Fact or What Somebody Thinks
A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on telling a fact you could check from an opinion somebody holds.
Fact or What Somebody Thinks 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 into fact and opinion and say how they would check a fact.
Students are successful when they can
- Sorts fact from opinion.
- Says how a fact could be checked.
- Says that an opinion is not wrong.
What you need
- Statement cards about real classroom things
- Two signs: could check it, somebody thinks it
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — could we check that?
5 min- Say 'there are four windows in this room'. Ask how we could check. Count them.
- Say 'this is the nicest room in the school'. Ask how we could check. We cannot.
Teach — the checking test
13 min- Name the test: could two people check it and agree?
- Sort four statements using it, counting or looking where possible.
- Say clearly that an opinion is not a lie and not wrong. It is just not checkable.
- Take a sneaky one — 'everybody likes the park' — and check whether everybody does.
- Say why this matters: a source can hold both, and you need to know which is which.
“Could we go and check? If two people would agree, it is a fact.”
Guided practice — sort and check
12 min- Pairs sort twelve statements under the two signs.
- For three facts they say how to check.
- They find one statement that hides an opinion inside a fact.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the fact-or-opinion page.
- Read each statement aloud.
Close
2 min- Give a statement. Take fact or opinion, and how to check.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks an opinion is a wrong statement.
Why: Fact sounds like right, so opinion sounds like wrong.
Fix: Say plainly that opinions are allowed and useful. The pair is checkable and not checkable, not right and wrong.
Calls anything they agree with a fact.
Why: Agreement feels like truth.
Fix: The checking test. Agreeing is not checking.
Misses an opinion word inside a factual sentence.
Why: The sentence is mostly checkable.
Fix: Underline the word 'best' or 'nicest'. One word can move a statement across the line.
If they are not there yet
- Six statements rather than twelve.
- Check facts by counting in the room.
If they finish early
- Turn an opinion into a checkable fact.
- Find a fact you could not check today but somebody could.
- Find both in one sentence.
Exit ticket
Fact or opinion: milk costs 3 coins. And: the park is the best place in town.
What to look for: Fact and opinion, with a check for the first. Calling the opinion wrong means the not-a-lie point 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.
- Fact or Opinion?Sort each sentence into fact or opinion.
Questions about Fact or What Somebody Thinks
How long does the Fact or What Somebody Thinks 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 Fact or What Somebody Thinks 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?
Statement cards about real classroom things, two signs: could check it, somebody thinks it 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 an opinion is a wrong statement; calls anything they agree with a fact and misses an opinion word inside a factual sentence. 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: “Fact or opinion: milk costs 3 coins. And: the park is the best place in town.” Fact and opinion, with a check for the first. Calling the opinion wrong means the not-a-lie point 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 Fact or What Somebody Thinks?
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 Fact or What Somebody Thinks 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.