Transcript Compare and Contrast Paragraph Organization

Compare and Contrast
Paragraphs
PERSEUS AND MEDUSA
MEDIUMS IN ART
Extended Constructed Response
 Observing all three mediums, choose two for the
following prompt. Choose one category within the
pieces of art to compare and contrast. In your
response, be sure to do the following:
•
•
•
use details from both pieces in your response
describe three specific examples
explain the similarities or differences that exist in both pieces
for each example
Here’s the Plan
 Step 1. Choose Which Two to Compare & Contrast.
 Step 2. Pick a Focus Topic for the Paragraph.
 Step 3. Become Familiar with the Organization.
 Step 4. Create a Plan.
 Step 5. Write the Paragraph.
Getting Started
 Step 1. Choose Which Two to Compare & Contrast.
 Sculpture
 Painting
 Movie
 Step 2. Pick a Focus Topic for the Paragraph.
 Examples: Medusa, Perseus, the gifts, the setting, the time
period, etc.
Step 3. Compare and Contrast Paragraph Organization
 Topic Sentence (introduces two topics)
 Point 1 (a specific attribute)
 Show similarities and differences
 Point 2 (a specific attribute)
 Show similarities and differences
 Point 3 (a specific attribute)
 Show similarities and differences
 Topic Sentence (revisits the two topics)
Step 4. Creating a Plan
Example
Paragraph Organization
 Topic Sentence (introduces
two topics)
 Point 1 (a specific attribute)

Show similarities and differences
 Point 2 (a specific attribute)
 Show similarities and differences
 Point 3 (a specific attribute)
 Show similarities and differences
 Topic Sentence (revisits the
two topics)
 Compare and Contrast the
representation of Medusa in the
painting and sculpture.
 Face


Beautiful vs. ugly
Asleep vs. awake
 Hair


Both don’t really look like snakes
One paint (black) one sculpture (grey)
 Neck (cut off)


Gory vs. clean
Both: Medusa is already dead
 Compare and Contrast the
representation of Medusa in the
painting and sculpture.
Start with a Topic Sentence
 For your paragraph, I am giving you the topic sentence:
Even though ________ and ________ both
represent _________ from the myth of Perseus
and Medusa, their styles differ greatly.
 Insert two of the following:
The painting
 The movie
 The sculpture
 Example: Even though the painting and the sculpture both
represent Medusa from the myth of Perseus and Medusa,
their styles differ greatly.

Logical Order
 Once you have identified the comparable points between your topics
and have focused on a main idea, you are ready to generate and
organize additional details.
 To make a point using comparison or contrast, a writer moves from
a general idea (the comparison or contrast of two or more topics)
to a major support (a comparable point about the topics) to
minor supports (details or examples of the comparable point
about the topics).
 To signal the movement among these levels of ideas, a writer uses
transitions to signal similarities or differences and examples.
 Strong transitions establish coherence, a clear and understandable
flow of ideas.
Transition Words
Words That Signal
Contrast
Words That Signal
Comparison
 alike
 just as
 equally
 resemble
 in the same way
 similarly
 likewise
 as well as
 similarity
 in a similar way
 as
 just like
 in a similar
 same
fashion
 just as
 resemble
 equal
 in like manner
 like
 similar









•
•
•
although
conversely
differently
more
on the other
hand
as opposed to
despite
even though
most still
at the same
time
difference
in contrast
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
nevertheless
to the contrary
but
different
in spite of
on the contrary
unlike
by contrast
different from
instead
on the one hand
yet
Extended Constructed Response
 Observing all three mediums, choose two for the
following prompt. Choose one category within the
pieces of art to compare and contrast. In your
response, be sure to do the following:
•
•
•
use details from both pieces in your response
describe three specific examples
explain the similarities or differences that exist in both pieces
for each example
Student Sample - Organization
Even though the painting and the cinema both represent Perseus
from the myth of Perseus and Medusa, their styles differ greatly. (Topic
Sentence) In both the painting and the movie Perseus’ gifts are present and
alike. However, both the swords in the painting and the cinema are not crooked,
unlike the original myth. Despite this similarity, there are differences between the
painting and the cinema concerning the gifts. Likewise, the shield in the painting is
an actual shield, whereas in the movie, the shield Perseus is using is an Ipod, or a
more “modern shield”. Another feature of Perseus in the painting and the movie is
his clothes. A similarity concerning his clothes is that in both the painting and the
movie he is wearing clothes. On the other hand, the clothes Perseus is different
because of the time period it was made. The third feature of Perseus is his hair. A
similarity is that both the Perseus from the movie and the painting have hair. A
difference is that in the movie the hair is straight, whereas in the painting his hair is
curly. The myth of Perseus and Medusa represents both similarities and
differences when it comes to the painting and the cinema.(Restated
Topic Sentence) – Lewis
Student Sample – Compare/Contrast Signal Words
Even though the painting and the cinema both represent Perseus from
the myth of Perseus and Medusa, their styles differ greatly. In both the
painting and the movie Perseus’ gifts are present and alike. However, both
the swords in the painting and the cinema are not crooked, unlike the original
myth. Despite this similarity, there are differences between the painting
and the cinema concerning the gifts. Likewise, the shield in the painting is an
actual shield, whereas in the movie, the shield Perseus is using is an Ipod, or a
more “modern shield”. Another feature of Perseus in the painting and the
movie is his clothes. A similarity concerning his clothes is that in both the
painting and the movie he is wearing clothes. On the other hand, the clothes
Perseus is wearing is different because of the time period it was made in. The
third feature of Perseus is his hair. A similarity is that both the Perseus from
the movie and the painting have hair. A difference is that in the movie the
hair is straight, whereas in the painting his hair is curly. The myth of Perseus
and Medusa represents both similarities and differences when it comes to
the painting and the cinema. – Lewis
Student Sample – Sentence Fluency
Even though the painting and the cinema both represent
Perseus from the myth of Perseus and Medusa, their styles differ
greatly. In both the painting and the movie Perseus’ gifts are present and alike.
However, both the swords in the painting and the cinema are not crooked,
unlike the original myth. Despite this similarity, there are differences
between the painting and the cinema concerning the gifts. Likewise, the
shield in the painting is an actual shield, whereas in the movie, the shield
Perseus is using is an Ipod, or a more “modern shield”. Another feature of
Perseus in the painting and the movie is his clothes. A similarity concerning
his clothes is that in both the painting and the movie he is wearing clothes.
On the other hand, the clothes Perseus is different because of the time
period it was made. The third feature of Perseus is his hair. A similarity is
that both the Perseus from the movie and the painting have hair. A difference
is that in the movie the hair is straight, whereas in the painting his hair is curly.
The myth of Perseus and Medusa represents both similarities and differences
when it comes to the painting and the cinema. – Lewis