Session 1
1. Define the concept of “facts” and “opinions.” Provide daily examples to explain the what facts and opinions are.
Definition:
(1) A fact is something that has actually happened or that is empirically true and can be supported by evidence. A fact is something you know is true and you can prove it. (Facts are often proved by statistics, research or experts’ quotations.)
(2) An opinion is a belief; it is normally subjective, meaning that it can vary based on a person's perspective, emotions, or individual understanding of something. An opinion is something you think and believe to be true and you can’t prove it.
Example:
Michael Jordon was born on February 17, 1963. (Fact) The Empire State Building is 1,250 feet tall. (Fact) Beethoven is the greatest composer that ever lived. (Opinion) Goodnight Moon is the best children's book ever written. (Opinion)
2. Divide students in groups and distribute a Fact or Opinion chart (the statements are adapted from http://www.teach-nology.com/ and http://www.
superteacherworksheets.com) to each group. Ask students to finish the chart and the group who answers the most correct answers will be the winner.
Fact and Opinion chart:
Instructions: Write “F” for fact beside the statements below that are facts.
Write “O” for opinion beside the statements below that are opinions.
_____ 1. Washington, D.C. is the Capital City of the United States.
_____ 2. Walt Disney World is a family friendly theme park.
_____ 3. Whales are superior to dolphins.
_____ 4. Whales are mammals.
_____ 5. John Adams was the second president of the United States.
_____ 6. Stephen King is talented.
_____ 7. Abraham Lincoln was the best president the United States has ever had.
_____ 8. Britney Spears sings better than Madonna.
_____ 9. Michael Jordon is the greatest basketball player of all time.
_____ 10. Will Smith starred in the movie Men in Black.
_____ 11. There are glaciers in Alaska.
_____ 12. The Frenchman, La Salle, explored the Mississippi.
_____ 13. Every time you wash your car it always ends up raining.
_____ 14. There is no life on Pluto.
_____ 15. Cats are not as friendly as dogs.
3. Show an advertisement extracted from BBC Skillswise (http://bbc.co.uk./skillswise) to students and ask them to find out what are facts and what are opinions.
4. Provide five topics for students and ask students to write one fact and one opinion for each topic. Ask them to share their answers with their group members.
Example: ocean
Fact: More than two-thirds of earth’s surface is covered by oceans.
Opinion: The Pacific Ocean is the most beautiful ocean in the world.
1. museum
Fact: ________________________________________________________
Opinion: _____________________________________________________
2. vacation
Fact: ________________________________________________________
Opinion: _____________________________________________________
3. singer
Fact: ________________________________________________________
Opinion: _____________________________________________________
4. basketball
Fact: ________________________________________________________
Opinion: _____________________________________________________
5. high school
Fact: ________________________________________________________
Opinion: _____________________________________________________
5. Introduce the linguistic devices related to facts/opinions and explain the meaning of each word.
Linguistic Devices:
Facts Opinions
According to + N., S. + V. It seems that S. + V.
Based on + N., S. + V. It is likely that S+V statistics, study, research may, might, must, should demonstrate, confirm, prove,
observe, discover, report
think, feel, believe, claim, argue, suspect, assume, assert
In sb’s opinion, for sb, sb’s viewpoint always, never
most, least
probably, possibly, somehow
6. Present two short passages. Explain that students should decide whether the statement is a fact or an opinion in passage 1 and mark sentences which are facts or opinions in passage 2 (extracted from http://www.barackobamacharter.org/ and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4626857.stm).
Passage 1
My family is going to visit an animal rescue shelter this weekend. Rescue shelters take in animals that have been abandoned or mistreated by people. My parents say my sister and I can choose a pet from the shelter, but we can’t agree on what type of pet to get. Cats make the best pets because you can teach a cat to use a litter box. Dogs have to be walked three or four times a day, and that’s too much trouble.
Of course, my sister wants a dog—a big one. Raising a puppy requires time or train them. My sister promises that she will take care of a dog every day, but I think she is too irresponsible. Besides, kittens are cuter than puppies.
When we go the shelter to look at all the animals, I believe she’ll change her mind.
Statement fact / opinion
1. Rescue shelters take in animals that have been abandoned or mistreated by people.
2. Walking dogs is too troublesome.
3. A puppy requires time to train.
4. Kittens are cuter than puppies.
5. The author’s sister will change her mind when they go to the shelter next time.
Passage 2
Instructions: Circle the sentences which are facts and underline the sentences which are opinions.
