Fact Opinion Evidence

Overview

In this fourth lesson of Persuade Through Time, students investigate how people know whether a statement is a fact, an opinion or supported by evidence. Using examples of schooling in the past and today, students sort, discuss and match claims with photographs, artefacts, oral-history details and timeline information.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• distinguish between facts, opinions and evidence
• ask questions about how we know something
• use evidence to support a simple opinion
• listen to and explain different viewpoints

Success criteria

• I can classify a statement as a fact or an opinion.
• I can explain what evidence means.
• I can match evidence to a claim.
• I can use “I think… because…” to support an opinion.

Curriculum links

• Understand that the past is different from the present and that sources provide information about the past.
• Compare aspects of school life in the past and present.
• Ask questions, locate information and identify how sources help answer questions.
• Create short spoken and written texts, using ideas and details to express a viewpoint.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Wonder and connect Display a striking image showing a historical classroom beside a contemporary classroom using the opening comparison slide. Ask: “What do you notice? What might be different? How could we find out?” Record children’s ideas under I notice and I wonder. Explain that historians use evidence, not just guesses.

2. 5–12 minutes – Explicit teaching Use the fact, opinion and evidence teaching slides to introduce the terms in child-friendly language:

• A fact is something that can be checked or shown to be true.
• An opinion is what someone thinks or feels.
• Evidence is information that helps us decide whether a claim is reliable.

Model examples: “Our school has classrooms” is a fact; “School uniforms look smart” is an opinion; “This photograph shows children wearing uniforms” is evidence. Emphasise that evidence can include photographs, objects, people’s memories and information about when something happened.

3. 12–25 minutes – Partner sorting investigation Place students in pairs. Distribute the fact, opinion and evidence sorting sheet and display the sorting instructions and example. Read each short statement aloud as needed. Partners discuss whether each statement is a fact or opinion, then identify which evidence could help check or support it. Encourage the sentence stem: “I think it is a ___ because ___.”

Use familiar examples first, such as “Our classroom has tables” and “The best place to learn is outside”, before moving to statements about schooling in the past and present. Scribe responses for students who need support.

4. 25–34 minutes – Evidence matching challenge Give pairs a set of claim-and-evidence examples from the worksheet. Students draw lines or place matching labels to connect claims with photographs, artefacts, oral-history details or timeline information. Examples may include:

• “Children used different classroom materials in the past.”
• “School rules have changed over time.”
• “Some parts of school life are similar today.”

Ask: “Could this evidence support more than one claim?” Invite advanced learners to identify evidence that may support two different viewpoints and explain why.

5. 34–41 minutes – Viewpoint circle Display the viewpoint discussion prompts. Read one statement, such as “Schools were better in the past” or “Schools are better today.” Students quietly choose a viewpoint, then share with a partner using: “I think ___ because the evidence shows ___.” Invite several students to contribute. Accept different opinions when they are supported by relevant evidence, and model respectful disagreement: “I have a different idea because…”

6. 41–45 minutes – Reflect and review Return to the opening image with the reflection and exit prompt. Ask students to complete the final section of the worksheet: “One opinion I have is ___. My evidence is ___.” Share two or three responses and revisit the learning intentions. Clarify that a strong opinion is supported by evidence.

Resources

• the Fact, Opinion and Evidence lesson deck
• the fact, opinion and evidence sorting sheet
• Whiteboard or interactive display
• Markers and pencils
• Optional classroom photographs or safe historical school images
• Prepared claim-and-evidence examples
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Sticky notes for I notice and I wonder

Assessment

• Listen to partner discussions and note whether students correctly distinguish fact from opinion and explain their reasoning.
• Check sorting and matching responses for accurate classifications and relevant evidence.
• Review the final “I think… because…” response to assess whether each student can support an opinion with evidence.

Differentiation

• Begin with familiar classroom examples, read statements aloud and provide the sorting template on the scaffolded sorting sheet.
• Use icons or colour coding for fact, opinion and evidence; pair students strategically and provide sentence stems.
• Scribe student ideas or allow oral responses, drawing and pointing for students developing writing, including EAL learners and students with additional needs.
• Extension students explain how one photograph, artefact, memory or timeline detail could support more than one viewpoint, and identify what further evidence they would like to find.