الأسبوع 13 · المحور الثاني، الدرس ٦ «استخدام المصادر الرقمية»: المصادر الموثوقة والحقيقة والرأي · 3 دروس
2
Fact or opinion?
ICT P5 Term 1, Theme 2: pp. 66–69
GoalTell facts from opinions and check two sources that disagree.
New words
fact · something that can be proved to be trueopinion · what a person thinks or feels, which others can disagree withcompare · to look at two things to see how they are alike and differentdouble-check · to look again with another source to be sure
Explanation
A fact can be proved. ‘A week has seven days’ is a fact: you can count them. An opinion is what someone thinks, and people can disagree: ‘Summer is the nicest season’. Words like best, nicest, worst, most fun often show an opinion. When we research, we want facts, but opinions can be useful if we label them as opinions. It is wise to use more than one source and compare. If two reliable sources agree, we trust the fact more. If they disagree, double-check with a third reliable source or ask your teacher. Remember copyright rules when you use any source.
Statement
Fact or opinion?
A week has seven days.
fact
Mango is the best fruit.
opinion
Cairo is the capital of Egypt.
fact
Football is the most fun sport.
opinion
Worked examples
Mina reads two short texts. Text A: ‘The school garden has 12 plants. Seif counted them on Monday.’ Text B: ‘The school garden has 15 plants. Mariam counted them on Friday.’ They disagree. Mina asks the teacher.
The teacher explains: three new plants were added on Wednesday, so both texts were true on their own day. Checking the date and asking the teacher solved it.
Karim’s friend says, ‘Swimming is the coolest sport.’ Karim says, ‘That is your opinion. A fact would be: swimming uses many muscles.’
Class activity
Fact or opinion cards. Write ten statements on cards, five facts and five opinions (invent your own). Mix them. A partner sorts them into two piles and explains one decision. Then take the two garden texts above and underline in two colours what is the same and what is different. Write one sentence on how you would find out who is right.
Practice
1
Is ‘Tea is the nicest drink’ a fact or an opinion?
An opinion.
2
Give one fact about the Nile.
For example: the Nile flows through Egypt.
3
Two reliable sources disagree. What do you do?
Double-check with a third reliable source or ask your teacher.
