Analogy worksheets for middle school students have always been a part of the curriculum. At one time, students were encouraged to use the same words to make connections between events in their lives. Today, however, more middle schools are recognizing that using an analogy can actually improve their comprehension of their subject matter. They are simply using a different means to connect a concept to a result.
Most middle school students will now use an analogy to try to make sense of an unfamiliar concept. However, the analogy worksheet might be different from one student to the next. The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong way to use the worksheet.
Perhaps the biggest reason why students are using analogy worksheets in the first place is to help them make connections. After all, the most difficult part of reading a text is reading from left to right. Students need to be able to understand what is written without actually needing to know what was written.
To help their students make connections, middle school students often use analogy worksheets to connect words that sound similar. This might mean adding “easy”no” into the word “easy.” Students might also connect two words that sound alike with a separate column. These worksheets will make it easier for the student to identify the word in context.
One of the best reasons to use analogy worksheets in middle school students is that the assignment can be used by anyone in any age range. A third grader just learning English, for example, would be equally suited to use an analogy worksheet to connect a concept to a result. Using the worksheet to do this doesn’t need to have to do with grammar or vocabulary.
Using an analogy worksheet helps students use a fact-based approach to understanding the topic at hand. By recognizing that many connections are made by using simple but meaningful connections, students can begin to see connections that they never thought possible. With an example, all children are able to quickly identify what the connection is, which has been done by students who haven’t been exposed to the idea before. At this point, they may wonder what they can do to help the process along.
Many middle school students use the worksheet to understand a concept and its implications to the person doing the reading. The worksheet can be used to identify the characteristics of the student to work with, and then relate the character or activity to the author. The teacher can then describe the reader’s reaction, emotions, reaction, or other reactions that might occur while reading the story. This makes the student think about the similarities between the two characters in the piece and how they relate to each other.
The most important reason to use worksheets to help middle school students connect the author to the audience is to make sure that they understand that the author understands them and is listening to them. When they realize that they are being understood, it will give them confidence to move on to reading the whole story. They will know that they can actually talk about the topic and not just be reading about it.
