You will learn
- Tell fact from opinion.
- State an opinion.
- Give a reason using because.
- Respect other opinions.
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
- A fact can be proved.
- An opinion is what someone thinks.
- Give a reason with because.
- Respect other views.
Words to know
what someone thinks or feels
something that can be proved true
why you think something
a word that gives a reason
1. Discover: Best fruit
Ayo says, “Mangoes are the best fruit because they are sweet.” Ama says, “I think oranges are better because they are juicy.” They both smile. “We like different fruit,” says Ayo. “But mangoes do grow on trees,” adds Ama. “That is a fact!”
Think: Which sentence is a fact and which is an opinion?
2. Understand: Fact and opinion
Idea 1: Fact or opinion
A fact can be proved: Mangoes grow on trees. An opinion is what someone thinks: Mangoes are the best.
Idea 2: Give a reason
Back up an opinion with a reason using because: Mangoes are the best fruit because they are sweet.
Idea 3: Respect others
People can have different opinions. Listen and respond kindly. You can say, “I understand your view.”
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Fact or opinion
“Dogs are the cutest pets.”
- Can it be proved?
Answer: opinion
Example 2 (We do it together): Reason
Add a reason: I like rain ___.
- Use because.
Answer: because it helps plants grow
Example 3 (You try): Respect
Friend says blue is best. You like green. What do you say?
Show the steps and answer
- Be kind.
Answer: I like green, but I understand you like blue.
Did you know?
Words like best, worst, nicest and boring often signal an opinion.
Why this matters
Giving opinions and reasons helps you think clearly and talk with others respectfully.
4. Explore: Opinion line
Share opinions with reasons.
- Choose a topic like a favourite game.
- State your opinion.
- Add because.
- Listen to a partner.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You gave an opinion with a reason.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I think ___.
- In my opinion, ___.
- I think this because ___.
- I understand that you ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. “The sun is a star.” Fact or opinion?
fact
Question 2. “Bananas are yummy.” Fact or opinion?
opinion
Question 3. Add a reason: I like books ___.
because they are fun
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A thing that can be proved is a ___.
- What someone thinks is an ___.
- A ___ tells why.
- The word that gives a reason is ___.
- We ___ other people’s opinions.
Level 2: Grow
- Fact or opinion: Fish live in water.
- Fact or opinion: Football is the most fun.
- Give an opinion with because.
Level 3: Stretch
- Why give reasons?
- Can two opinions both be fine?
- What word often signals opinion?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Tell a family member your opinion about a food and why.
Show a sample answer
I think rice is the best because it is filling.
Another one. Write two facts and two opinions about school.
Show a sample answer
Facts: School has desks. Opinions: Maths is easy.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Check if it can be proved.
Fix: Add because.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can tell fact from opinion.
- I can state an opinion.
- I can give a reason.
- I can respect other opinions.
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
- Facts can be proved.
- Opinions are what we think.
- Give a reason with because.
- Respect other views.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Retelling information orally. 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 fact? [1 mark]
- What is an opinion? [1 mark]
- Write one fact and one opinion about dogs. [2 marks]
- Give an opinion with a reason about rain. [2 marks]
- Explain how to share an opinion respectfully. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- something that can be proved [1]
- what someone thinks or feels [1]
- a fact [1]; an opinion [1]
- opinion [1]; reason with because [1]
- state it [1]; give a reason [1]; respect others [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
- What can be proved is a ___.
- What someone thinks is an ___.
- A ___ tells why.
- The reason word is ___.
- Fact or opinion: Water is wet.
- Fact or opinion: Snow is pretty.
- True or false: all opinions must match.
- True or false: add reasons.
- Give an opinion with because.
- Say a respectful reply.
Homework
Tell your family one fact and one opinion about your favourite food.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What can be proved is a ___. | fact | 1 |
| 2. What someone thinks is an ___. | opinion | 1 |
| 3. A ___ tells why. | reason | 1 |
| 4. The reason word is ___. | because | 1 |
| 5. Fact or opinion: Water is wet. | fact | 1 |
| 6. Fact or opinion: Snow is pretty. | opinion | 1 |
| 7. True or false: all opinions must match. | false | 1 |
| 8. True or false: add reasons. | true | 1 |
| 9. Give an opinion with because. | I like … because … | 1 |
| 10. Say a respectful reply. | I understand your view. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 fact; 2 opinion; 3 reason; 4 because; 5 respect. Level 2: 1 fact; 2 opinion; 3 I like rain because it makes plants grow.. Level 3: 1 so others understand your thinking; 2 yes; 3 best.
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 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 |
| O2 State an 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 |
| O3 Give a reason using because | 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 Respect other opinions | 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: Treating an opinion as a fact. Check if it can be proved.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use fact-or-opinion sorting cards.
- 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 telling fact from opinion and giving reasons. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask why they think that.
- Respect their view.
- Share your own opinions with reasons.
- 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: tell fact from opinion; state an opinion; give a reason using because; respect other opinions.
Prerequisite knowledge. Participating in discussions.
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 vs opinion.
Explanation (10 min). Teach reasons with because.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise opinion talk.
Independent activity (10 min). Reflect on respect.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is it a fact or an opinion? What is your reason?
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 sentence starters. Extension. Compare two opinions.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Treating an opinion as a fact. Check if it can be proved.
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 fact-or-opinion sorting cards. Enrichment. Give two reasons for an opinion. 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 » 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 W.2.1 (write opinion pieces; supply reasons) and SL.2.4; Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (speaking and listening). These sources informed the lesson.