Compare two articles on one topic: a 40-minute 5th grade reading activity
What it is: a 5th grade reading activity where students read two short articles on the same topic (such as school uniforms or zoos) that take different angles, and compare their main ideas, evidence and the authors' points of view.
Time: about 40 minutes. Grade: 5th grade.
Materials: two short articles (about one page each) on one topic, a comparison chart (main idea, evidence, point of view, what is left out), and highlighters in two colors.
- Introduce the topic and ask what students already think about it.
- Students read article A and highlight evidence in one color, then read article B and highlight in another.
- Pairs fill the comparison chart, focusing on what kind of evidence each author used: facts, expert quotes, stories.
- Discuss: "Where do the articles agree? Where do they disagree? What did each leave out?"
- Each student writes a paragraph naming which article was more convincing and why, citing evidence from both.
Differentiation: students who need support get articles at a lower reading level with key sentences marked. Students who are ready check one fact from each article in a third source. English learners can use the frames "Article A says... while article B says..."
Quick check: ask a student to name one piece of evidence from each article and say which is stronger.
Need it for another grade or subject? Ask us on the request page and our team will write it.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades 3–5
- Subject
- Reading
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.