Image of a kid with variety of dogs and kid with variety of cats
Shutterstock.com
Paired Texts,

Bark or Meow?

Are you a dog person or a cat person?

By Laine Falk
From the September 2024 Issue

Children compare and contrast two short, parallel nonfiction articles.

Lexile® measure: 410L
Featured Skill: Compare Two Texts,
Vocabulary: commands, sense, train, dim
Topic: English Language Arts, Science,
Common Core Standards
  • RI.2.1 Key details RI.2.4 Vocabulary RI.2.5 Nonfiction text features RI.2.7 Use visuals RI.2.9 Compare two texts on a similar topic RI.2.10 Read grade-2-appropriate informational text SL.2 Participate in conversations about grade-2 texts
TEKS Standards
  • Science
    (9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that living organisms have basic needs that must be met for them to survive within their environment. The student is expected to: (A) identify the basic needs of plants and animals (10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them survive within their environments. The student is expected to: (A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs

Magazine View
See Student View
Think and Read

As you read, think about whether you are a dog person or a cat person. 

Are You a  Dog Person?

Dogs Get You Outdoors

Shutterstock.com

Do you like to go outside? Then you might be a dog person. Dogs need to go on walks. They go to the bathroom outside. They run and play. Ruff, ruff!


Dogs Do Tricks and Jobs

Shutterstock.com

Fetch. Sit. Stay. These are some commands that you can teach dogs. Dogs are so smart that they can do jobs too. Go, dogs!


Dogs Are Super Sniffers

Tierfotoagentur/Alamy Stock Photo

Sniff, sniff. Dogs have a much better sense of smell than humans. They can smell things from miles away.


Bark if you are a dog person!


Are You a Cat Person?

Cats Cozy Up Indoors

Shutterstock.com

Do you like to stay inside and cuddle? Then you might be a cat person. Most cats in the U.S. are indoor cats. They go to the bathroom in litter boxes inside. Meow!


Cats Do Tricks and Jobs

Svetlana Lazarenka/Alamy Stock Photo

People can train cats to do tricks. To train is to teach. Cats can have jobs too. Some cats live in stores. Their job is to catch mice. Go, cats!


Cats Have Super Sight

Juniors Bildarchiv GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo

At night, it can be hard for us to see. But it’s not hard for cats. They can see better in dim light than we can. Dim light is low light.


Meow if you are a cat person!


video (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (3)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Slideshows (1)
Activities (3) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)

More About the Article

Science Focus

Animals

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Implementation

  • Small group; whole group; independent reading

Pairings and Text Connections

  • Pair this with the debate, “Cats or Dogs?” from March 2021. Find it on the Storyworks 2 website here. 

Before-Reading Resources

  • Text Preview Bookmarks 

(10 minutes) Kids can cut out the nonfiction bookmark and use it to preview the text.

  • Compare and Contrast Video 

(5 minutes) Watch a video to help students develop their compare and contrast skills.

  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow 

(5 minutes) Familiarize students with vocabulary they will see.

Suggested Reading Focus

Comprehension, nonfiction text features (30 minutes)

  • Ask the Think and Read question: Think about whether you are a dog person or a cat person.
  • Read the dog side. Note how the subheads tell what the text will be about. Next read the cat side. Ask students to bark if they are dog people and meow if they are cat people!

After-Reading Skills Practice

(15 minutes for each activity)

  • Quiz: Comprehension check
  • Opinion writing: Students can write about whether they are dog people or cat people. 

Text-to-Speech