8th Grade Language Arts
Compare and Contrast Essay
Anne Frank Unit
Summative Assessment: Compare and contrast essay about survival
You will write a seven paragraph essay comparing and contrasting the survival story of Anne
Frank and another survival story that we studied in class. Additionally, you will make a
connection to your own life about survival.
 Paragraph I: Introduction – explain what the essay will be about
 Paragraph 2:
o Introduce and describe the Diary of Anne Frank
o Describe specific ways that Anne Frank and her family survived during their time
in the attic
 Paragraph 3:
o Introduce and describe the second survival story (either Bubili or Gerta
Weissmann Klein)
o Describe specific ways that this person survived
 Paragraph 4: Compare the similarities in the two stories
 Paragraph 5: Contrast the differences in the two stories
 Paragraph 6: Explain ways in which you survive in your own life. Make a connection
between your own life and the two stories or the current event.
 Paragraph 7: Conclusion
You will need to turn in:




An outline (or some form of pre-writing)
A rough draft with evidence of revisions
A final draft
Total points
Due Date: ____________________________
10 points
5 points
60 points
= 75
5 paragraph MYP expository essay scoring guide:
Style and Usage:
0
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
This paper does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below
Vocabulary is often inappropriate and limited. Very frequent errors in spelling, pronunciation,
punctuation and syntax persistently hinder communication. Little attempt has been made to use
appropriate tone, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
Vocabulary is sometimes inappropriate and limited. Regular errors in spelling, pronunciation,
punctuation and syntax persistently sometimes hinder communication. An attempt has been made
to use appropriate tone, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
Vocabulary is usually appropriate and generally varied. Some errors in spelling, pronunciation,
punctuation and syntax sometimes hinder communication. You have often times used appropriate
tone, vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.
Vocabulary is appropriate and varied. Occasional errors in spelling, pronunciation, punctuation and
syntax rarely hinder communication. You have consistently used appropriate tone, vocabulary,
grammar, and sentence structure.
Vocabulary is always appropriate and greatly varied with very infrequent errors in spelling,
pronunciation, punctuation and syntax. You have mastered appropriate tone, vocabulary,
grammar, and sentence structure.
Content:
0
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-8
9-10
This paper does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below
The essay has extremely limited evidence from the stories and does not effectively prove how
people survive in the worst of circumstances. The essay does not adequately compare and contrast
the two stories or make a realistic connection to the writer’s own life
The essay has limited evidence from the stories and attempts to prove how people survive in the
worst of circumstances. The essay attempts to compares and contrasts the two stories while trying
to make a connection to the writer’s own life.
The essay has some evidence from the stories that proves how people survive in the worst of
circumstances. The essay also adequately compares and contrasts the two stories while making
some connection to the writer’s own life.
The essay has sufficient and well chosen evidence from the stories that successfully helps proves
how people survive in the worst of circumstances. The essay also sufficiently compares and
contrasts the two stories while making a reasonable connection to the writer’s own life.
The essay has strong and specific evidence from the stories that effectively proves how people
survive in the worst of circumstances. The essay also successfully compares and contrasts the two
stories while making a genuine connection to the writer’s own life.
Style and usage score: _______ /30
Content score: _____________/30
Final Draft _______________/60
10 = 30+
9 = 30
8 = 28
7 = 26
6 = 24
5 = 22
4 = 20
3=18
2=16
1=15
Outline ____/10
Rough Draft ___/5
Final Draft _____/60
Final Score _____/75
Compare and Contrast Essay Outline
1) Paragraph I: Introduction
a) Definition of survival (in your own words):
b) A sentence about how people survive in real life in many different types of situations and
circumstances.
c) Tell the reader which two stories you will be writing about (do not use the word “I”)
d) Thesis: example thesis Anne Frank and ______________________ both used several survival skills
during their tragic and horrific experiences in the Holocaust.
2) Paragraph 2: Transition word + topic sentence ex: To begin with, Anne Frank was a young woman who
had to survive the Holocaust in an attic with her family.
a) Introduce and describe the Diary of Anne Frank (answer questions like who were the Franks? Why
were they hiding in the attic? Who was living in the attic? What was the attic like?)
b) Describe specific ways that Anne Frank and her family survived during their time in the attic.
i) What did Anne do to help herself survive her time in the attic?
ii) What did another family member do to survive?
3) Paragraph 3: Transition word + topic sentence example: Additionally, ________________ survived the
holocaust using different survival skills.
a) Introduce and describe the second survival story (either Bubili or Gerta Weissmann Klein) Answer
questions such as: Who is this person? Why was s/he persecuted during WWII? Where was s/he
from? Use some specific examples from your chart to help describe this person and his/her survival
story.
b) Describe at least two specific ways that this person survived.
4) Paragraph 4: Compare the similarities in the two stories Transition word + topic sentence example: Next,
The stories of Anne Frank and _______________ have several similarities.
a) First similarity
b) Second similarity
5) Paragraph 5: Contrast the differences in the two stories Transition word + topic sentence example: On
the other hand, the stories of Anne Frank and _______________ also have many differences.
a) First difference between the two stories
b) Second difference between the two stories
6) Paragraph 6: Explain how you survive in your own life. Make a connection between your own life and the
two stories. Transition word + topic sentence example: In addition, I have had experiences in my own life
where I have had to survive.
a) Explain one way that you are surviving or have survived in your own life
b) How is that survival similar to one of the stories?
c) How is your survival different to one of the stories?
7) Paragraph 7: Conclusion Transition word + topic sentence example: In conclusion, the need to survive is a
common struggle throughout history.
a) Restate information from your introduction in different words
b) Reflect on the difficulties of survival during the holocaust
Compare
and
Contrast
Chart
Anne Frank
Bubili
Gerta
Weisman
Why was this
Location
Length of
How did s/he survive?
5 Details about the
person
(where did
persecuted?
his/her story
time spent
(specifically, what were
survival story
hiding or in
some things done to
the camps?
help survive)
take place)