If you compare two things you tell how they are alike. If you contrast two things you tell how they are different. If you compare and contrast two things you tell how they are alike and how they are different.

It is important to organize your thoughts and information before you do so. Here are two different ways to organize information. As an example, we will look at the Smilodon, and the Caribou - two animals that lived during the Ice Ages.

The T-Chart:

Characteristic	Smilodon	Caribou
environment	arctic	arctic
diet	meat	plants
weapons	teeth, claws	antlers, hooves
teeth	sharp,pointed	blunt, rounded
animal group	mammal	mammal
When it lived	Ice Ages	Ice Ages/Present

The Venn Diagram:

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