Concept Clash

See how it works

At a glance

Time in class

3–5 minutes

Prep

None. Pick one odd object to compare with today’s concept (2 minutes in your head).

Materials

None

Grouping

Pairs, then whole class

Use it when

Right after you introduce a new term or idea

Why it works

To compare two things, students have to pull out the deep structure of the concept, not just repeat its definition. Comparing ideas this way (analogy) is one of the main ways people understand something new in terms of something they already know.

1. Pose the clash30 secondsName the concept and an unrelated object.“How is a simile like a paperclip? Think on your own first.”
2. Think time30 secondsSilent thinking. Students may jot a few words.
3. Pair up1–2 minutes“Tell your partner one way they’re alike, and why. Your partner has to agree or push back.”
4. Share out1–2 minutesTake three answers. After each, ask the class: “Does that comparison hold up? Where does it break?”
5. Close15 seconds“So the big idea of a simile is that it connects two things. That’s what we’ll use today.”

See it in action

Watch out for

• Surface answers (“they’re both small”): ask “How does that connect to what a ___ actually does?”
• Stuck pairs: give a sentence starter: “They’re alike because both…”
• Analogies taken too far: ask where the comparison breaks. That’s often where the best learning is.

Level up

• Students invent their own odd pairing and stump a partner.
• Pairs list one way the two are alike and one way they’re different.

Make it work for everyone

• Multilingual learners: show a picture of the object and allow a sketch or a single word.
• IEP and 504 supports: offer the starter “They’re alike because both ___.”
• Early finishers: find a second object that works even better and explain why.

Tech option

Put the object’s picture on a slide. Collect answers on a shared board or poll if you want a record.

Resources