Comparing Stories by One Author
A 40-minute Grade 3 lesson on comparing themes, settings and plots in stories by the same author about similar characters.
Comparing Stories by One Author is a free 40-minute Grade 3 English lesson plan for Common Core standard RL.3.9 — compare two books from a series on theme, setting and plot. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 3
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- RL.3.9
Grade 3 · Reading: Literature
RL.3.9
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).
Objective
Students will be able to compare two stories by one author on theme, setting and plot.
Students are successful when they can
- Compares on all three dimensions.
- Names something the author does in both.
- Names something that differs.
What you need
- Two stories by the same author with the same or similar characters
- A three-row comparison grid
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — same author, how can you tell?
5 min- Read openings from both. Ask what feels the same.
- Usually the voice, the humour, or the kind of problem.
Teach — three rows, two columns
13 min- Fill the theme row for both stories. Ask whether they share one.
- Fill the setting row. These usually differ.
- Fill the plot row. The shape often repeats even when the events do not.
- Say what an author's pattern is: the same shape with different furniture.
- Find one thing the author does in both that is neither theme, setting nor plot — a way of writing.
“Same shape, different furniture. That is what makes it the same author.”
Guided practice — complete the grid
12 min- Pairs fill all six cells.
- They circle the row where the two stories are most alike.
- They write one sentence about the author's pattern.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the comparing-stories page.
- Both passages are on the sheet.
Close
2 min- Take the author's pattern in one sentence.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Compares only the plots.
Why: Plot is the most concrete row and the easiest to fill.
Fix: Six cells, all required. The grid does the enforcing.
Says the themes are the same because the characters are.
Why: Same character suggests same everything.
Fix: State each theme separately before comparing. Same character, different lesson is common.
Confuses theme with topic.
Why: Both answer 'what is it about'.
Fix: A theme is a claim about life; a topic is a subject. Ask whether it could be argued with.
If they are not there yet
- Two rows rather than three.
- Give one story's row filled in.
If they finish early
- Add a third story to the grid.
- Say which story is better and why, using the grid.
- Predict what a third story by this author would be like.
Exit ticket
Name one thing these two stories share and one thing that differs.
What to look for: Something from a row other than plot. Two plot answers mean the grid needs completing before the comparison.
Printable practice for RL.3.9
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Two Tales, One PatternRead Text 1 and answer the question under it.
Questions about Comparing Stories by One Author
How long does the Comparing Stories by One Author lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Comparing Stories by One Author teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9 — RL.3.9, Reading: Literature for Grade 3: “Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series).” In plain terms, compare two books from a series on theme, setting and plot.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Two stories by the same author with the same or similar characters, a three-row comparison grid and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: compares only the plots; says the themes are the same because the characters are and confuses theme with topic. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Name one thing these two stories share and one thing that differs.” Something from a row other than plot. Two plot answers mean the grid needs completing before the comparison. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Comparing Stories by One Author?
Yes — 1 printable RL.3.9 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Comparing Stories by One Author free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to RL.3.9 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.