Fact and opinion in the real world
This lesson for grade 6 will help students understand the differences between fact and opinion based on career-related examples.
An activity for grade 6 English Language Arts
Provided by CareerStart
Learning outcomes
Students will evaluate the differences between fact and opinion by looking at various examples related to careers.
Teacher planning
Materials needed
- “Fact and Opinion in the Real World” handout (one copy for each student and one copied as a transparency)
- Career flash card instructions (on the bottom of the handout)
- Index cards — ten for each student
- Pencil
Time required for lesson
55-60 minutes
Procedure
- Introduce and brainstorm about facts and opinions in everyday life. (10 min)
- Guided practice: Project “Fact and Opinion in the Real World” handout on the overhead projector, and complete it as a class. (10 min)
- Using index cards, have the students create career flash cards — 5 for fact, 5 for opinion — using careers as their topic. Students should write the fact or opinion in a complete sentence on one side of the card. On the opposite side of the card, they should write âFâ or âOâ for fact or opinion. Discuss the importance of questioning whether a statement is fact or opinion. Tell students to be careful when creating “fact” cards, and encourage cooperative learning when cards are being created. (20 min)
- With a partner, exchange flash cards. Students should swap partners after each has shared their set of cards. Swap as many times as desired. (10-15 min)
- Class discussion and closure: Conduct a discussion with students and remind them that dealing with fact and opinion is an everyday occurrence. Their cards are proof of this. (5 min)
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 6
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives drawn from personal or related experience.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the effect of literary devices and/or strategies on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- determining the main idea and/or significance of events.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- creating an artistic interpretation that connects self to the work.
- discussing books/media formally and informally.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- Goal 2: The learner will explore and analyze information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understand of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- studying the characteristics of informational works.
- restating and summarizing information.
- determining the importance and accuracy of information.
- making connections between works, self and related topics/information.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 3: The learner will examine the foundations of argument.
- Objective 3.01: Explore argumentative works that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of argumentative works.
- determining the importance of author's word choice and focus.
- summarizing the author's purpose and stance.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- drawing inferences.
- responding to public documents (such as but not limited to editorials and school and community policies).
- distinguishing between fact and opinion.
- Objective 3.01: Explore argumentative works that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
