TITLE:   Distinguishing Fact and Opinion

AUTHOR:  Larry Nickell, Karval, CO

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  7-12

OVERVIEW:  It is necessary in our day and age for a student
to know what is a fact or an opinion; this is because they
must be able to discern the value of what is being told
them.

OBJECTIVES:  Students will be able to pick up clues in the
wordage of a sentence to determine if it is factual and be
able to give reasons for their feelings.  It should help
students explain the difference between statements of hard
fact as found on the front page of a newspaper from that of
the editorial page.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  None are needed except a generated
list of facts and opinions that can be presented as a quiz
in which the student can mark whether it is one or the other
bu marking it either with an "O" or an "F".

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  Make a list of short sentences
pulled from the text, (a good example of such a list is that
from Magruders American Government text).  A variation of
this would be to have the students compile a list of
sentences pulled from the text and write them down to be
handed in so the you can make a list from the students'
lists.  Tell the students what an opinion is and what a fact
is.  An opinion will involve a judgement about the worth or
value of something, whereas a fact has evidence to prove it.
Explain that a fact as presented may be false, but it can be
proved to be so.  If judgments are based on faulty
assumptions or facts that the resulting actions taken in
response may be askew.  Opinions will be deduced as
involving an interpretation or explanations for something or
some happening which may seem logical but may have
legitimate variations of interpretation.
  Present the list of statements as a quiz (non-graded) and
have the students write whether they think it is a fact or
an opinion.  It is helpful, if on three of the statements of
more importance, to have the students explain why the
statement, in their view, is a fact or an opinion.  For
instance, one of the underlying beliefs of the American
system is that "all men are created equal."  Is it a fact or
an opinion?  Of course, since it involves belief, it is an
opinion.  The students could have fun or might find it
interesting to figure out what the phrase means and they
could also give other beliefs held by different societies
about how "man is created."  As the list is reviewed, make
comments as to why a statement is a fact or an opinion and
solicit comments from the students as to how they perceived
the statement.  One of your primary roles in this assignment
is to be able to discern fact from opinion yourself.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  Design another list of facts and
opinions and give it as a test (this one counts as a grade).
This activity should be done as a preliminary to a study of
American problems or American government so that students
may evaluate the discussions and decisions made throughout
American history in regard to the values commonly held in
the U.S. today.  Students will become aware that much of
what is written and said has interpretation and will need
research to verify the statement.