You will learn
- Sort facts and opinions.
- Spot disguised opinions.
- Check claims.
- Rewrite neutrally.
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
- Read the statement.
- Can it be proved?
- Look for opinion words.
- Check a source.
Words to know
a statement that can be proved true or false
a personal belief or judgement
an opinion written as if it were a fact
able to be checked
1. Discover: Reading a headline
Headline: “The city’s new library is a total waste of money.” Is that a fact? No. It is a disguised opinion. A verifiable fact would be: “The library cost 300 million naira and opened in March.”
Opinion words (“total waste”) show judgement. Ngozi checks costs in the council report. She writes a neutral version: “Some residents say the library is too expensive.”
Think: Which statements can be checked?
2. Understand: Can it be checked?
Idea 1: Fact and opinion
A fact is verifiable; an opinion is a judgement.
Idea 2: Disguised opinions
Beware a disguised opinion that sounds like a fact.
Idea 3: Check
Check claims against reliable sources.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Opinion
Which is a disguised opinion?
- Waste of money.
Answer: the library is a total waste of money
Example 2 (We do it together): Fact
Which is verifiable?
- Cost and date.
Answer: the library cost 300 million naira and opened in march
Example 3 (You try): Neutral
Give a neutral version.
Show the steps and answer
- Some say too expensive.
Answer: some residents say the library is too expensive
Did you know?
Words like total, obviously and everybody know often signal disguised opinions.
Why this matters
Separating fact from opinion protects you from being misled by media.
4. Explore: Headline check
Sort statements.
- Collect headlines.
- Mark fact or opinion.
- Circle opinion words.
- Rewrite neutrally.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can separate fact from opinion.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- This is a fact because ___.
- This is an opinion because ___.
- The opinion word is ___.
- A neutral version is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. A statement that can be proved is a ___.
fact
Question 2. A personal judgement is an ___.
opinion
Question 3. An opinion written as a fact is a ___ opinion.
disguised
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- A statement that can be proved is a ___.
- A personal judgement is an ___.
- An opinion written as a fact is a ___ opinion.
- Able to be checked is ___.
- The library cost 300 million ___.
Level 2: Grow
- When did the library open?
- Which words show judgement?
- Where did Ngozi check the cost?
Level 3: Stretch
- Can opinions look like facts?
- Is total waste verifiable?
- Should we check sources?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Sort ten headlines into fact and opinion and rewrite two neutrally.
Show a sample answer
a sorted list
Another one. Find a headline with a family member and decide if it is fact or opinion.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can sort facts and opinions.
- I can spot disguised opinions.
- I can check claims.
- I can rewrite neutrally.
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
- Read the statement.
- Can it be proved?
- Look for opinion words.
- Check a source.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Evaluating online information. 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.
- Define fact and opinion. [2 marks]
- What is a disguised opinion? [1 mark]
- Identify the opinion words in the headline. [1 mark]
- Rewrite the headline neutrally. [1 mark]
- Explain how to check a statement. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- fact can be verified [1]; opinion is a personal judgement [1]
- an opinion written as if it were a fact [1]
- total waste of money [1]
- some residents say the library is too expensive [1]
- ask if it can be proved [1]; look for opinion words [1]; check against a reliable source [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- A statement that can be proved is a ___.
- A personal judgement is an ___.
- An opinion written as a fact is a ___ opinion.
- Able to be checked is ___.
- The library cost 300 million ___.
- When did the library open?
- Which words show judgement?
- Where did Ngozi check the cost?
- Can opinions look like facts?
- Is total waste verifiable?
Homework
Find a headline with a family member and decide if it is fact or opinion.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A statement that can be proved is a ___. | fact | 1 |
| 2. A personal judgement is an ___. | opinion | 1 |
| 3. An opinion written as a fact is a ___ opinion. | disguised | 1 |
| 4. Able to be checked is ___. | verifiable | 1 |
| 5. The library cost 300 million ___. | naira | 1 |
| 6. When did the library open? | March | 1 |
| 7. Which words show judgement? | total waste | 1 |
| 8. Where did Ngozi check the cost? | the council report | 1 |
| 9. Can opinions look like facts? | yes | 1 |
| 10. Is total waste verifiable? | no | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 fact; 2 opinion; 3 disguised; 4 verifiable; 5 naira. Level 2: 1 March; 2 total waste; 3 the council report. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 no; 3 yes.
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 Sort facts and 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 |
| O2 Spot disguised 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 |
| O3 Check claims | 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 Rewrite neutrally | 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: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- 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 a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- 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: sort facts and opinions; spot disguised opinions; check claims; rewrite neutrally.
Prerequisite knowledge. Persuasive techniques.
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). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
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 the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-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. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. 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 6 » Writing; Grade 6 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 6 » 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.6.8 and SL.6.3 (delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (fact and opinion in media). These sources informed the lesson.