The English Language Arts Common Core Standards state that kindergarteners must be able to “identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic” and “compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.” These standards must be reached in order for students to thrive in higher grades that require them to read with a more critical eye on point of view and character development. For example, though kindergarten students would only be required to notice that a certain character is “good” and another “bad,” in later grades they will be asked to explain why their actions can be characterized as “good” or “bad.”
Almost all required math curriculum calls for comparison of numbers in one way or another. Students should not only know the numbers in order, but should also understand what the order means. Being able to automatically tell “which is more” at an early age will put students at an advantage when encountering word problems with language, such as identifying "how many more" one number is over another.
To introduce the idea of comparing and contrasting to kindergartners, gather the class in a close group. Have a student pick an “emotion card” from a pre-made deck, and have him act it out. Have the class mirror him, then describe his features and actions while you list them on one side of a T-chart. Pick another and have her act out the opposite mood, and have the students mirror her. Record the class’ observations on the right side of the chart, and then evaluate the differences. Repeat once more with another pair of opposite emotions. Use the chart as a strategy for comparison repeatedly throughout the year as you read books with similar themes, characters or settings.
Students will each get a card with a number from one up to the number of students in the class, and a picture representation of the number. The teacher will call out each number in order, and tstudents will watch each other form a line from first to last. The cards will be handed in and shuffled, and the process will be repeated. However, the students will now find their places with less help from the teacher. This can be used as an informal assessment of students’ number sense, as well as a fun kinesthetic learning activity.