Compare the Look-Alikes

Overview

In this sixth lesson of Living Things Explorers, students compare real living things with objects that look similar but are not alive. Using familiar examples, students observe carefully, share evidence, classify each item as living or nonliving, and record one similarity and one difference through drawing and teacher-supported writing.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Observe two look-alike items carefully.
• Name one similarity and one difference.
• Classify each item as living or nonliving.
• Follow directions for a simple observation and drawing task.
• Share an observation with a partner and the class.

Success criteria

• I can tell how two items are alike.
• I can tell how two items are different.
• I can classify each item as living or nonliving.
• I can use my observation to explain my thinking.

Curriculum links

• Speaking and Listening—participate in collaborative conversations, take turns, and describe familiar objects clearly.
• Informative Writing—use drawing, labeling, and shared writing to communicate an observation.
• Mathematical Practice—make a claim and give an observation as evidence.
• Reading Science and Technical Subjects—follow a multistep observation procedure precisely and attend to important differences in the directions.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Carpet routine and hook. Teacher seats students in a marked carpet space, reviews “eyes watching, ears listening, hands safe,” and opens the look-alike hook slide showing a real dog beside a stuffed dog with the question, “Are these both alive?” Students silently show a thumbs-up, thumbs-down, or unsure signal, then turn to a partner and share one reason.

2. 4–9 min · Model careful observation. Teacher reveals the real dog/stuffed dog pair or clear photographs and models looking, touching only when invited, and noticing evidence such as movement, breathing, fur, or a tag; teacher adds student ideas to the observation and evidence slides and introduces the sentence frame, “Both ___; only ___.” Students practice one similarity and one difference with a partner.

3. 9–16 min · Compare pairs. Teacher places students in five groups of three and gives each group one safe comparison pair: real plant/artificial plant, real dog/stuffed dog, or earthworm photograph/gummy worm; teacher reads the steps from the three-step comparison directions and circulates to prompt, “What do you notice?” Students look, discuss, and decide whether each item is living or nonliving, using partner rehearsal before sharing.

4. 16–23 min · Venn diagram and classification. Teacher brings the class together and builds a large Venn diagram on the board, recording shared features in the middle and unique features in the outer sections; teacher asks, “Which observation is strongest evidence that something is living?” Students contribute observations, place or point to the correct living/nonliving category, and listen for similarities across all pairs.

5. 23–28 min · Draw and explain. Teacher distributes the look-alike comparison worksheet and demonstrates drawing both items, adding one label or dictated sentence, and completing the frame “Both ___; only ___”; teacher scribes for students who need it. Students draw their pair, record or dictate one similarity and one difference, and classify each item.

6. 28–30 min · Share and exit check. Teacher displays the final share and review slide, invites two students to share, and privately checks each child with one pictured pair or their worksheet. Students complete the oral exit response, “The ___ is living/nonliving because ___,” while pointing to evidence on their drawing.

Resources

• the complete look-alike observation deck
• the look-alike comparison worksheet
• Real plant and artificial plant
• Stuffed dog or toy dog and photograph of a real dog
• Earthworm photograph and gummy worm
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers, crayons, and pencils
• Carpet spots or seating markers
• Hand wipes, if students handle classroom objects

Assessment

• Listen during partner talk for a similarity, a difference, and accurate use of living/nonliving language.
• During the Venn diagram, ask students to justify classifications with an observable feature rather than appearance alone.
• Review the worksheet and oral exit response: each student should classify both items and communicate at least one similarity and one difference.

Differentiation

• Support attention and classroom readiness with a visual “carpet body” reminder, one direction at a time, modeled transitions, and a countdown before moving to desks.
• Provide tactile or visual choices, enlarged photographs, and opportunities to point, sort, gesture, or speak rather than requiring every response in writing.
• Use partner rehearsal, mixed-ability pairs, repeated sentence frames (“Both ___; only ___” and “The ___ is living because ___”), and teacher-scribed responses for students developing language, fine-motor skills, or confidence.
• For multilingual learners, preteach living, nonliving, same, and different with gestures and pictures; accept home-language discussion followed by an English word or phrase.
• Extend students by asking, “Which observation is strongest evidence?” and inviting them to compare whether movement, breathing, growth, or another observation is more convincing.