Reading to Identify Facts and Opinions for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 12
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Reading Comprehension
Previous Lesson: Poetry, Meaning, Themes and Language
Topic: Reading
Subject Matter: Read passage and identify facts and opinions; Select passage on: the merits of exclusive breast feeding for infants”. Or any relevant passage

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define what a fact is.
• Define what an opinion is.
• Identify facts in a given passage.
• Identify opinions in a given passage.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of distinguishing facts from opinions for critical understanding.
• Show willingness to critically analyse texts.

Psychomotor Domain

• Read a selected passage fluently.
• Differentiate between facts and opinions in a passage.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 2
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• A selected passage (e.g., on the merits of exclusive breastfeeding)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Charts showing examples of facts and opinions

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for developing students’ critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. By learning to differentiate between facts and opinions, students can better evaluate information, understand different perspectives, and form informed judgments, which are essential skills for academic success and everyday life.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students can read and understand simple passages, identify main ideas, and answer comprehension questions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Reading to Identify Facts and Opinions

What is a Fact?

A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false with objective evidence. Facts are verifiable and are generally accepted as true.

Examples:

1. Nigeria is located in West Africa.
2. The sun rises in the east.
3. Exclusive breastfeeding provides essential nutrients to infants.

What is an Opinion?

An opinion is a statement that expresses a belief, feeling, or judgment. Opinions are subjective and cannot be proven true or false. They often reflect a person’s viewpoint.

Examples:

1. Blue is the most beautiful colour.
2. Exclusive breastfeeding is the best thing a mother can do for her child.
3. Football is more exciting than basketball.

How to Identify Facts and Opinions

To differentiate between facts and opinions, consider the following:

1. Verifiability: Can the statement be proven with evidence, statistics, or observation? If yes, it’s likely a fact.
2. Objectivity vs. Subjectivity: Does the statement present information objectively, or does it express a personal feeling or belief? Objective statements are facts, subjective statements are opinions.
3. Keywords: Opinions often use words like “I believe,” “I think,” “in my opinion,” “best,” “worst,” “should,” “ought to,” “good,” “bad,” “beautiful,” “ugly.”

Sample Passage: The Merits of Exclusive Breastfeeding

Exclusive breastfeeding means feeding an infant only breast milk for the first six months of life, without any other food or drink, not even water. This practice is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) because breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby needs for healthy growth and development. Breast milk also provides antibodies that help protect infants from common childhood illnesses like diarrhoea and pneumonia. Many experts believe that exclusive breastfeeding is the most natural and beneficial way to nourish a baby, as it also fosters a strong bond between mother and child. Some mothers find exclusive breastfeeding challenging, but the long-term benefits for both mother and baby are truly remarkable.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them about their previous lesson. The teacher then introduces the new topic by asking students if they know the difference between something that is true and something someone believes.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to the greetings and questions, sharing their thoughts on truth and belief.

Learning Point: Introduction to topic

Step 2: Understanding Facts

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Defining

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a fact is, providing clear examples and emphasizing that facts can be proven true with evidence. The teacher writes the definition and examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen attentively, ask questions for clarification, and note down key points.

Learning Point: Definition of fact

Step 3: Understanding Opinions

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Illustrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what an opinion is, contrasting it with a fact. The teacher provides examples of opinions and highlights common words that indicate an opinion. The teacher writes the definition and examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, compare facts and opinions, and identify opinion-indicating words.

Learning Point: Definition of opinion

Step 4: Presenting the Passage

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reading/Instruction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes copies of the selected passage (e.g., “The Merits of Exclusive Breastfeeding”) or writes it on the board. The teacher guides students to read the passage silently first, then asks a few students to read it aloud.

Pupils’ Activity: Students read the passage silently and then take turns reading it aloud.

Learning Point: Passage comprehension

Step 5: Identifying Facts in the Passage

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Facilitating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify factual statements in the passage. The teacher asks questions like, “Which statements in the passage can be proven true?” and encourages students to underline or list them.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and list facts from the passage, explaining why they are facts.

Learning Point: Identification of facts

Step 6: Identifying Opinions in the Passage

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Prompting

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher then guides students to identify opinions in the passage, asking, “Which statements express a belief or judgment?” and prompts them to look for opinion-indicating words.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and list opinions from the passage, explaining their reasoning.

Learning Point: Identification of opinions

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. What is an opinion?
3. Give one fact from the passage we read.
4. Give one opinion from the passage we read.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Differentiating facts, opinions

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 and opinions, including the examples, into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Reinforcing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly recaps the difference between facts and opinions and encourages students to apply this skill when reading any text.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and reflect on the lesson’s main points.

Learning Point: Reinforcement of concepts

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the following short passage and identify three facts and three opinions. Write them down in your English notebook.

Passage: “The Nigerian Naira is the official currency of Nigeria. It has been in use since 1973. Many people believe that the Naira needs to be strengthened against foreign currencies for the economy to improve significantly. Some economists argue that diversifying exports beyond oil is the best way to achieve this. The current exchange rate of the Naira against the US dollar is a major concern for businesses.”

1. List three facts from the passage.
2. List three opinions from the passage.

Lesson Keywords

• Fact – A statement that can be proven true or false with objective evidence.
• Opinion – A statement expressing a belief, feeling, or judgment that cannot be proven true or false.
• Objective – Based on facts, not personal feelings or interpretations.
• Subjective – Based on personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.
• Evidence – Information or data that supports a claim or statement.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will provide simpler passages with clearly marked facts and opinions, offering direct prompts and examples. Faster learners will be given more complex passages or asked to find passages from newspapers or magazines and identify facts and opinions, perhaps even debating them.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, students can search on YouTube for: identifying facts and opinions JSS2 English

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a suitable reading passage prepared. The suggested topic of “the merits of exclusive breastfeeding for infants” is excellent, but any relevant, age-appropriate passage will work. During the lesson, actively engage students through questioning and discussion to help them grasp the distinction between facts and opinions. Encourage them to explain their reasoning when identifying each. Pay attention to common errors where students confuse strong opinions with facts. Guide students to copy the Board Summary notes after the main concepts have been taught and evaluated. For slower learners, provide additional examples and simpler texts. For faster learners, challenge them with more nuanced passages or ask them to create their own fact/opinion statements.