How to Use a Venn Diagram in Elementary Writing

Elementary students can use Venn diagrams to compare and contrast concepts in any subject area.

A Venn diagram is a graphic organizer used to note similarities and differences between two subjects, concepts or pieces of writing. Venn diagrams are used during the pre-writing process to compare and contrast, and can be introduced to students as young as second grade. Use simple, concrete objects to teach elementary students to use Venn diagrams in writing. Model filling out the Venn diagram, and then model creating sentences and paragraphs from the information on the diagram.

Instructions

1. Explain similarities and differences using concrete objects. Before students can understand the purpose of using a Venn diagram, they must understand the concepts of similar and different. Demonstrate these concepts by sharing with the class two unlike objects such as a book and a ball. Have students list qualities of each. From the list of qualities, ask in what ways the book and the ball are the same and in what ways they are different. Repeat this process with additional examples, each time stressing the ideas of similar and different.

2. Show students the Venn diagram, explain its purpose and model using it. By now students are familiar with the idea of organizing qualities into similarities and differences. Explain that the Venn diagram has space for them to list the qualities of each object that are different and a shared space in the middle where students can list the objects' similarities. Model filling out the diagram for students using the lists of qualities you created together in class.

3. Introduce compare and contrast. Throughout their academic careers students will be asked to compare and contrast in most content areas. The Venn diagram is a tool for comparing and contrasting and can be used in writing for any content area, not just reading and language arts. Explain that comparing two objects means finding the similarities between them, and that contrasting objects means finding their differences. Explain that similarities are listed in the center part of the diagram where the two circles overlap. The differences are listed in the parts of the circles that do not overlap.

4. Model the process of using the Venn diagram to create sentences and paragraphs. Model creating sentences using the information in the diagram for lower grade levels. For higher elementary grades, such as fourth and fifth, use the Venn diagram to create paragraphs comparing and contrasting ideas, people or reading selections.

References

• Learn NC: Using Venn Diagrams to Compare and Contrast
• Learn NC: Higher Order Thinking with Venn Diagrams
• Florida State University Learning Systems Institute: How Do I Use Venn Diagrams?

Resources

• Eduplace: Venn Diagram