Replacing Venn Diagrams: a deeper way to compare texts

Problem: Students are filling out a Venn Diagram comparing two texts and surface level, comprehension-based information is quickly filling it. Maybe 1 or 2 students show any depth of thought, and you are worried that not many kids are actually growing in their skills.

Solution: Throw out the Venn Diagram and begin with the depth with abstract concepts.

1, Create a mini-lesson introducing or reviewing abstract ideas vs. concrete details. I prefer a Nearpod "draw it" activity where students are circling. With BYOD, this can be collaborative.

Love the look of Mentimeter!

2, For the each text, create a class brainstorm list of all the possible ideas for each text. You could keep Mentimeter or Answer Garden.
this going in Nearpod collaborate feature or use

3, Now students find abstract concepts that are the same or antithetical - I use the metaphor of a coin: one side is heads and one is tails but it is really the same coin. Same thing with ideas: injustice and justice are just two sides of the same coin. - and put that in the middle column. Then they determine the theme (for narrative) or claim (expository/persuasive) that goes along with that text and write it in a complete sentence under "Text A/B" and then provide textual evidence. I always have students do this in pairs.

This is the graphic organizer I created to get depth in across text comparison. 

Blended Learning station: Use Office Mix or a screen casting for the mini-lesson. For brainstorming, set up a discussion board in Schoology with the setting in such a way where students can not see other responses until they themselves have responded. Use a collaborative Office 365 or Google Document for the application of the strategy for the graphic organizer. Use a resource like Common Lit for student choice in texts!