You will learn
- Name sources of facts.
- Find a fact in a text.
- Tell fact from opinion.
- Say where a fact came from.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Facts can be found in books, websites and from people.
- A fact can be checked.
- An opinion is what someone thinks.
- Say where you found it.
Words to know
where information comes from
something that can be proved
what someone thinks
make sure it is true
1. Discover: How tall is a giraffe?
Tolu wants to know how tall a giraffe is. He asks his teacher. He looks in a book called Tall Animals. The book says, A giraffe can grow up to five metres tall. He also reads on a card, Giraffes are the most beautiful animals. “That is an opinion,” says the teacher. “But the height is a fact.”
Think: Which sentence is a fact?
2. Understand: Finding and checking facts
Idea 1: Sources
A source is where information comes from: a book, a trusted website, a teacher, an expert or your own observation.
Idea 2: Fact or opinion
A fact can be checked: A giraffe can grow up to five metres tall. An opinion cannot: Giraffes are the most beautiful.
Idea 3: Check
Use more than one source and check that they agree. Say where your fact came from.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Source
Name a source.
- Book, teacher.
Answer: a book
Example 2 (We do it together): Fact
Is Giraffes are beautiful a fact?
- Can it be checked?
Answer: no, it is an opinion
Example 3 (You try): Check
How can you check a fact?
Show the steps and answer
- More sources.
Answer: ask another source
Did you know?
A giraffe’s neck has the same number of bones as a human neck: seven.
Why this matters
Knowing how to find and check facts helps you learn what is true.
4. Explore: Fact finder
Find and check facts.
- Choose a question.
- Find a source.
- Find the fact.
- Check it.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can find facts.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I found this fact in ___.
- This is a fact because ___.
- This is an opinion because ___.
- I checked by ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Name a source.
a book
Question 2. Fact or opinion: Giraffes are tall.
fact
Question 3. How can you check?
another source
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Where information comes from is a ___.
- Something that can be proved is a ___.
- What someone thinks is an ___.
- To make sure it is true is to ___.
- A giraffe can be up to five ___ tall.
Level 2: Grow
- Fact or opinion: Dogs are the best.
- Fact or opinion: Water is wet.
- Name two sources.
Level 3: Stretch
- Why check facts?
- Why use more than one source?
- Can an opinion be proved?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Find a fact about an animal and say where you found it.
Show a sample answer
a fact and source
Another one. Write two facts and one opinion.
Show a sample answer
three sentences
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Check.
Fix: Name it.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name sources.
- I can find a fact.
- I can tell fact from opinion.
- I can say where a fact came from.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Find facts in sources.
- Facts can be checked.
- Opinions are what people think.
- Say where you found it.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Research questions. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a source? [1 mark]
- What is the difference between fact and opinion? [2 marks]
- Name two sources. [2 marks]
- How can you check a fact? [1 mark]
- Explain how to find a fact. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- where information comes from [1]
- fact can be checked [1]; opinion is what someone thinks [1]
- book [1]; teacher/website [1]
- use another source [1]
- choose a question [1]; find a source [1]; check it [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Where information comes from is a ___.
- What can be proved is a ___.
- What someone thinks is an ___.
- To make sure is to ___.
- Fact or opinion: dogs are best.
- True or false: facts can be checked.
- True or false: opinions are facts.
- Name a source.
- Write a fact about giraffes.
- Write an opinion.
Homework
Find three facts and say where you found them.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Where information comes from is a ___. | source | 1 |
| 2. What can be proved is a ___. | fact | 1 |
| 3. What someone thinks is an ___. | opinion | 1 |
| 4. To make sure is to ___. | check | 1 |
| 5. Fact or opinion: dogs are best. | opinion | 1 |
| 6. True or false: facts can be checked. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: opinions are facts. | false | 1 |
| 8. Name a source. | a book | 1 |
| 9. Write a fact about giraffes. | Giraffes have long necks. | 1 |
| 10. Write an opinion. | I like giraffes. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 source; 2 fact; 3 opinion; 4 check; 5 metres. Level 2: 1 opinion; 2 fact; 3 book, teacher. Level 3: 1 make sure true; 2 agree; 3 no.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name sources of facts | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Find a fact in a text | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell fact from opinion | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say where a fact came from | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Believing everything. Check.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use a fact card.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child finds and checks facts. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Look things up together.
- Ask: How do you know?
- Praise checking.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name sources of facts; find a fact in a text; tell fact from opinion; say where a fact came from.
Prerequisite knowledge. Tables of contents.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Model fact finding.
Explanation (10 min). Teach sources and checking.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise.
Independent activity (10 min). Share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Where did I find it? Can it be checked?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use fact cards. Extension. Use two sources.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Believing everything. Check.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use a fact card. Enrichment. Find facts in two sources. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 2 » Writing; Grade 2 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 2 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RI.2.6 and W.2.7 (participate in shared research); Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (reading and research). These sources informed the lesson.