Understanding Opinions

Curriculum Area and Level

Australian Curriculum: English (Year 3)

• Strand: Literacy
• Sub-strand: Interpreting, analysing, evaluating
• Content Description: Identify the point of view in a text and suggest alternative points of view (ACELY1675).

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Understand what an opinion is.
2. Be able to identify opinions in spoken and written texts.
3. Begin to differentiate between facts and opinions.

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Lesson Duration

45 minutes

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Materials Needed

1. Whiteboard and markers.
2. Large flashcards with simple opinion statements.
3. Worksheet: “Spot the Opinion” (prepared in advance).
4. Post-it notes (one per student).
5. Book or short text with clear examples of opinions (e.g. a children's book review or a text relevant to Year 3).

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Lesson Outline

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Engage and Activate Thinking (5 minutes)

   • Begin with a simple question to get students thinking: “What’s your favourite fruit?”
   • As students respond, affirm their answers but highlight that everyone might have a different favourite. Say: “It’s okay for us to have different answers because these are our opinions—our personal thoughts and feelings!”
   • Write the word ‘Opinion’ on the whiteboard. Underline it and ask the class: “What do you think this word means?” Allow a few students to share ideas.

2. Explain (5 minutes)

   • Use a simple and age-appropriate definition: “An opinion is what someone thinks or feels about something. It’s not always true for everyone, and it might not have facts to prove it.”
   • Write this definition under the word "Opinion" on the whiteboard. Give examples:
     • Opinion: “I think ice cream is the best dessert ever!”
     • Fact: “Ice cream melts when it’s hot.”

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Body of the Lesson (25 minutes)

1. Activity 1 - Identifying Opinions (10 minutes)

   • Show students large flashcards with sentences (printed clearly in large font). Discuss each one as a class and decide: Is this a fact or an opinion? Examples:
     • “Kangaroos can jump very high.” (Fact)
     • “Kangaroos are the coolest animals in the world.” (Opinion)
     • “Sydney is a city in Australia.” (Fact)
     • “Sydney is the best place to live.” (Opinion)
   • After each, reinforce the definition of an opinion: “This is an opinion because it’s how someone feels or thinks.”

2. Activity 2 - Group Discussion (7 minutes)

   • Read a short text aloud (e.g., a simple book review or a few sentences reviewing school playground equipment).
     • Example: “I believe that our school oval is the best place to play because it’s really big and grassy.”
   • Ask questions to prompt critical thinking:
     • “Do you think this is a fact or opinion?”
     • “Why do you think it’s an opinion?”
     • “Could someone have a different idea?”
   • Write two columns on the whiteboard labeled “Opinion” and “Fact.” Work together as a class to add key ideas from the text to the correct column.

3. Activity 3 - Independent Practice (8 minutes)

   • Distribute the “Spot the Opinion” worksheet. Students will decide whether each statement is a fact or an opinion and circle their answers.
   • Example worksheet statements:
     • “Cats make the best pets.”
     • “Dogs bark to communicate.”
     • “Summer is the best season of the year.”
     • “Australia is a country and a continent.”

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Conclusion (10 minutes)

1. Review and Reflect (5 minutes)

   • Ask students to share one sentence they circled as an opinion on their worksheet. Discuss as a class why it is an opinion.
   • Summarise the lesson with these key points:
     • An opinion is what someone thinks or feels.
     • People can have different opinions.
     • Opinions cannot always be proven true.

2. Interactive Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

   • Give each student a Post-it note. Ask them to write one opinion they have (e.g., about their favourite subject, food, or hobby).
   • Collect all Post-it notes and stick them on the board. Randomly read a few aloud and let the class have a quick, light-hearted discussion: “Do we all agree? Why or why not?”

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Assessment

• Observe responses during flashcard discussions and group text activity.
• Review “Spot the Opinion” worksheets.

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Extension Activity (Optional)

For students looking for an extra challenge, ask them to write a short paragraph starting with: “In my opinion…” Encourage them to share their opinions about a topic they care about, such as their favourite sport, book, or superhero.

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Differentiation

• Support: Pair struggling students with peers during group activities for collaborative learning. Provide additional examples of opinions if needed.
• Extension: Challenge advanced students to explain why they think identifying opinions is an important skill in real life (e.g., understanding advertisements or making informed decisions).

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Teacher Reflection

• Did all students grasp the concept of an opinion?
• Were students able to differentiate between facts and opinions?
• How engaged were students during the activities? How can this engagement be maintained or improved?