What’s in the News?

Now ask students: What is the difference between facts and opinions?

If you have delivered the lesson Is That a Fact?, remind them of the definitions you discussed in that lesson.

Make sure students understand that a fact is a statement that could be proven true or false. Something does not have to be true to be a factual statement! “The moon goes around the Earth” and “The moon is made of cheese” are both fact statements, but only the first one is true.

An opinion, on the other hand, is something that you believe. It cannot be fully proven or disproven but it can be supported with facts. For instance, you could say “We should protect bats (opinion) because bats eat mosquitoes (fact).”

Now have students access the student chapter What’s in the News? and read through it with the class.

Ask students what they think is the difference between news articles, opinion articles and explainer articles, based on these examples.

• Older students may be able to do short written answers before responding. With younger students you will probably want to do this as a whole-class discussion.

Make sure that students understand that a news article will mostly include facts.

• It will not include the reporter’s opinion but may quote opinions from people the reporter interviewed: for example, when the astronomer is quoted as saying this is “the most important discovery in 100 years” that is their opinion.

An opinion article, on the other hand, is all about the writer’s opinion, but will usually include facts that support that opinion (and may also include facts that challenge it.)

• For instance, the writer of this article is using the fact of the moon cheese discovery to support their opinion that we should support the space program. An opinion writer will also often quote people who support or challenge their opinion.

In an explainer, on the other hand, the writer gives their opinions about what the facts mean but does not take sides.

• In this example, the writer says how they think the moon cheese discovery will affect different groups, but does not give an opinion about what anyone should do. Explainers often include quotes from experts.

Explain to students that news articles and explainers are expected to be objective, which means they do not favor one side or another of an issue. Opinion articles are not objective but should be fair to each side of the issue they’re writing about.