• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choose the best summary of a short text). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Octopuses are clever problem-solvers. In aquariums they have unscrewed jar lids to reach food and escaped from their tanks. Scientists think their large brains and flexible arms help them explore and learn. Which is the best summary? (Octopuses live in aquariums. / Octopuses are smart animals that can solve problems, helped by their large brains and flexible arms. / Octopuses are scary. / One octopus opened a jar.) → Octopuses are smart animals that can solve problems, helped by their large brains and flexible arms.Prompt: A summary is short and covers the WHOLE text, not just one part.
2. When the class robot, Bolt, broke down the day before the science fair, Jai wanted to give up. Instead, his team stayed after school, found a loose wire, and rebuilt Bolt's arm. At the fair, Bolt sorted coloured blocks perfectly and the team won second prize. Which is the best summary of the story? (There was a loose wire. / Jai's team fixes their broken robot in time and does well at the science fair. / Bolt sorted coloured blocks. / Jai wanted to give up.) → Jai's team fixes their broken robot in time and does well at the science fair.Prompt: A summary is short and covers the WHOLE text, not just one part.
3. Honeybees live in colonies of thousands. The queen lays the eggs. Worker bees collect nectar and pollen, look after the young and guard the hive. Drones have one job: to mate with a queen. Every bee has a role that keeps the colony alive. Which is the best summary? (Bees are the most amazing insects in the world. / Worker bees collect nectar and pollen. / Drones are male bees. / In a honeybee colony, the queen, workers and drones each have a job that keeps the hive alive.) → In a honeybee colony, the queen, workers and drones each have a job that keeps the hive alive.Prompt: A summary is short and covers the WHOLE text, not just one part.

• Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
• Share the objective: Compare and contrast: how are they alike and different?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Story A: Priya trained every morning before school and won the cross-country race. Story B: Tom rehearsed the piano every evening and played perfectly at the concert. How are Priya and Tom ALIKE?
• Step 1: Comparing means finding what is the same; contrasting means finding what is different.
• Step 2: So the answer is: Both worked hard and succeeded.
• Answer: Both worked hard and succeeded.
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Text A: Paper bags break down quickly, but making them uses a lot of energy and water. Text B: Cotton bags last for years, but they must be reused many times to be better for the planet. What do BOTH texts show? (Paper bags are perfect. / Each kind of bag has good and bad points. / Bags should never be used. / Cotton bags are always bad.) → Each kind of bag has good and bad points.Prompt: Read both texts and note what each says about the same topic.
2. Which signal word or phrase shows a SIMILARITY? (however / unlike / on the other hand / likewise) → likewisePrompt: Try the word in a sentence: 'Cats purr; ___, dogs bark.'

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which signal word or phrase shows a SIMILARITY? (in the same way / whereas / unlike / however) → in the same wayPrompt: Try the word in a sentence: 'Cats purr; ___, dogs bark.'
2. Text A: The Moon has no air, so it has no wind, clouds or rain. Text B: Earth has air, which brings wind, clouds and rain. What is the main DIFFERENCE between the Moon and Earth in these texts? (Both have rain. / Earth has no clouds. / Earth has air and weather; the Moon does not. / The Moon is bigger than Earth.) → Earth has air and weather; the Moon does not.Prompt: Read both texts and note what each says about the same topic.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-5.