UNIT 3 Comparison Essays

OVERVIEW
The topic of Unit 3 is comparison essays. Students are often under the impression that
comparison essay topics need to be neat and obvious to the reader, but very often, some of the
most interesting comparison essays compare and/or contrast ideas that one would not normally
consider doing. In this way, Unit 3 provides students with an opportunity to explore the flexible
nature of the comparison essay.
Students will continue with Building Better Sentences and Building Better Vocabulary.
For further support, you may use the Great Writing 4 Assessment CD-ROM with ExamView® to
produce quizzes on the grammar, vocabulary, editing, or writing that is covered in this unit.

OBJECTIVES
1. Learn how to write a comparison essay. (p. 66)
2. Learn how to organize a comparison essay. (pp. 67–68)
3. Analyze sample comparison essays and answer comprehension questions. (pp. 68–70)
4. Develop comparison essays with outlining practice and supporting information. (pp. 69–83)
5. Use connectors for comparison essays. (pp. 75–77)
6. Use adverb clauses and subordinating conjunctions (pp. 78–79)
6. Use the brainstorming process to generate ideas. (pp. 80–82)
7. Write an original comparison essay by following a guided outline and writing activity.
(pp. 83–86)

TEACHING NOTES
Students writing comparison essays have two choices: choosing a mundane topic that will
produce a well-organized essay with little interest or creatively trying to draw comparisons from
dissimilar items or making connections between items that do not seem to have connections.
Unit 3 explains the different patterns of organization for comparison essays (the block
method and the point-by-point method). Students study and analyze example. Students will
learn how to write a comparison essay by completing brainstorming, outlining, and peer editing
activities.

Unit Opener
Each unit begins with a two-page opening spread featuring a photo, a set of objectives,
and a culminating writing task.
Direct students’ attention to the photo on pages 64 and 65 and ask them to tell you what
they see. This photo shows the a team of sled dogs in the background in Nunavut, Canada, while
a sledder holds a photograph of a South Carolina swamp in the foreground.

Teacher’s Notes for Great Writing 4: Great Essays, 4th Edition

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 Go over the objectives on the top of page 65. Explain that students will do these things in
the unit. Have students look at the question at the bottom of page 65. Tell them you will come
back to this question at the end of the unit.

What is a Comparison Essay?, p. 66

Make sure students understand that comparison essays can discuss similarities and/or
differences. Direct students’ attention to the two paintings on pages 66 and 67. Have them work
in pairs to list similarities and differences, then lead a discussion with the class.

Patterns of Organization, p. 67
To reinforce the two methods of organization, present students with another topic using
one of the organizational patterns. Then have students change the format from one type to the
other. Repeat as needed. This can be done as a class, in pairs, or individually.

Parallel Organization of Supporting Information, p. 67

Emphasize to students that the order in which the subjects and the points of comparison
are presented must be the same from paragraph to paragraph.

Activity 1: Studying a Comparison Essay, pp. 68–70

Use item #5 on p. 70 to review supporting details in an essay as well as to illustrate the
parallel structure of the supporting ideas.

Activity 2: Outlining Practice, pp. 70–72

If necessary, have students turn to pp. 32–33 and review specific outlines. Use the
outlining activity to reinforce the role of each component in the comparison essay. Discuss this
writing activity as a class. Answers may vary slightly in wording, but overall, there will be one
answer per item.

Activity 3: Supporting Information, pp. 72–74

Before students complete this activity in pairs, clarify that they will need to write the
missing supporting information. Briefly review the importance of supporting information and
suggest they ask wh- questions about the topic to help them develop supporting information that
will support the main idea(s).

Writer’s Note: Asking Questions, p. 74

Emphasize the importance of asking questions in order to generate ideas for an essay.
Explain to students that asking and answering questions is good practice not only for comparison
essays, but for all essay types.

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Grammar for Writing
Connectors for Comparison Essays, pp. 75
Based on students’ needs, discuss the use of connectors for comparison essays. Note that
one chart presents connectors that show comparison (similarities) and that the other shows
contrast (differences). Have students turn to pp. 180–181 in the Brief Writer’s Handbook with
Activities to reference a complete list of connectors. As needed, have students complete the
exercise on p. 172.

Activity 4: Connectors, pp. 76–77

Model for students how to select the appropriate connector in each set of parentheses for
this activity. For additional support, have students refer to the charts on p. 75.

Building Better Vocabulary

Activity 5: Word Associations, p. 77
If necessary, remind students that learning word associations will help enrich and expand
their vocabulary by building connections to more words. By increasing their vocabulary, students
will have more options in communicating their ideas, which will help improve their writing.
Point out to students that this activity is about word associations, not definitions. The task is to
choose the word or phrase that is most closely associated with the target word. It may be
beneficial for students to complete this activity with a partner and with a dictionary. Have
partners take turns looking up the meaning of the words they do not know.

