The goal of this lesson is to guide students to compare different accounts of the same topic or event and identify facts and opinions in each.

• Observe students as they work within groups. Evaluate each student’s ability to compare sources and identify facts and opinions.
• Use the following checklist to evaluate the student’s ability to do the following:
  • Distinguish between facts and opinions.
  • Determine the point of view from which an account is presented.
  • Explain how comparing sources benefits the reader.

Focus Question: Why is it important to distinguish fact from opinion when comparing two sources about the same topic or event?

Read aloud an excerpt from a book by Jon Scieszka. Ask students what they know about the author. If students are not familiar with him, ask what kind of person they think the author is based on the kinds of books he writes. List responses on the board and discuss whether the responses are facts or opinions.

Part 1

Explain to students that they will be analyzing two biographical sketches about Jon Scieszka. Review the difference between an autobiography (the story of a person’s life written by the person) and biography (the story of a person’s life written by someone else).

Distribute copies of the T-Chart (L-5-3-3_T-Chart.doc). Review the categories of comparison to make sure students understand bias and point of view. Remind students that an autobiography is told from first-person point of view and a biography is told from third-person point of view. Instruct them to use the T-chart to compare the passages.

Provide two or more of the biographical sketches about Jon Scieszka for students to analyze (see Materials list). Include the autobiographical sketch, but do not identify it for students. Give students time to read and analyze the passages.

After students have completed the reading and analysis, place them in small groups (2–4 students) to discuss their findings. Ask them to discuss which text they feel is most reliable and support it with information from their analysis (T-chart). They should be able to share at least three facts and two opinions presented in each passage and support their thinking based on the text.

Ask, “Why is it important to determine if a text focuses more on facts or opinions?” (to help the reader determine whether the text is a reliable source of information) Discuss how comparing sources helps the reader gain a better understanding of the topic.

Part 2

Help students distinguish a first-person (eyewitness) account from a third-person account by presenting the following scenario:

Say, “Your friend is going to adopt a puppy from the local animal shelter on Saturday. Describe the event.” Students may respond in writing or give verbal responses for you to record on the board/interactive whiteboard. (Possible responses may describe the location of the animal shelter, the process of adoption, the kinds of puppies available, and the requirements of caring for a puppy.)

Say, “Now describe the event from your friend’s point of view.” (Responses may include the anticipation of going to the animal shelter, a description of how the puppy looks and how it acts, the excitement of taking the puppy home.)

Have students identify the first-person account (the friend’s account) as well as facts and opinions in both accounts.

Part 3

Say, “We usually learn about events in history through textbooks, encyclopedias, or online references. What kinds of accounts are these?” (third-person) “Today, we are going to compare a third-person account and a first-person account of the same event.”

You may choose to do the following activity as a teacher-guided exercise or have students work in small groups to complete it independently.

• Choose one of the topics from the Materials list and provide copies of the passages for students or project the passages on a screen for group analysis.
• Provide copies of the T-Chart for students to use for comparing and analyzing the accounts (L-5-3-3_T-Chart.doc).
• Have students fill in the information in the T-Chart and encourage them to cite evidence from the text to identify facts and opinions.
• After both passages have been read, have students indicate how the accounts were similar and how they were different. (similarities: topic, purpose; differences: point of view, details) Discuss facts and opinions in both accounts.

Conclude the discussion by asking, “How does comparing different accounts of the same event impact the reader’s understanding?” (Sources provide different information and different points of view to help the reader draw conclusions about what really happened.)

Extension:

• Students who need additional opportunities for learning could work under your direction to compare two accounts of a different event in history and identify the facts and opinions in each account.
• Students who are ready to go beyond the standard might examine several third-person accounts of the same historical event from textbooks, encyclopedias, or online sources or several newspaper accounts of a recent event. Have them identify facts and opinions and determine how multiple accounts impact a reader’s understanding of an event.
• Have students rewrite one of the third-person accounts as a first-person account from a person who was involved in the historical event.