What is double bubbles?

Draw two large circles side by side, each labelled with a concept to compare Add bubbles around each circle for ideas unique to that concept Connect shared ideas with bubbles that link to both centres Discuss what the overlaps and differences reveal

Double Bubbles - Compare and Contrast

How it works

A double bubble diagram has two centres side by side, unlike a regular spider diagram which has one. Each centre represents a concept, character, event or idea that you want learners to compare. Bubbles radiating from each centre contain ideas unique to that concept. Where the two sides share a feature, a bubble connects to both centres, sitting in the space between them.

This is similar to a Venn diagram but more flexible in layout. Learners can add as many bubbles as they like and position them freely. The visual result shows at a glance what two things have in common and what makes each one distinct.

Double bubbles work well because they force structured comparison. Rather than writing "X and Y are similar because..." in a paragraph, learners map out specific points of similarity and difference. This develops analytical thinking and helps learners see patterns they might otherwise miss.

They are particularly effective for comparing: two characters in a text, two historical periods, two habitats, two methods for solving a problem, or two countries.

Classroom example

A Year 5 Humanities class in an Anglesey primary school is comparing life in a rural Welsh village with life in a city. One centre bubble says "Village life" and the other "City life." Unique bubbles include "farming nearby" and "quiet roads" for the village, and "public transport" and "more shops" for the city. Shared bubbles in the middle include "schools", "families" and "Welsh language." The resulting diagram leads to a rich discussion about what makes communities similar despite their differences.

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Curriculum for Wales connection

Double bubbles develop the "Develop" strand of thinking skills, specifically thinking logically and seeking patterns through comparison. They build cross-curricular literacy by requiring precise vocabulary to describe similarities and differences.

Rainbow Curriculum's Thinking Tools lens lets you plan where comparison tools like double bubbles appear across your curriculum, ensuring analytical thinking is developed progressively.

Tips

Model a double bubble as a whole class first, building it together on the board.
Encourage learners to find more shared features than differences. This pushes deeper thinking.
A common pitfall: treating it as a list. Each bubble should contain a specific, concrete point, not a vague category.
Use different colours for each centre to make the diagram clearer.
For younger learners, provide some pre-written bubbles and ask them to sort and place them.

Related tools

Concept Map

A diagram showing how ideas in a topic are connected, with labelled lines explaining the relationship between each pair of concepts.

Mind Mapping

A visual organiser where ideas branch outward from a central topic, using colour, images and keywords to map connections and generate new thinking.

Odd One Out

A quick classification tool where learners choose which item doesn't belong in a set and, crucially, explain why.

Venn Diagrams

A visual comparison tool using overlapping circles where learners place items that are unique to each category in the outer sections and shared characteristics in the overlapping centre.