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Exploring Fact and Opinion in Nonfiction by Using Key Ideas and Details

Unit Plan

Exploring Fact and Opinion in Nonfiction by Using Key Ideas and Details

Objectives

In this unit, students will explore the use of fact and opinion in nonfiction sources. Students will:

  • distinguish between fact and opinion statements.
  • interpret the author’s opinion in a biography.
  • identify fact and opinion statements in biographies and advertisements.
  • apply critical thinking skills to compare multiple accounts of the same event.

Essential Questions

How do readers’ know what to believe in what they read, hear, and view?
How do strategic readers create meaning from informational and literary text?
How does interaction with text provoke thinking and response?
What is this text really about?
  • How does interaction with text provoke thinking and response?
  • How do strategic readers create meaning from informational and literary texts?
  • What is this text really about?
  • How do readers know what to believe in what they read, hear, and view?

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Materials haven't been entered into the unit plan.

Formative Assessment

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    Short-Answer Items:

    1. Think about a biography you have read. Explain two ways you could distinguish a fact from an opinion as you read this type of informational text.
    2. Name one way you can easily identify a fact and one way you can easily identify an opinion in advertisements.

    Short-Answer Key and Scoring Rubrics:

    1. Think about a biography you have read. Explain two ways you could distinguish a fact from an opinion as you read this type of informational text.

     

    Points

    Description

    2

    Student explains two ways to distinguish facts from opinions in informational text. Answers include the following:

    • Signal words are an easy way to distinguish facts and opinions. Factual statements do not include signal words, whereas opinion statements do. Some signal words for an opinion statement are good/bad, might, believe, should, always/never, and guess.
    • Another way to distinguish fact and opinion statements is to evaluate the statement by determining if the statement can be proven true or has been taken from an encyclopedia, a map, a textbook, a medical journal, or other source. This would validate the statement as a fact.

    1

    Student explains one way to distinguish facts from opinions in informational text.

    0

    Student demonstrates a lack of understanding of the skills being taught.

     

     

    1. Name one way you can easily identify a fact and one way you can easily identify an opinion in advertisements.

     

    Points

    Description

    2

    Student provides one way to identify facts and one way to identify opinions in advertisements. Answers include the following:

    • Ways to identify facts:
    • Look for numbers, statistics, warranties, and government-approved statements
    • Look for terminology such as record, verify, document, and prove.
    • Ways to identify opinions:
    • Look for terminology such as good/bad, might, believe, should, think, always/never, and best/worst.
    • Look for persuasive techniques, especially emotional appeal.

    1

    Student provides one way to identify facts OR one way to identify opinions in advertisements.

    0

    Student demonstrates a lack of understanding of the skills being taught.

     

     

    Performance Assessment:

    Have students choose one of the following activities to complete. Provide materials as necessary.

    1.   Write a composition explaining why reading an autobiography and a biography about the same person would help the reader gain a better understanding of the subject.

    • Explain what the reader could learn about the person from a biography.
    • Explain what the reader could learn about the person from an autobiography.
    • Describe the similarities and differences between the two accounts.

    2.   Design an advertisement that would convince other students in your class to read a book or magazine you have selected. Use three persuasive techniques (bandwagon, testimonial, or emotional appeal) when creating your advertisement.

    • Use a picture or write a persuasive statement about the book or magazine that uses bandwagon technique.
    • Use a picture or write a persuasive statement about the book or magazine that uses a testimonial.
    • Use a picture or write a persuasive statement about the book or magazine that uses emotional appeal.
    1. Compare a first-person account and a third-person account of the same event. Identify facts and opinions in the accounts. Explain similarities and differences between the accounts.
    • Identify facts and opinions in the first-person account.
    • Identify facts and opinions in the third-person account.
    • Explain the similarities and differences between the accounts.

    Performance Assessment Scoring Rubric:

    Points

    Description

    3

    Student completes one of the performance tasks by fulfilling all three requirements in the bullet list.

    2

    Student completes one of the performance tasks by fulfilling two of the requirements in the bullet list.

    1

    Student completes one of the performance tasks by fulfilling one of the requirements in the bullet list.

    0

    Student demonstrates a lack of understanding of the tasks and makes no attempt to complete any of the necessary requirements.
Final 05/31/2013
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