Analysts said self-help and aspirational reading could explain India’s high figures. Britons and Americans score 50% lower than the Indians’ hours and Japanese and Koreans were even lower at 4.1 and 3.1 hours respectively.
R. Sriram, chief executive officer of Crosswords Bookstores, a chain of 26 book shops around India, says Indians are extremely entrepreneurial and reading “is a fundamental part of their being.”
The NOP survey 30,000 consumers aged over 13 saw China and the Philippines take second and third place respectively in average hours a week spent reading books, newspapers and magazines.
Session 2
1. Review the concept of facts and opinions through a listening activity. Divide students into groups and give each group a piece of paper with the word “fact” on one side and the word “opinion” on the other side. Tell them to show the “fact” side when the sentence they hear tells a fact, and the “opinion” side when the statement is an opinion.
Items for “Facts or Opinions” in the listening activity:
1. Canada is closer to the North Pole than the South Pole.
2. Thanksgiving is related to the feeling of gratitude.
3. Roses are prettier than lilies.
4. The capital of R.O.C. is Taipei City.
5. I enjoy skiing.
6. Wolves and foxes are meat eaters.
7. Paris is the most exciting city in Europe.
8. A Mac is better than a PC.
2. Distribute a part of newspapers to each group. Instruct them to find two examples of fact and two examples of opinion in a single article of the newspaper. Ask them to underline facts and to circle opinions and hand in the article. Then exchange the articles to different groups to examine whether the examples chosen are correct or not.
3. Ask students to read the article (extracted from http://www.weeklyreader.com) and answer the questions below.
Article
Fashion Do’s or Don’ts?
“What should I wear today?” That's a question you might ask yourself in the morning. For some kids, the answer is the same every day—a school uniform. Officials in Elmira, New York, are currently debating whether students should wear uniforms in the next school year. Uniforms would contribute to
“building pride within our school and community,” Elmira Superintendent Raymond Bryant told WR News.
Elmira is one of many school districts across the country considering a uniform policy. Ten years ago [In 1997], 3 percent of all public schools required that students wear uniforms. By 2004, that number had risen to 14 percent.
Some school officials support the policy, hoping that uniforms will encourage students to focus on their work. Opponents, however, say students should be allowed to express themselves through their clothing.
Yes!
Uniforms make schools better places in which to learn, supporters say.
They argue that dress codes often improve discipline and lessen bullying and teasing. "I think uniforms help students focus on their academics and not the latest fashion," principal Megan Mannion told WR News. Her school, Rankin Elementary School in Akron, Ohio, has had a uniform policy since 1995.
"The best thing I like about our uniform is the style, especially the shirts and sweaters," says Rankin fourth grader Clifton Harris. It's not just the look that makes the grade. Others argue that the new uniforms cut costs. "You save money to buy casual clothes for home," adds Rankin student Asmar Epps.
No!
A uniform requirement violates the right to freedom of expression, some people say. That right is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution. "I think students should choose their own clothing styles, rather than be told to wear a specific uniform," fifth grader Kaylie Vilayvong from Aurora, Missouri, told WR News. Her classmate Wade Fleetwood agrees, "kids
should be allowed to wear different styles of clothes."
Some parents are worried about the expense. Elmira would offer uniforms at a price between $16 and $26. "What's the school district going to do for people who can't afford them?" asked one Elmira father at a recent public meeting.
Questions:
_____ 1. The author seems to
a. think that kids should wear uniforms.
b. think that kids should not have to wear uniforms.
c. talk about both sides of the issue.
d. see both sides of the issue, but agrees that students should wear uniforms.
_____ 2. Which of the following is an opinion?
a. Some kids wear uniforms every day.
b. Some kids do not want to wear uniforms.
c. Some teachers think that uniforms will help kids focus on their work.
d. Uniforms are too expensive.
_____ 3. Which of the following is not an opinion?
a. Uniforms make schools better places to learn.
b. A uniform violates the right to freedom of expression.
c. Uniforms are less expensive than regular clothing.
d. In 2004, 14 percent of public schools required students to wear uniforms.
4. School uniforms has a "look that makes the grade." Is this a fact or opinion?
Please explain.
______________________________________________________________
4. Ask students to state their opinions about the statement that “Senior high school students should not wear uniforms.” Explain that students should provide their stances and reasons during the discussion and later they will present their opinions on the stage.