English Language Arts
Grade 3
15 min
Identify an author's statement of opinion
Identify an author's statement of opinion
What you'll learn
- Identify where commas are needed in 8 out of 10 dates written in a sentence.
- Correctly place commas in dates within 3 out of 4 sentences provided.
- Explain why a comma is needed between the day and the year in a date, using your own words.
- Write 2 sentences using dates correctly, including commas in the right places.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define the term 'opinion' as a person's thoughts or feelings.
Differentiate between a statement of fact and a statement of opinion.
Identify at least five common signal words that introduce an opinion (e.g., think, believe, best, worst, feel).
Locate and underline an author's statement of opinion within a short paragraph.
Explain why a sentence is an opinion by pointing to signal words or feeling words.
Sort a list of sentences into 'Fact' and 'Opinion' categories with 80% accuracy.
What is the very best animal at the zoo? 🦁 Your answer is your special thought, and that's called an opinion!
Today, we are going to become detectives and learn how to find an author's opinions in the stories and articles we...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
OpinionWhat someone thinks, feels, or believes. An opinion cannot be proven true or false for everyone.I think that chocolate ice cream is the best flavor.
FactSomething that is true and can be proven with evidence.The sun is a star.
AuthorThe person who writes a story, article, or book.The author of 'Green Eggs and Ham' is Dr. Seuss.
StatementA sentence that tells you something.The dog is brown.
Signal WordsClue words that an author often uses to show they are sharing an opinion.Words like 'I think', 'I believe', 'favorite', 'best', 'worst', and 'should'.
Feeling WordsWords that describe emotions or judgments.Words like 'scary', 'beautiful', 'boring', 'exciting&#...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Signal Word Hunt
Look for words like: I think, I feel, I believe, in my opinion, my favorite, the best, the worst, should, must.
When you see these words or phrases, it's a big clue that the author is about to state their personal thoughts or feelings.
The Feeling and Judgment Check
Look for words that describe how something looks, feels, tastes, or seems. These are often adjectives that judge something.
Words like 'pretty', 'ugly', 'delicious', 'terrible', 'boring', or 'amazing' show a personal feeling, not a provable fact.
The 'Can You Prove It?' Test
Ask yourself: 'Can I prove this statement is true for everyone?'
If you can't prove it with facts (like numbers, dates, or...
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Challenging
An author writes: 'Learning to ride a bike can be tricky. You might fall down a few times. But the feeling of freedom when you finally pedal on your own is the greatest feeling in the world.' Based on the passage, which statement would the author most likely agree with?
A.Riding a bike is too dangerous for children.
B.Only adults should ride bicycles.
C.The hard work of learning to ride a bike is worth it.
D.It is better to use training wheels forever.
Challenging
Read the passage: 'Everyone should own a dog. They are loyal companions who will always be happy to see you. Playing fetch with a dog is the best way to spend an afternoon. They remind us to be playful and happy.' Why does the author think everyone should own a dog?
A.Because dogs eat dog food.
B.Because dogs need to be walked.
C.Because dogs live in houses.
D.Because they are loyal and fun to play with.
Challenging
An author writes this paragraph: 'The new video game is terrible. The characters move slowly, and the story is confusing. It took me three hours to get past the first level. I would not recommend it.' Which of these sentences is a FACT the author uses to support their opinion?
A.It took me three hours to get past the first level.
B.The new video game is terrible.
C.The story is confusing.
D.I would not recommend it.
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Identify an author's statement of opinion"?
Identify an author's statement of opinion is a Grade 3 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Identify an author's statement of opinion?
You'll be able to: Identify where commas are needed in 8 out of 10 dates written in a sentence; Correctly place commas in dates within 3 out of 4 sentences provided; Explain why a comma is needed between the day and the year in a date, using your….
Is "Identify an author's statement of opinion" free to practice?
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How many practice questions are included with Identify an author's statement of opinion?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.