe that living life without any difficult times would be too boring, and we wouldn’t become strong individuals. Based on the themes of their writing, I believe Ms. Toussaint and Mr. Berry would agree with me.

Model Product: Exceeds Continued

Sources Cited

Berry, James. "One." Literature. Ed. Eileen Thompson. Paramount ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991. 508. Print. Copper.

Toussaint, Nicolette. "Hearing the Sweetest Songs." Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing. Eds. Fran Claggett, Louann Reid, and Ruth Vinz. Wilmington, MA: Great Source Education Group, 1999. 189. Print.

Model Product: Meets

Two pieces of writing that have a similar theme are Nicollette Toussant’s “Hearing the Sweetest Songs” and James Berry’s poem “One.” In the first part of “Hearing the Sweetest Song’s, the author wrote, “My parents said I lost my hearing to pneumonia as a baby, but I knew I hadn’t lost anything” (Toussaint). She then goes on to list many of the things she could still do even though she had hearing loss such as, “...if I wanted to listen to Beethoven, I could put my head between the speakers and turn the dial up to 7” (Toussaint). These details show a very determined young girl, even when faced with a disability. I believe a theme from these details is to live your life and be glad of your individuality. Nicollette seems very glad to live her life the way she wants even if there are some challenges, and I think that’s the message about life from the first part of her writing. The poem “One” also has the theme of being glad of your individuality even in difficult times. In the third stanza, it says, “Nobody can get into my clothes for me, or feel my fall for me...” (Berry). He also wrote, “Nobody hears my music for me, either (Berry). I believe these details mean that Mr. Berry likes being himself in good times, like when he listens to music. However, he also mentions a painful time, falling. I think that Mr. Berry is also saying that he wants to live his life even when there are some challenges. In the poem, the challenge is falling. In the story, the challenge is hearing loss.

Model Product: Meets Continued

Sources Cited

Berry, James. "One." Literature. Ed. Eileen Thompson. Paramount ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991. 508. Print. Copper.

Toussaint, Nicolette. "Hearing the Sweetest Songs." Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing. Eds. Fran Claggett, Louann Reid, and Ruth Vinz. Wilmington, MA: Great Source Education Group, 1999. 189. Print.

Model Product: Approaches

“Hearing the Sweetest Songs” and“One” because they have the same theme. In “Hearing the Sweetest Song’s, the author wrote, “My parents said I lost my hearing to pneumonia as a baby, but I knew I hadn’t lost anything” (Nicollette). This shows that Nicollette isn’t worreyed by he’r disabilitie. Sometimes people worrey too much about stuff and that make’s them not have fun. My brother worreys a lot and he never has fun. The poem “One” has the same theme because In the third stanza, it says, “Nobody can get into my clothes for me, or feel my fall for me...” (James). He also wrote, “Nobody hears my music for me, either (Berry). I think Mr. Berry likes being himself in good times, like when he listens to music. He also mentions falling. Falling is like loosing you’re hearing. They’re both bad. Life is good even when bad stuff happenes.

Sources Cited

Berry, James. "One." Literature. Print. Copper.

Toussaint, Nicolette. "Hearing the Sweetest Songs." Daybook of Critical Reading and Writing. Wilmington, MA: 1999. 189. Print.

Model Product: Falls Far Below

They have the same theme. In the story she wrote that she hadn’t lost anything but she lost her hearing. This shows that she likes her life okay. My grandfather lost his hearing, but hes 86. The poem “One” has the same theme because In the third stanza, it says, “Nobody can get into my clothes for me.” Nicollette didn’t have no trouble putting on her clothes cause she was deaf not blind.

Sources Cited

James Berry "One." the copper book

Nicolette Toussaint. "Hearing the Sweetest Songs."