Read Write Think is a great place to find story starters and interactive writing templates. A good example of that is found on Read Write Think’s Compare & Contrast Map.

The Compare & Contrast Map is a template for creating a comparative essay. Using the template students are guided through writing three styles of comparison essays. To get started students identify two things that they wish to compare and or contrast. Then they choose if they want to write a “whole to whole” essay, a “similarities to differences” essay, or a “point to point” essay. Whichever essay type they choose, students are guided through the types of information they should put in each part of their essays. When their essays are complete students can share them via email or print them.

Applications for Education
For younger students who need help formatting an essay, the Read Write Think templates can be very helpful. If you haven’t spent much time exploring the resources on Read Write Think’s classroom resources page, I encourage you to do so.