You will learn
- Say what an opinion is.
- Listen to understand.
- Give an opinion with a reason.
- Change mind for good reasons.
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
- Opinions are what people think.
- People can disagree politely.
- We listen to understand.
- Good reasons can change minds.
Words to know
what someone thinks or feels
why someone thinks something
to think the same
to think differently
1. Discover: Which is the best game?
Mr Cole asks, “What is the best game?” Kofi says football. Mei says hopscotch. Amara says board games. They give reasons. Kofi: “Football is fun and fast.” Mei: “Hopscotch is good for balance.” Mr Cole says, “You disagree, but you listened to each other. That is respectful.” Later Kofi tries hopscotch and says, “I changed my mind a little.”
Think: What is your opinion and your reason?
2. Understand: Opinions
Idea 1: Opinions
An opinion is what someone thinks or feels, such as “football is the best game”. An opinion is different from a fact, which can be checked. People can agree or disagree about opinions.
Idea 2: Listening
To listen to understand: look at the speaker, do not interrupt, think about what they mean, and sometimes repeat it back: “You think… because…”. Listening does not mean you must agree.
Idea 3: Giving reasons
We give opinions politely and add a reason: “I think… because…”. If someone gives a good reason, we may change our mind. This is a sign of thinking, not weakness.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Sort
Fact or opinion?
- Read.
- Think.
- Say.
Answer: “Rice is food” is a fact; “rice is best” is an opinion.
Example 2 (We do it together): Repeat
Say back.
- Listen.
- Think.
- Say.
Answer: You think hopscotch is good for balance.
Example 3 (You try): Reason
Give one.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: I think… because…
Did you know?
In many African traditions, elders listen to everyone before a community meeting reaches a decision, because shared decisions are strongest.
Why this matters
Listening to different opinions helps us learn and live together peacefully.
4. Explore: Opinion circle
Sit in a circle. Share an opinion with a reason using “I think… because…”. The next person repeats it back before sharing their own.
- Think.
- Share.
- Repeat.
- Reflect.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Listening made us kinder.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- An opinion is ___.
- A reason is ___.
- To agree is ___.
- To disagree is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is an opinion?
What someone thinks.
Question 2. What is a reason?
Why they think it.
Question 3. What does agree mean?
Think the same.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is an opinion?
- What is a reason?
- What does agree mean?
- What does disagree mean?
- What phrase gives reasons?
Level 2: Grow
- Why listen?
- Why give reasons?
- Why be open?
Level 3: Stretch
- Share opinions.
- Repeat back.
- Sort facts and opinions.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Give an opinion with a reason.
Show a sample answer
I like rice because it fills me.
Another one. Share an opinion with a reason at home.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: People can disagree.
Fix: It shows thinking.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what an opinion is.
- I can listen to understand.
- I can give an opinion with a reason.
- I can change mind for good reasons.
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
- Opinions are what people think.
- People can disagree politely.
- We listen to understand.
- Good reasons can change minds.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Community rules. 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.
- Say the difference between fact and opinion. [3 marks]
- Give an opinion with a reason. [2 marks]
- Give three listening skills. [3 marks]
- Say why we may change our minds. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Fact [1]; opinion [1]; contrast [1]
- Opinion [1]; reason [1]
- Three [3]
- Good reasons [1]; thinking [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is an opinion?
- What is a reason?
- What does agree mean?
- What does disagree mean?
- What phrase gives reasons?
- Why listen?
- Why give reasons?
- Why be open?
- Share opinions.
- Repeat back.
Homework
Draw two people with different opinions listening.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is an opinion? | What someone thinks. | 1 |
| 2. What is a reason? | Why they think it. | 1 |
| 3. What does agree mean? | Think the same. | 1 |
| 4. What does disagree mean? | Think differently. | 1 |
| 5. What phrase gives reasons? | Because. | 1 |
| 6. Why listen? | Understand. | 1 |
| 7. Why give reasons? | Explain. | 1 |
| 8. Why be open? | Learn. | 1 |
| 9. Share opinions. | Share. | 1 |
| 10. Repeat back. | Repeat. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 What someone thinks.; 2 Why they think it.; 3 Think the same.; 4 Think differently.; 5 Because.. Level 2: 1 Understand.; 2 Explain.; 3 Learn.. Level 3: 1 Share.; 2 Repeat.; 3 Sort..
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 Say what an opinion is | 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 Listen to understand | 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 Give an opinion with a reason | 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 Change mind for good reasons | 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: “Everyone must agree.” People can disagree.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make an opinion chart.
- 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 practises listening to different opinions. Please give your child chances to give opinions with reasons. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask for reasons.
- Listen without interrupting.
- Praise open minds.
- 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: say what an opinion is; listen to understand; give an opinion with a reason; change mind for good reasons.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 2 ideas: rights, responsibilities, fairness, respect and helping others.
Materials. Paper, pencils. 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. Prepare opinion cards.
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). Tell the best game story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach opinions.
Guided activity (10 min). Opinion circle.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do we listen to different opinions?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Everyone must agree.” People can disagree.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-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. Make an opinion chart. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. 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: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 2 Unit 9, topic 8; NCSS C3 Framework, civic and political institutions and participation; Cambridge Primary Humanities, people and societies; IB Primary Years Programme, how we organise ourselves. These sources informed the lesson.