Compare and Contrast Problem and Solution Graphic Organizer Worksheet
A compare and contrast graphic organizer that helps 3rd graders map the problem and solution in two texts, then write how the two texts compare. Works with any pair of books or articles.
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About this resource
Description
Comparing two texts is one of the biggest steps a third grader takes as a reader. Once a child can name the problem a story or an article sets up, and then name the solution the writer gives, a better question opens up: how do two different texts handle the same kind of trouble? This compare and contrast graphic organizer gives students a clear place to hold both texts at once, so no idea gets lost while they are thinking. Instead of juggling four ideas in their heads, they write each one down and then look across the page.
Students begin by writing the title of each text on the lines at the top. Next they fill in the Problem in Text 1 and Solution in Text 1 boxes, and do the same for the second text. The last card asks them to write one way the two problems are alike and one way the two problems differ, which turns four boxes of notes into real thinking. Because this problem and solution worksheet works with any two texts, teachers can pair a read-aloud with a short article, two folk tales, or a fiction and a nonfiction piece on the same subject. Every response comes from the child’s own reading, so responses will vary from student to student.
What’s Included
- 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
- 2 text title lines and 4 labeled response boxes
- A written comparison step with 3 writing lines
This compare and contrast graphic organizer helps kids in three ways. First, it separates the work, so finding a problem, finding a solution, and comparing happen one step at a time instead of all at once. Second, the side-by-side layout makes the comparison visible, because students can see Text 1 and Text 2 lined up, which is exactly the mental picture strong readers build. Third, the writing step at the bottom asks for a reason in the student’s own words, which is the form most state reading tests use.
Teachers and parents can stretch this skill well past the page. Read two versions of the same folk tale and talk about which character solved the problem faster. Try a news story and a picture book about the same subject, such as a rescued animal, and ask which one gave more facts. At home, compare two bedtime books, or compare a book with the movie made from it. You can also flip the task around and give students one solution, then ask them to invent two different problems it could fix. Slide the page into a sleeve and use a dry-erase marker so the organizer can be used again all year.
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