Compare Across Texts

Compare an Author’s Works

Photograph of the title page from the selection, “The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet”

All of the stories in “The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet” were written by Joseph Bruchac. Compare different elements in this author’s works.

How It Works

Collect and Organize Ideas To compare elements across texts, organize information in a chart. List the setting, characters, and plot for each story.

Comparison Chart
ElementSky BearThe Scattered StarsThe Seven Mateinnu
SettingWhen: long ago, on a winter day
Where: on a snowy hill, then high above Earth		When: long ago
Where: on a hill
Charactershunters, a dog, and a bear
PlotThe hunters and their dog chase a bear. The bear changes into a pattern of stars.

Practice Together

Write a Review When you review two stories, you compare the information in them. You also tell how you feel about them.

“Sky Bear” and “The Scattered Stars” take place long ago on a hill. In both stories, something unrealistic happens that relates to the stars. I like “The Scattered Stars” because it shows what happens if someone is very curious.

Try It!

Review the information in your completed chart. Write a report that compares the elements of all three stories and tells what you think of them. You may want to use this frame as a guide.

All three stories take place ______. In all of the stories, something unrealistic happens. The most unrealistic story is ______ because ______. The story I like best is ______ because ______.

Academic Vocabulary

  • • element (e-lu-munt) noun An element is a basic part of a whole.