The Description Organizer allows teachers and students to identify the characteristics (middle column) to be compared and/or contrasted. Once the characteristics are identified, students can work individually or collaboratively to describe these characteristics for the texts, content, or items being compared (outside columns). Once the Description Organizer has been completed, students will use this information to complete a graphic organizer such as the Top Hat Organizer, Venn Diagram, or other appropriate tool for students to organize and analyze similarities and differences and will serve as the basis as the students explain (written or orally) the similarities and/or differences.

Tool from: Tools for Classroom Instruction That Works (McRel, 2018)