Home
Print this page. Printer friendly version

3.2: It's my opinion


This activity is intended to introduce students to the term 'opinion' as a basis for developing knowledge and understanding about prejudiced attitudes and behaviours.

Tasks

  1. Remind students of the previous lesson about facts. In particular, remind students that facts typically refer to things that are true. Explain that this lesson is about opinions. Tell students that an opinion is different from a fact because it indicates what someone thinks or feels about something. Everyone is entitled to have opinions about things. Sometimes our opinions differ and sometimes they are similar.
  2. Read to the class the following list of words one at a time. Ask students to indicate whether they have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of the word read out by putting their thumbs up or their thumbs down. If they don’t really have an opinion about the item because they are unfamiliar with it or they feel neutral about it, ask students to indicate by putting their hands in a horizontal position.
    • singing
    • birthday parties
    • dressing up
    • listening to stories
    • cats
    • drawing
  3. Ask the students whether all members of the class had the same opinion about all the items. Was there a time when they had a different opinion from other members of the class, but decided to be the same as the others? Did it matter if people had different opinions? Why?
  4. Distribute Handout 8: Our opinions. Ask students to work in groups of four to discuss their opinion of each item listed at the top of the handout and complete.
  5. Use each group’s handout to construct a class chart. Conclude the lesson by reinforcing that our opinions are different from facts and that everyone is entitled to have opinions.
Teacher Notes
  1. This activity is intended to introduce students to the term 'opinion' as a basis for developing knowledge and understanding about prejudiced attitudes and behaviours.
  2. While it is important that students understand that opinions are not facts, it is important that all students’ opinions are valued.
  3. As an extension activity teachers may wish to explore the language of opinions.
Downloads