English Language Arts · 1st Grade · Exploring the Real World · Weeks 19-27

Understanding Author's Point of View in Non-Fiction

Students learn that authors have a point of view and how it might influence the information presented.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6

About This Topic

Even in non-fiction, authors make choices. They select which facts to include, how to frame a topic, and what tone to use, and those choices reflect a perspective. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6 asks first graders to distinguish between information provided by pictures and information provided by words, and embedded in that standard is the beginning of author's point-of-view awareness. As students move through this unit, they learn that not every sentence in a non-fiction text is a neutral fact, and that authors sometimes share opinions alongside information.

The concepts of fact and opinion are introduced at first grade, though students need many scaffolded experiences before they can reliably distinguish them. A fact can be checked and verified; an opinion expresses a feeling or judgment that reasonable people can disagree about. Students begin to notice language cues ("I think," "the best," "amazing") that signal opinion versus the more neutral language of factual reporting.

Active learning is essential for this topic because the distinction between fact and opinion is not always obvious and benefits from structured debate and discussion. Sorting statements in pairs, looking for author feeling-words in a text together, and comparing how two authors write about the same subject all develop the close reading and critical thinking this standard requires.

Key Questions

1. Analyze how an author's feelings about a topic might show in their writing.
2. Differentiate between facts and opinions in an informational text.
3. Predict how a different author might present the same information.

Learning Objectives

• Identify statements of fact and statements of opinion within a given non-fiction text.
• Explain how an author's word choices, such as descriptive adjectives, can reveal their feelings about a topic.
• Compare and contrast how two different authors present information about the same topic, noting differences in emphasis or tone.
• Classify sentences from an informational text as either verifiable facts or personal opinions.

Before You Start

Identifying Main Idea and Supporting Details

Why: Students need to be able to find the main topic of a text and the sentences that support it before they can analyze how those details are presented.

Recognizing Text Features (Pictures, Captions, Headings)

Why: Understanding how different text features contribute to meaning is a foundational step toward distinguishing between information from words and information from images, as outlined in CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6.

Key Vocabulary

fact	A statement that can be proven true or false with evidence. Facts are objective and can be checked.
opinion	A statement that expresses a person's feelings, beliefs, or judgments. Opinions cannot be proven true or false and can differ from person to person.
author's point of view	The author's perspective or feelings about a topic, which can influence how they present information.
bias	Showing favoritism toward one idea or perspective over others, often in a way that is unfair. An author's point of view can sometimes create bias.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Non-fiction books contain only facts.

What to Teach Instead

Non-fiction authors frequently include opinions, recommendations, or emotional language alongside facts. Teaching students to look for opinion signal words (I think, the most, the best, amazingly) helps them approach informational texts more critically. Pair sorting activities with mixed fact-opinion statements from real books surface this reality more effectively than explanation alone.

Common Misconception

If something is in a book, it must be true.

What to Teach Instead

Books reflect what an author chose to include and how they chose to present it. Facts can be checked across multiple sources, and opinions can be identified by their subjective language. Comparing two books on the same topic that present information differently gives students concrete evidence that authors make choices, and that not all choices are neutral.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: Fact or Opinion Sort

Prepare a set of statement cards drawn from informational texts, mixing clear facts and clear opinions as well as some challenging cases. Pairs sort the cards into two piles and discuss each uncertain case. After sorting, pairs share their toughest decisions with the class and explain what made them hard to categorize.

20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Feeling Words Hunt

Give students a short informational text and highlighters. Students read independently for two minutes, highlighting any words that seem to express a feeling or judgment (wonderful, unfortunately, surprisingly). Partners compare their highlights and decide together which words show the author's opinion.

15 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Two Authors, Same Topic

Present two short excerpts about the same topic, one written in a clearly neutral style and one with visible enthusiasm or concern. Small groups discuss: Does the author seem to like this topic? How can you tell? Groups share specific word choices that reveal author feeling, building a class list of perspective-signaling language.

20 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• News reporters, like those at CNN or local TV stations, must decide which details to include when reporting on an event. Their choices can shape how viewers understand what happened.
• Museum curators, such as those at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, select artifacts and write descriptions to tell a story. The way they present these items reflects their interpretation of history.
• Book reviewers for publications like The New York Times Book Review share their opinions about new books. They use descriptive language to persuade readers whether or not to buy the book.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with three sentences about a familiar topic, like dogs. Two sentences should be facts (e.g., 'Dogs have fur.') and one an opinion (e.g., 'Dogs are the best pets.'). Ask students to label each sentence as 'Fact' or 'Opinion' and circle the word(s) that helped them decide.

Quick Check

Present students with a short paragraph from a non-fiction book about animals. Ask them to underline one sentence they think is a fact and put a star next to one sentence they think is an opinion. Then, ask them to briefly explain why they chose each sentence.

Discussion Prompt

Read two short, simple texts about the same animal, one written in a more neutral tone and the other with more enthusiastic language. Ask students: 'How did the authors talk about the animal differently? Which author seemed to like the animal more? How can you tell?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What is author's point of view in non-fiction for first graders?

Author's point of view in non-fiction refers to how the author feels about their topic and how that feeling shapes what they choose to include or emphasize. Even in informational writing, authors show enthusiasm, concern, or preference through word choice and structure. First graders start to notice these cues by looking for opinion signal words alongside factual statements.

How do you teach fact versus opinion to six and seven year olds?

Start with very clear examples: "Dogs have four legs" is a fact you can verify; "Dogs are the best pets" is an opinion others can disagree with. Use sorting activities with statement cards so students practice making the distinction in a concrete, tactile way. Moving from obvious examples toward trickier ones gradually builds the skill.

What does CCSS RI.1.6 require for first grade?

RI.1.6 asks students to distinguish between information provided by pictures and words in a text. As students develop, this standard expands to considering what perspective or point of view the author brings to that information. Noticing that images and words can emphasize different aspects of a topic is an early form of source-critical thinking.

How does active learning help first graders understand author's point of view in non-fiction?

Sorting fact-and-opinion cards with a partner requires students to make judgment calls and defend them, which builds the close reading habits needed to detect perspective. Comparing two authors writing about the same topic side by side, through a gallery walk or small-group discussion, makes the abstract idea of authorial choice concrete and observable.