The purpose of this lesson is to increase comprehension by distinguishing between facts and opinions.
Read this to the students:
A fact is a statement that can be proved, and an opinion is a statement of feeling or belief. Words such as probably, perhaps, often, and sometimes are clues that a statement is an opinion. Knowing the difference between facts and opinions helps readers better understand and evaluate what they read. Three teaching models are presented in this lesson, Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic/Motor. Be aware of the most effective way in which your class learns. Modify when necessary.
VISUAL
Make a copy of the following passage for each student. (leave out all (F)'s and (O)'s)
Today is the second Thursday of the month. (F) It is the scheduled time for the class to take swimming lessons.(F) This is the best class ever. (O) Every student can float on his or her back. (F) Perhaps a couple of them will be future Olympic competitors. (O) The instructor, Ms. Clementine, an Olympic swimmer herself, won the silver medal in 1979. (F) There is probably no better swimming teacher than her. (O).
Discuss why each is a fact or an opinion.
AUDITORY
Read aloud the paragraph from the Visual Model. Give each student two sheets of construction paper, light colored. Have them write FACT on one and OPINION on the other in large letters. Read the passage again. Have each student raise the appropriate sheet after each sentence is read. Have a few students explain their choice. If a wrong choice is made allow the student explain and redirect them.
KINESTHETIC/MOTOR- concentration
Put each sentence from the Visual Model on individual strips of three inch construction paper. Have the students work in pairs. Make a separate FACT strip and a separate OPINION strip for each sentence. Turn them over, face down, shuffle them around and take turns trying to find matches, a Fact strip with a Fact Statement or an Opinion strip with an Opinion Statement. As matches are found the finder MUST explain how they figured out whether it was a fact or an opinion
Write down the facts in the first case in You Be the Jury.
Write down the facts in the mystery song. Are you any closer to what it is?
Write down your opinions about the song.
Inference or Drawing Conclusions
Because authors do not always explain everything that happens in a story, readers must sometimes combine what they already know with story details to draw valid conclusions. Knowing how to draw valid conclusions helps readers figure out the reasons behind story events and the behavior of characters.
Look at the following passage:
Sam, the brown, furry, collie ran wildly to the edge of the property. There he spied a small, gray, bushy-tailed squirrel on the other side of the 2 foot high fence. The latch on the poorly painted, picket fence's gate was off. He saw the position of the latch. There was nobody around. The squirrel appeared to be teasing the Sam who eventually went back to the center of the one and one-half acre yard. There he plopped down under the branches of a young, weeping willow tree and watched the frisky creature.
These conclusions could be made:
I conclude that Sam did not continue to pursue the squirrel because the fence was too high, OR he was called back OR he was trained to not go beyond the fence. The correct conclusion is that Sam was trained to not go beyond the fence. Help the students to see why the other choice would be incorrect.
The formula to remember for this is:
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What you already know + The information given = Your valid conclusion