Checkable or Just a View?
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on telling fact from opinion in real neighbourhood notices and posters.
Checkable or Just a View? is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D3.2.K-2 — judge a source by telling fact apart from opinion. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D3.2.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence
D3.2.K-2
Evaluate a source by distinguishing between fact and opinion.
Objective
Students will be able to sort statements from a real source and say how each fact could be checked.
Students are successful when they can
- Sorts fact from opinion.
- Says how a fact could be checked.
- Finds both kinds in one source.
What you need
- The lost cat poster and the fair poster
- Two signs
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — read the cat poster
5 min- Read it aloud. Ask which parts you could check.
- 'Black with white paws' yes; 'rather shy' no.
Teach — one source, both kinds
13 min- Underline the checkable parts of the poster in one colour.
- Underline the view in another.
- Say the Grade 1 addition: a single source usually holds both, and you have to separate them.
- Ask why the writer included the opinion. It helps somebody recognise the cat.
- Say that an opinion is not a fault; unlabelled it is a trap.
“Same poster, two colours. Most sources are like this.”
Guided practice — colour a source
12 min- Pairs underline both kinds in two real sources.
- For three facts they say how to check.
- They find one sentence containing both.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the fact-or-opinion page.
- Read each statement aloud.
Close
2 min- Take one fact and one view from the same source.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks a source is either factual or opinionated.
Why: Sources are classified as one or the other.
Fix: Two colours on one poster. Most sources are mixed.
Thinks an opinion in a source is a fault.
Why: Fact sounds better.
Fix: 'Rather shy' helps somebody find the cat. It is useful and it is still a view.
Calls anything they agree with a fact.
Why: Agreement feels like truth.
Fix: Ask how you would check it.
If they are not there yet
- One source rather than two.
- Give the fact and find the view.
If they finish early
- Rewrite an opinion as a checkable fact.
- Find a source with almost no opinion in it.
- Say why a poster needs both.
Exit ticket
From the cat poster, name one fact and one opinion. How would you check the fact?
What to look for: Both from one source plus a check. Only one kind means the two-colours exercise needs repeating.
Printable practice for D3.2.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Checkable or Just a View?Sort each sentence into fact or opinion.
Questions about Checkable or Just a View?
How long does the Checkable or Just a View? lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Checkable or Just a View? teach?
D3.2.K-2 — D3.2.K-2, Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Evaluate a source by distinguishing between fact and opinion.” In plain terms, judge a source by telling fact apart from opinion.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The lost cat poster and the fair poster, two signs and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks a source is either factual or opinionated; thinks an opinion in a source is a fault and calls anything they agree with a fact. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “From the cat poster, name one fact and one opinion. How would you check the fact?.” Both from one source plus a check. Only one kind means the two-colours exercise needs repeating. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Checkable or Just a View??
Yes — 1 printable D3.2.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Checkable or Just a View? free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D3.2.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.