I’m back for the next part of our character development lesson using Verdi by Janell Cannon. For this lesson, I will be sharing how we used the book to compare and contrast two or more characters in a story, drawing on specific details from the text.
To read the first blog post in this series, and to grab the free Inferring Character Traits Graphic Organizer, click HERE. To check out my other blog post series on character development, click HERE and HERE!
Since our last lesson on inferring character traits through dialogue, my students learned that there are a number of different ways that an author reveals information about a character in a text. An author reveals information about a character through:
- physical traits (both explicit and inferred)
- actions
- thoughts
- dialogue
- interactions with other characters
- What are the similarities and differences between these two things?
- How are these two things alike and different?
- Which similarities do you think are most important?
- Are there any details that are unique to one thing and not the other?
Once we filled out the double bubble thinking maps, as a formative assessment, students wrote their own written responses to compare and contrast the two characters.
Check out these reading passages and assessments to use in your classroom HERE!
Grab a free copy of my Verdi formative assessment and color coded double bubble thinking map HERE!
Do you need more passages to help you teach character analysis? Check out my Characters: Differentiated Reading Passages and Questions resource. I provide teachers with 10 differentiated character reading passages. Each passage has five short answer questions for students to analyze characters. Click HERE or the button below to check them out. If you download the preview, you can see the entire resource.
This resource is now bundled.
The first bundle includes 10 Fiction Differentiated Passages and Questions. Click HERE or the button below.
This bundle includes 20 total resources – 10 Informational Text and 10 Fiction Text Differentiated Passages and Questions. Click HERE or the button below.

I too believe that the double bubble map is great for the upper grades. I usually have students color code the double map using different colors. I usually incorporate art blends into this. For example: I might do one set of differences in yellow, one set of differences in blue, and then the similarities would be in green to show that they are combined (similar). This is a great post! Thank you for taking the time to write such an informative post, and I will definitely be reviewing your blog posts as I plan for next year!
Sheldon- I love your idea on color coding specific groups of differences! Thanks for sharing! Thank you also for your kind words!
This is a great post. We always use Venn diagrams and I am familiar with double-bubbles but I haven’t used them in a while. Thanks for reminding me about them.
~Brandee
Creating Lifelong Learners
Thanks for your comments Brandee! I appreciate your kind words!
This looks great! I love using Verdi for character comparison. I also like to have students compare and contrast Verdi from the beginning of the book to the end.
Thank you so much for you comments, Alicia! I agree that another great mini-lesson is character change! Isn’t it awesome when you come across such great mentor texts? It makes me so happy!! :)
Very nice post! =) Your resources are always high-quality and BEAUTIFUL!! I came across you in my former blog life, when I was love4thgrade.blogspot.com. Now, I am love5thgrade.blogspot.com. Thank you for all you have done for the online education world. I showcased your weblog along with 11 others this evening here:: http://love5thgrade.blogspot.com/2014/04/jasztals-resource-spotlight-2.html. Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!
Thank you so much, Victoria! I have always been a fan of yours! Thanks so much for your kind words!
Do you have another book that you would recommend instead of Verdi? I really like this lesson, but am petrified of snakes!
Hi Melissa- Thanks for your comments! I have tons of mentor texts suggestions in my Character Pack. Here is the link if you’d like to check it out: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Analyzing-Characters-Pack-Common-Core-Aligned-656011. Have a great day!
I really want to commend you for supporting this thinking map. I have been teaching high school for almost 10 years and even students at this level need these graphic organizers.
Thanks so much, Maria!
Hi! I absolutely love your blog and resources! I am using your compare and contrast lesson with my students. I was wondering, how do you score the writing formative assessment piece?
Thanks so much!
What story is the greens from?
Hi Andrea- The story is Verdi by Jannell Cannon.
I love your compare/contrast lesson! Do you have a title of a short text for formative assessment at a fourth grade level?
Hi Stephanie- Thanks for your kind words! I am currently in the process of writing Differentiated Reading Passages and Questions for a number of different reading skills. I currently have passages and questions for making inferences, determining theme, and citing text evidence. I plan to create a set for comparing and contrasting characters. You can check them out here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kristine-Nannini/Category/Differentiated-Reading-Passages-and-Questions-261290. Make sure you follow my store to receive an email notification when I post them. Thanks!
Hi Kristine
I hope you are doing great.
I would like to thank you for your great efforts you did on your blog. Actually it helped me alot. Thanks again.
TARIK
Thank you