A Venn Diagram is an information sorting tool that compares two or more things for similarities and differences:

Use a Venn Diagram with a book, a theme or factual information when you want your pupils to compare two things. For example, if we were comparing two countries, two religions, two animals or two leaders, the stimulus could be a film clip, pieces of information, pictures, facts, opinions, web pages and so on.
Your pupils should write the names of the two things they are comparing on their Venn Diagram Template. Model this with a simple example when you first introduce the Venn Diagram.
For younger pupils the Venn Diagram can be formed from two hoops and the pupils are tasked with sorting pictures or words into the correct areas.
Ask your pupils to make notes under the appropriate headings, with common facts or aspects in the overlapping section. The notes they make are an excellent way of recording a response to reading or showing comprehension of what they have read. The Venn Diagram can also be used as a scaffold for more extended writing.
Encourage your pupils to compare the notes in their Venn Diagram with those of their peers.
Top Tip! Increase the oracy skills employed during this activity by asking pupils to talk in pairs. One pupil talks first, for example, about cats, and the second pupil listens carefully and makes notes on the Venn Diagram. The roles are then reversed with the note taker then talking, for example, about dogs, while their partner takes notes.

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