Fact or Opinion Lesson Plan
Identifying Statements that Can be Proven and Statements of Feeling
Jan 2, 2009
Many students do not understand the difference in statements of fact which can be proven, and statements of opinion, which express someone's belief or feeling. Being able to differentiate between fact and opinion enables them use their language more skillfully.
Fact or Opinion Lesson Objectives
Students will determine whether statements are factual or express an opinion:
- When listening to someone read a short paragraph
- When writing a short paragraph
- When telling a short personal anecdote
- When reading a newspaper article
Materials
- paper or cards for each student with the word “fact” on one side and “opinion” on the other side
- newspaper articles that the children bring from home
- paper
- pencils
Procedure
Say: It’s important to know whether a statement states a fact or is based on someone’s opinion. A factual statement is one that can be proven. It may be right or wrong, but it can be proven.
For example, the sentence “The book is on the table,” is a statement that can be proven to be right or wrong. You can prove that the statement is right or wrong by looking to see if it’s on the table or one the floor. Either way, the statement is a statement of fact because it can be proven.
An opinion is a statement that expresses someone’s belief or feeling. It can’t be proven.
For example, “Apples taste better than oranges,” is a statement that can’t be proven. Not everyone will agree that apples taste better.
Sometimes facts and opinions are mixed in what someone says or what you read, but that's OK. What is important is that you learn to tell which statements are facts and which ones tell someone's opinion. Some clues that a statement might be an opinion are words like, believe, feel, think, should.
Give several more examples of statements of fact and opinion.
Listening to and Reading Fact and Opinion Statements
Give each student a piece of paper with the word “fact” on one side and the word “opinion” on the other side. Tell them to show the “fact” side when you say a sentence that tells a fact, and the “opinion” side when you say a statement that gives an opinion.
Repeat the activity by writing fact and opinion statements on the dry board.
Ask individual students to read statements that are factual and statements of opinion. Have other students show the correct answer using their fact and opinion paper.
Writing and Reading Statements of Fact and Opinion
Divide students into groups of four. Tell them to choose one person to write and another person to report. The students in each group will write a short paragraph that tells about an event. The paragraph should have at least one statement of fact and one statement of opinion. When everyone has finished, ask the reporter in one group to read the group’s paragraph.
Call on people in the other groups to tell which sentences in the paragraph are factual and which ones are statements of opinion. Proceed in this way with the other groups, guiding them as needed.
Give each student a newspaper article. Ask them to write their names on their articles and identify statements of fact and opinion by writing “F” for facts and “O” for opinions. Collect the papers and redistribute them to students. Ask the students to write their names under the first student’s name and check that student’s paper.
Assessment
Teacher observation of student's participation in individual and group activities
Conclusion
The amount of information that Americans receive is growing exponentially. Today's readers receive more information from television, magazines, books, the Internet, and school than students in the past. Students need many activities to help them be able to identify facts and opinions in their reading and writing. It is more important than ever for young readers to learn to distinguish fact and opinion so they can evaluate the material they hear, write, say, or read.
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