Students compare two or more topics, elements, or similar items by identifying their similarities and differences in a diagram with overlapping circles.
The method trains students’ analytical thinking by organising data in a visual and clear way.
Select, or let the students choose, what they are to compare. It can be two or more concepts, people, texts, or other items that have both similarities and differences.
Students draw two or more overlapping circles on a piece of paper or a board. Each circle represents one of the chosen topics.
Students write the unique features in the non-overlapping parts of the circles.
They write the shared features in the overlapping part of the circles. These can also be points where the topics resemble each other.
Once the circles are filled in, students discuss how the two or more topics are similar and how they differ. This allows them to discover commonalities and patterns.
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