Week 4 (09-28 to 10/2/09) Focus: Fact and Opinion Monday (September 28th, 2009) NO SCHOOL TEACHER PLANNING DAY Tuesday & Wednesday (September 29 th & 30th, 2009) FACTS: Facts are statements that can be checked in other sources to find out whether they are accurate. Fact statements can be correct or incorrect. For example, imagine that your friend Megan says she went on a boat ride down the Suwannee River to where it empties into the Pacific Ocean. Maybe you re not sure where the Suwannee River is, so you look at a map. Hmmm According to the map, the Suwannee River empties into the Gulf of Mexico, not the Pacific. Megan made a statement of fact, but her information was incorrect. OPINIONS: Opinions are statements that tell someone s feelings or thoughts. They can t be checked, no matter how many sources you look in. Some opinions are better than others. Informed opinions are based on knowledge and logic. These opinions are more useful than uninformed ones. For example, a teacher is likely to hold a more valid opinion about a student s progress than someone that has no teaching training. 1
FCAT TIP: Beyond simply identifying statements of fact and opinion, you must learn to think critically. How are the facts and opinions used to inform, to persuade, to sell? What is the author trying to accomplish? When answering questions about facts and opinions, keep in mind the following tips: Recognize facts as statements that can be proven to be true or false. Recognize opinions as statements that describe feelings. Look for clue words that help you identify statements of fact and opinion. Clue words for facts: Numbers (There are 23 students in Ms. Deangeli s 3 rd period class.) Dates (Calvin was born on September 9 th, 1934.) Colors and shapes (The triangle is blue.) Anything that can be checked to be true or false is a fact. Clue words for opinions: adjectives (beautiful, tasty, joyous, talented) superlatives (the nicest, the most interesting, the most beautiful) feelings perhaps, probably, I think, I believe, I feel, I suggest, and in my opinion. should A statement can be a combination of fact and opinion. FACT/OPINION: I believe that the reason he lost the election was because of his past actions. ( I believe indicates opinion. The fact that he lost can be verified, but the reason given for why he lost is only speculation.) 2
Practice Activity 1 Directions: Write F for Fact or O for Opinion in front of each statement. 1. Henry Morrison Flagler was a founder of Standard Oil Company, along with John D. Rockefeller. 2. Throughout Naples, Immokalee, and Golden Gate, you ll find beautiful beaches beckoning you to spend a day in the sun. 3. Remnants of cypress swamps still exist on the mainland. 4. St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States. 5. When it comes to golf, St. Johns County has it all. 6. A visit to St. Augustine is an unforgettable adventure. 7. Florida Caverns State Park has extensive limestone caverns. 8. Water Mania is a 36-acre park containing water slides, a wave pool, a surfing ride, an inner tube ride, two children s water playgrounds, bumper boats, and an arcade. 9. Secluded lakes and streams make this national park an unsurpassed water wonderland for canoeists. 10. Tampa Bay s Fort De Soto was the scene of a battle during the Spanish American War. 3
Answer key 1) Fact 2) Opinion (Yes, you can check if there are beaches here, but you might not agree with the writer in terms of their beauty. The word beautiful makes this statement an opinion. Oftentimes, writers will try to make an opinion pass for a fact in order to persuade readers. That s why, you have to be on the lookout for clue words like beautiful ) 3) Fact 4) Fact 5) Opinion (Who says it has is all? Some people might not like this golf course) 6) Opinion (Clue words: unforgettable and adventure. They both have a positive connotation. The writer obviously wants you to visit St. Augustine) 7) Fact (The writer s tone is neutral. He/she is just providing the reader with information about Florida Caverns State Park) 8) Fact (The writer is describing Water Mania Park in a very objective way) 9) Opinion (The writer is expressing his/her feelings about the park. Clue words: secluded, unsurpassed, wonderland) 10) Fact (The writer is just giving you information about a place) Practice Activity 2 Fact/Opinion Exercise Directions: Write F in the blank if the statement is fact or O in the blank if the statement is an opinion. 1. Students should be allowed to decide how many classes they can miss without penalty. 2. George Washington was the first president of the United States. 3. English is a harder subject than math. 4. His mother makes the best apple pie. 5. December 25 th is the date recognized in the United States as Christmas. 6. I believe that a major cause of America s problems today revolves around a lack of responsibility. 7. A pen is an instrument used for writing. 8. Knitting is a more relaxing hobby than woodworking. 9. There are fifty states in the United States. 10. Dogs are more affectionate than cats. 4
Answer Key for Activity 2 1. Opinion-This statement cannot be proven true or false. Different opinions exist about this issue. 2. Fact-History books and other documents can verify this. 3. Opinion-Whether English is harder than math depends on the individual, so this is not always a fact; it is an opinion. 4. Opinion-Who says that his mother makes the best apple pies? Does everyone? What does best mean anyway? 5. Fact-Calendars and other published material can be used to document that December 25 th is the day we in the United States celebrate Christmas. 6. Opinion- I believe indicates opinion. 7. Fact-It is a proven fact that pens can be used to write with. 8. Opinion-Knitting would not be a very relaxing hobby to someone who did not know how to knit, so it depends on who you ask if one hobby is more relaxing than another. 9. Fact-History books and other published material support this statement; in addition, the states can be counted to prove this statement. 10. Opinion-It depends on the individual animal; some cats are very affectionate. Activity 3 Think about a friend, a place, a movie or a celebrity. Write three facts and three opinions about them. FACT OPINION 5
Thursday & Friday (October 1 st & 2 nd 2009 Silent Reading 20 Minutes: Have students read the homeroom novels or any other novel they might be reading. As students read, they should look for fact and opinion statements in the novel they are reading. Student Activity 10 Minutes: After the students have read have the them copy this fact and opinion chart on a sheet of paper to list fact and opinions statements found from the novels into the chart. FACT OPINION 6