Grade 7 · Reading Arguments · Claims and Evidence in Non-Fiction
Comparing Two Accounts of the Same Event
Read two texts on one event and explain how emphasis, word choice and omission create different impressions.
Learning objectives
- Compare the emphasis of two accounts
- Identify an omission in one source
- Write a balanced synthesis paragraph
Common Core ELA alignment
RI.7.9
Analyse how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasising different evidence or interpretations. Grade 7 emphasis: analyse how choices in a text create effects, and handle two related texts independently.
RI.7.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed and how it distinguishes their position from others. Grade 7 emphasis: analyse how choices in a text create effects, and handle two related texts independently.
W.7.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research. Grade 7 emphasis: analyse how choices in a text create effects, and handle two related texts independently.
MYP criteria
- Criterion A — Analysing
- Criterion C — Producing text
ENGAGE
Two headlines
Headline A: Council saves park with new fence. Headline B: Council fences off half of public park. Same fence. Same council. Opposite impressions.
Think about it
- What does each headline emphasise?
- What does each leave out?
EXPLORE
Two accounts
Account A, council newsletter: A new fence will protect the wildflower meadow from damage. Visitors will still enjoy 60 per cent of the park, including the playground and all footpaths.
Account B, residents blog: Without consultation, the council has fenced off the meadow where children have played for decades. Officials point to footpaths, but the open grass we actually used is now behind wire.
Think about it
- Which facts appear in both accounts?
- Which fact appears in only one, and why might the other omit it?
EXPLAIN
Four tools of slant
| Tool | In account A | In account B |
|---|---|---|
| Word choice | protect, enjoy | fenced off, behind wire |
| Emphasis | percentage still open | loss of the space actually used |
| Omission | no mention of consultation | no mention of meadow damage |
| Framing | conservation story | democracy story |
Synthesis, not summary
A synthesis paragraph reports what both sources agree on, then explains why they differ, using evidence from each.
Careful
Bias does not mean lying. Both accounts here may be factually accurate.
MYP_PRACTICE
Criterion C task
Find two reports on one recent local or school event. Write a 150-word synthesis: one sentence on shared facts, two sentences on differences in emphasis with quotations, and one sentence on what a reader still needs to know.
EXIT_TICKET
Check yourself
Think about it
- Name one omission you spotted today.
- How is synthesis different from summary?
Interactive practice · compare
Spot the slant
For each pair of phrases, decide which account it comes from and what impression it creates.
Phrases
Your answer
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Key vocabulary
- Emphasis
- Which facts a writer makes most prominent.
- Omission
- A relevant fact a source leaves out.
- Synthesis
- Combining sources into one balanced account.
- Framing
- The wider story a writer places an event inside.
Practice questions
0/2 correct
Level 1 · Criterion A
Which fact appears in both accounts?
Level 2 · Criterion A
Behind wire creates a different impression from protect because it
MYP criterion tasks
Level 3 · Criterion C
Write a balanced synthesis of the two park accounts.
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