In this exercise, students will use a T-Chart with description boxes to compare what they know of Earth to Ray Bradbury’s depiction of Venus in "All Summer in a Day".
On the left side of the chart, students should list attributes of Earth:
On the right side of the chart, students should list attributes of the fictional portrayal of Venus:
Students should use quotes from the story to substantiate their answers.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard comparing and contrasting Earth with the depiction of Venus in "All Summer in a Day."
Encourage students to find or create images, sound effects, or short video clips representing Earth and Venus as described in All Summer in a Day. Visual and audio cues help students engage more deeply and grasp the contrast between the two settings.
Prompt students to pair each multimedia element or description with a direct quote or reference from the story. This strengthens their analytical skills and reinforces textual evidence as a support for their ideas.
Demonstrate how to share a completed T-chart or multimedia project with the class, explaining each choice and the story evidence behind it. This builds confidence and communication skills in students.
Organize small-group or whole-class feedback rounds where students share their projects and offer specific, positive suggestions for improvement. Peer review helps students reflect and refine their work.
To compare Earth and the fictional Venus in "All Summer in a Day," students can use a T-chart. On one side, list Earth's familiar features—like blue skies, sunlight, and visible landscapes. On the other, describe Venus as portrayed in the story: constant rain, dark skies, and underground living. Use quotes from the text to support each attribute.
The main differences are sunlight and weather. Earth experiences regular sun and changing weather, while Bradbury's Venus has endless rain and only a brief glimpse of sun every seven years. On Venus, people live underground due to harsh conditions, unlike life on Earth's surface.
Key quotes include: "It had been raining for seven years" and "the endless shaking down of clear bead necklaces upon the roof". These help students illustrate the constant rain and gloom that define Venus in the story.
Students should divide a page into two columns: one for Earth and one for Venus. Under each, list descriptions about the environment, weather, living conditions, and views from the surface, citing story quotes for Venus.
Comparing settings helps students understand how the extreme differences shape the characters’ emotions and actions. The contrast between Earth’s sunshine and Venus’s rain highlights the story’s themes of isolation and longing.