Identifying Facts, Opinions and Author’s Techniques for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 9
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Techniques
Previous Lesson: Vocabulary Registers in Agriculture and Medicine
Topic: Reading
Subject Matter: Read selected passage to identify facts and opinion; Identify authors techniques

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define facts and opinions.
• Distinguish between facts and opinions in a given passage.
• Identify at least three author’s techniques used in a passage.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of critical reading.
• Develop an interest in analysing how authors present information.

Psychomotor Domain

• Read a selected passage to extract facts and opinions.
• Point out specific examples of author’s techniques in a text.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Selected passages (e.g., newspaper articles, short stories, textbook excerpts)
• Whiteboard or chalkboard
• Markers or chalk

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it equips students with critical reading skills necessary for understanding and evaluating information. By learning to differentiate between facts and opinions, students can better discern truth from bias. Understanding author’s techniques helps them appreciate how writers influence readers and construct meaning.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic reading comprehension skills and be able to understand the main ideas of a simple passage.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Reading: Identifying Facts, Opinions, and Author’s Techniques

Identifying Facts in a Passage

A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false with evidence. It is objective and verifiable. Facts are often supported by data, statistics, historical records, or scientific observation.

Examples of facts:

1. Nigeria gained independence in 1960.
2. The sun rises in the East.
3. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level.

Identifying Opinions in a Passage

An opinion is a personal belief, judgment, or feeling that cannot be proven true or false. It is subjective and reflects an individual’s viewpoint. Opinions often contain words like “I think,” “I believe,” “in my opinion,” “best,” “worst,” “should,” or “ought to.”

Examples of opinions:

1. Jollof rice is the best Nigerian dish.
2. The government should invest more in education.
3. Blue is a more beautiful colour than green.

Distinguishing Between Facts and Opinions

To distinguish between facts and opinions, ask:

1. Can this statement be proven true or false? If yes, it’s likely a fact.
2. Does this statement express a personal belief, feeling, or judgment? If yes, it’s likely an opinion.

Author’s Techniques

Author’s techniques are the specific methods or strategies a writer uses to achieve a particular purpose or effect in their writing. These techniques help to engage the reader, convey meaning, or persuade.

Common author’s techniques include:

1. Figurative Language: Using metaphors, similes, personification to create vivid imagery and deeper meaning (e.g., “The politician was a roaring lion,” “Her smile was as bright as the sun”).
2. Rhetorical Questions: Asking questions not to get an answer, but to make a point or provoke thought (e.g., “Are we to stand by and do nothing?”).
3. Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or to create a rhythm (e.g., “Never give up, never surrender, never stop fighting”).
4. Exaggeration (Hyperbole): Overstating something for emphasis or humorous effect (e.g., “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse”).
5. Statistics and Data: Using numbers and facts to support an argument and add credibility.
6. Anecdotes: Short, personal stories used to illustrate a point or connect with the reader emotionally.
7. Emotional Appeals (Pathos): Using language that evokes strong feelings in the reader, such as pity, anger, or joy.
8. Expert Testimony: Quoting or referring to authorities or experts to lend weight to an argument.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Group Work, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them about their understanding of reading and what they look for when reading a text. The teacher then introduces the topic: identifying facts, opinions, and author’s techniques.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Introduction to critical reading

Step 2: Explanation of Facts

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a fact is, providing clear examples and emphasising that facts are verifiable. The teacher writes the definition and examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions, and copy the definition and examples of facts from the board.

Learning Point: Definition of facts

Step 3: Explanation of Opinions

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what an opinion is, providing clear examples and highlighting that opinions are subjective. The teacher writes the definition and examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions, and copy the definition and examples of opinions from the board.

Learning Point: Definition of opinions

Step 4: Distinguishing Facts and Opinions

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides a short selected passage and guides students to identify statements as either facts or opinions. The teacher encourages discussion and justification for their choices.

Pupils’ Activity: Students read the passage, identify facts and opinions, and participate in the discussion, explaining their reasoning.

Learning Point: Differentiating facts and opinions

Step 5: Introduction to Author’s Techniques

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what author’s techniques are and introduces some common ones like figurative language, rhetorical questions, and repetition, giving brief examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and try to understand the concept of author’s techniques and their examples.

Learning Point: Common author’s techniques

Step 6: Identifying Author’s Techniques in a Passage

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application

Teacher’s Activity: Using another short passage or the previous one, the teacher guides students to identify specific instances where an author has used a particular technique. The teacher prompts students to explain the effect of the technique.

Pupils’ Activity: Students read the passage and identify author’s techniques, discussing their observations.

Learning Point: Recognising author’s techniques

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is a fact?
2. Give an example of an opinion.
3. How can you tell the difference between a fact and an opinion?
4. Mention two author’s techniques you learned today.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Assessment of understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on facts, opinions, and author’s techniques into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson content

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds students that being able to identify facts, opinions, and author’s techniques makes them better readers and critical thinkers. The teacher encourages them to practice these skills when reading any text.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and acknowledge the importance of the lesson.

Learning Point: Reinforcement of critical reading

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read a short newspaper article or a paragraph from your English textbook. In your notebook, identify and list:

1. Three facts from the passage.
2. Three opinions from the passage.
3. One author’s technique used by the writer (if any), and explain its effect.

Lesson Keywords

• Fact – A statement that can be proven true or false with evidence.
• Opinion – A personal belief, judgment, or feeling that cannot be proven.
• Author’s Techniques – Methods writers use to achieve a purpose or effect.
• Figurative Language – Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
• Rhetorical Question – A question asked to make a point rather than to get an answer.

Differentiation

For learners needing support: Provide simpler, shorter passages with clear examples of facts, opinions, and common techniques. Work with them in small groups, offering direct guidance and prompting. Provide a checklist of common opinion words or phrases.
For advanced learners: Challenge them with more complex passages that require deeper analysis. Ask them to analyse the author’s overall purpose and how the techniques contribute to it. Encourage them to find more subtle examples of techniques.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search YouTube for “Identifying Facts and Opinions JSS 2” or “Author’s Techniques for Junior Secondary School”.