©2017 Elizabeth E Nelson
Understanding Fact vs. Opinion,
Perspective, and Bias
Bias
To understand bias we have to know a few key terms:
Perspective: to understand something
through your own senses and logic. Your
point of view.
Facts: unbiased and certain information
about reality.
Opinions: judgments, beliefs, and views
about reality.
Bias: the presentation of an issue from a
single point of view.
When we are being biased we are not presenting
information in a factual way without taking sides, but
are making an argument based on our own opinions
and perspectives about a topic or issue.
For example: someone who does not like dogs might
say that “all dogs are vicious”, making a statement
based on their own view rather than on facts.
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Class Exercise: Fact vs. Opinion
If you think your students might struggle with
identifying facts vs. opinion, you might want to
introduce the Fact vs. Opinion sorting worksheet with
this activity.
Choose a topic and set up the following chart. As a
class brainstorm some statements that might be on
each side of the chart.
Spiders
Fact
Opinion
Spiders have eight
legs
All spiders are
terrifying
Depending on the level of your students some other
topics might be:
- Homework
-School uniforms
- Cellphone use in class
-Recess
Created by Lifelonglearning123 ©2014
All teenagers are
rebellious
Over 8.3 million people
live in New York City
Math is the most
important subject to
learn
Going to the dentist
regularly helps to prevent
cavities.
Hot chocolate tastes
better than coffee
Snowboarding is more
difficult than skiing
There are more species
of insects than mammals
in the world
Students should be
allowed to use a
calculator during math
tests
Amy won first place at
the dance competition
The great pyramids are
located in Egypt
Pencils are better than
pens
Hockey is the best sport
Cut out the statements. Fold and glue to make pockets. Decide whether statements are a fact or an
opinion and put them in the correct pocket.
Opinion
Fact
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Answer Key
All teenagers are
Opinion
rebellious
Math is the
most important
Opinion
subject to learn
Over 8.3 million people
Fact
live in New
York City
Hot chocolate tastes
betterOpinion
than coffee
Going to the dentist
regularly helps
Fact to prevent
cavities
Snowboarding is more
Opinion
difficult
than skiing
There are more species
of insectsFact
than mammals
in the world
Students should be
allowed
to use a
Opinion
calculator during math
tests
Amy won first place at
Fact
the dance
competition
The great pyramids are
locatedFact
in Egypt
Pencils are better than
Opinion
pens
Hockey isOpinion
the best sport
Cut out the statements. Fold and glue to make pockets. Decide whether statements are a fact or an
opinion and put them in the correct pocket.
Opinion
Fact
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Bias Detective
Here are six statements from reporters who are writing
about a new mayor- Gregory Harris. Pretend your are the
editor of a newspaper. Your job is to see if they are making
biased statements based on their own perspective and
opinion of the mayor. If a statement is biased cross it out in
red. If it is not, circle it in green.
1.
“Mr. Harris will bring nothing but trouble to Valley
City.”
2. “Gregory Harris is the new mayor of Valley City,
bringing with him over 10 years of experience in
leadership roles…”
3. “72 voted for Gregory Harris, making him the new
mayor of Valley City.”
4. “Gregory Harris is the best thing that has ever
happened to Valley City.”
5. “There has been both positive and negative
feedback from the community, some people think
Mr. Harris will be good for Valley City and others
think he will not.”
6. “I think Gregory will be very successful as mayor.”
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Bias Detective
Here are six statements from reporters who are writing
about a new mayor- Gregory Harris. Pretend your are the
editor of a newspaper. Your job is to see if they are making
biased statements based on their own perspective and
opinion of the mayor. If a statement is biased cross it out in
red. If it is not, circle it in green.
1.
“Mr. Harris will bring nothing but trouble to Valley
City.”
2. “Gregory Harris is the new mayor of Valley City,
bringing with him over 10 years of experience in
leadership roles…”
3. “72 voted for Gregory Harris, making him the new
mayor of Valley City.”
4. “Gregory Harris is the best thing that has ever
happened to Valley City.”
5. “There has been both positive and negative
feedback from the community, some people think
Mr. Harris will be good for Valley City and others
think he will not.”
6. “I think Gregory will be very successful as mayor.”
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Activity #1: Bias In Newspaper Articles
Give students a variety of age and level
appropriate newspaper article clippings
(even better if they are about the same
topic). In small groups have them read an
article and fill out the article analysis
worksheet. Have each group share their
findings with the class.
Did they find that the articles were biased?
Was it difficult to
identify the bias?
Was the perspective
they were writing from
subtle or obvious?
How could the article
have been written so
that only the facts were
stated?
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Title: _______________________________
Author: _____________________________
List a few examples of where the author uses facts or
opinions
Fact
Opinion
Could you tell what the author’s perspective about the
topic or issue was?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Do you think this article was biased? Why or why not?
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Activity #2: City Council
Depending on your students you can choose
to do this activity as a class by separating
students into four groups, or split the class
into several groups of four students. Give
each group or student one of the four
character cards. Students will brainstorm
what the character’s bias might be and
present that perspective to City Council (the
class), including the character’s bias in their
argument.
How did the character’s
personal experiences
affect their perspective?
Why might a person’s
personal bias be a bad
thing when making
big decisions that affect
a community?
(this question has been included
in a separate response sheet and
could be used as an in-class response or as homework)
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
City Council Activity
City Council is proposing the construction of a new
skateboard park. It will be built beside a local high
school and park area. You have been given the
profile of a character who lives in the community.
Your job is to brainstorm what this character’s bias
might be towards the situation. Present your
perspective to City Council, including the
character’s bias in your argument.
Susan
Susan is a mother of three young children who lives
near the area that the skateboard park would be
built. She is wary of teenagers and worries they
might be a bad influence on her children. She is also
worried that there will be noise later in the evening
because of the park.
City Council Activity
City Council is proposing the construction of a new
skateboard park. It will be built beside a local high
school and park area. You have been given the
profile of a character who lives in the community.
Your job is to brainstorm what this character’s bias
might be towards the situation. Present your
perspective to City Council, including the
character’s bias in your argument.
Harrison
Harrison is a contractor who would be hired to build
the skateboard park if it is built. He does not live
near the park but constructing the park would be a
high paying job. He would also be able to hire other
workers which he thinks would help the community.
Created by Lifelonglearning123 ©2014
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
City Council Activity
City Council is proposing the construction of a new
skateboard park. It will be built beside a local high
school and park area. You have been given the
profile of a character who lives in the community.
Your job is to brainstorm what this character’s bias
might be towards the situation. Present your
perspective to City Council, including the
character’s bias in your argument.
Lea
Lea is a grade nine student attending the high
school. She is a skateboarder, and is excited about
the idea of a skateboard park because it is so close
to her school and would be easy to get to after class.
City Council Activity
City Council is proposing the construction of a new
skateboard park. It will be built beside a local high
school and park area. You have been given the
profile of a character who lives in the community.
Your job is to brainstorm what this character’s bias
might be towards the situation. Present your
perspective to City Council, including the
character’s bias in your argument.
Jillian
Jillian is the principal at the high school. She thinks
that the park would stop students from
skateboarding on school property. She also thinks it
would help students stay out of trouble by having
something to do after school.
Created by Lifelonglearning123 ©2014
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
Why might a person’s personal bias be a bad thing
when making big decisions that affect a community?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Why might a person’s personal bias be a bad thing
when making big decisions that affect a community?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Elizabeth Nelson ©2014
©2017 Elizabeth E Nelson
Lifelong Learning
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