Activity 6: Using Collocations, p. 78

If necessary, review what collocations are (words or groups of words that naturally and
that frequently co-occur with a target word). Remind students that learning collocations will help
them build on their bank of commonly used phrases and that incorporating these phrases in their
writing will help it sound more natural and advanced.
Model how to select the correct answer by completing several of the items together as a
class. Have students complete the activity individually or in pairs. Encourage students to keep a
list of the most common or useful collocations and ask them to review them on their own for
reinforcement.

Grammar for Writing

Using Adverb Clauses, pp. 78-79
For additional practice, write sentences on the board using either subordinating conjunctions or
transitions. Have students rewrite the sentences using another connector.

Activity 7, Identifying Adverb Clauses and Subordinating Conjunctions, p. 80

As you go over the answers, ask students to identify the function of any adverb clauses.

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Developing Ideas for Writing
Brainstorming, pp. 80-82
Explain to the students that making a list and using a Venn diagram are particularly good
ways to brainstorm ideas for a comparison essay. Encourage students to keep a list of
brainstorming techniques that they can refer to as they write.

Activity 8: Identifying Good Topics for a Comparison Essay, p. 82-83

Discuss the first completed sample for this activity as a class. Encourage students to share
why they think the answers make or do not make good choices for topics. Ask students to state
whether or not they agree with the sample answer and explain why. Based on the level of support
that students need, have them complete the activity individually, in pairs, or as a class.

Original Student Writing: Comparison Essay

Activity 9: Working with a Topic, pp. 83-84
Before students select a topic form the list presented, briefly discuss examples of some
possible subjects for each topic as a class. If necessary, review how to use a Venn diagram when
brainstorming.

Writer’s Note: Ideas for Supporting Information, p. 84

Write each bulleted point idea on the board or screen. Discuss with students how these
ideas can be used as supporting information in a body paragraph.

Activity 10: Planning with an Outline, pp. 84–86

Clarify that this outline uses the point-by-point method of organization and that students
should use their ideas from Activity 9 for the outline. Review the point-by-point method if
necessary.

Activity 11: Peer Editing Your Outline, p. 86

If necessary, remind students that peer editing is a process that provides a writer with
feedback and suggestions from a classmate and that can help the writer find out if her or his
writing is clear.
Have students download Peer Editing Sheet 3 at NGL.Cengage.com/GW4.

Activity 12: Writing a Comparison Essay, p. 86

Review the features and purpose of a comparison essay before students begin this
activity. Remind students to refer to the seven steps in the writing process on p. 36 or in the Brief
Writer’s Handbook with Activities on pp. 156-163.

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Activity 13: Peer Editing Your Essay, p. 86
If necessary, remind students that peer editing is a process that provides a writer with
feedback and suggestions from a classmate and that can help the writer find out if her or his
writing is clear.
Direct students to Peer Editing Sheet 4 at NGL.Cengage.com/GW4.

Additional Topics for Writing, p. 87

Included in this section is a list of comparison essay writing prompts. Point out to
students that in order to become better writers, they need to write as much as possible. You may
choose to assign these topics a daily, weekly, bimonthly, or voluntary basis. Remind students to
refer to the seven steps in the writing process in the Brief Writer’s Handbook with Activities
(pp. 156-163).

Timed Writing, p. 83
Timed writing is a valuable skill for students to work on since many standardized tests
include a timed-writing section. Students might feel varying levels of anxiety due to this time
limit, which can result in a greater number of errors than they normally make. Explain to
students that timed-writing practice can help them feel more comfortable and confident in other
timed-writing situations where they will need to write quickly and accurately. Before beginning
the writing task, review the writing prompt and the essay guidelines provided.

EXPANSION ACTIVITIES
Have students work in groups of four. Ask them to write their two points of comparison
on two pieces of paper. Have them mix up the eight pieces of paper and, working together,
connect the two items logically. Then have students write a brief outline for the topic, using both
the point-by-point method and the block method.
Suggest students write paragraphs about the opening spread, or another photo in the unit.
You may want to brainstorm vocabulary for the photo before students write their sentences.

VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Because vocabulary is such an important point in moving to a higher proficiency level,
instructors may want their students to maintain a vocabulary journal to correspond to the
vocabulary, which is something that we strongly advocate.
Whether or not this particular strategy is employed, it is imperative that students acquire
a large amount of appropriate vocabulary in this course.

Suggested Words for the Vocabulary Journal

Below is a list of vocabulary words from the essays in the unit. We suggest that students
begin with these words and add other words to their vocabulary journals as necessary.

Teacher’s Notes for Great Writing 4: Great Essays, 4th Edition

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Essay 12, pp. 68-69
hemisphere
extensively
climate
diversity
solely
indigenous
custom
individualism
concept
remarkable

Essay 14, pp. 76-77

stillness
scenario
bystander
extreme
lenient
laissez-faire
monitor
poised
child-rearing

Self-Assessment
Have students refer back to the opening spread on pages 64 and 65. Direct their attention
to the objectives. Ask them to put a check mark by the objective(s) they achieved. Then ask
students the question at the bottom of the page. Students can raise hands to show if they can
answer yes to the question.

Teacher’s Notes for Great Writing 4: Great Essays, 4th Edition

Copyright © 2014 National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning. Permission granted to photocopy for use in class.
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