Fact and opinion IEP goals: 20 examples from sorting to writing

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A fact and opinion IEP goal names the material, the response and a criterion with a denominator. Example: given 10 sentences from a grade 4 article, Eli will label each as fact or opinion and name the clue (a feeling word, or a way to check it) for 8 of 10 sentences on 3 consecutive probes. Ask for the reason, not only the label.

Telling fact from opinion sounds simple until you test it. Students learn that opinions contain "I think" and then label "Dogs make the best pets" as a fact because it has no "I think." Others call every sentence they agree with a fact. A goal that asks only for the label rewards guessing. A goal that asks for the reason shows whether the student understands the difference.

The 20 goals below move from spoken statements to passages, news and persuasive text, and the student's own writing. Each shows a condition, a baseline, a criterion and the measure, with a template link. Numbers are illustrations. For the comprehension routine around these skills, see the cluster pillar on reading comprehension strategies.

The rule students need

A fact can be checked and proven true or false. An opinion tells what someone thinks, feels or believes, and cannot be proven. Give students two tests:

The check test: Could you look it up, measure it or see it? If yes, it is a fact statement (even if it turns out false).
The clue words test: Words like best, worst, should, beautiful, boring, I believe, and most words that judge usually signal an opinion.

Teach that a fact statement can be false. "The moon is made of cheese" is a fact statement that is wrong. That idea trips up many students and is worth a full lesson.

How to choose a fact and opinion goal

Student profile	Sub-skill to target	Measurement method
Labels randomly or by whether they agree	Spoken or single-sentence sorting with the check test	Percent accuracy out of 10
Labels single sentences well but not in passages	Finding facts and opinions in connected text	Percent accuracy on marked sentences
Labels correctly but cannot explain	Giving the clue or reason	2-point scale per sentence
Handles stories but not news or ads	Separating news from opinion, spotting persuasion	Rubric or accuracy on articles
Understands it in reading but not writing	Using facts to support an opinion in writing	Writing rubric

Teaching students to evaluate claims and evidence connects to the comprehension strategy and discussion recommendations in the What Works Clearinghouse adolescent literacy guide.^[1] For younger students, the K to 3 guide recommends focused discussion about text meaning, where students explain and support what they say.^[2]

Spoken statements (K to 2)

Given 10 spoken statements about a familiar topic, Mia will say whether each is something we can check or something someone thinks, for 8 of 10 on 3 consecutive weekly probes. Baseline: 5 of 10. Template.
After a read-aloud, Mia will sort 6 picture-supported statements from the book into "true from the book" and "what a character thinks" for 5 of 6 on 3 probes. Baseline: 3 of 6. Template.
During morning meeting, Sam will share one fact and one opinion about a class topic when prompted, correctly labeling each, on 4 of 5 days for 3 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 5 days. Template.
Given 8 spoken pairs (a fact and an opinion about the same thing), Sam will point to the opinion for 7 of 8 pairs on 3 probes. Baseline: 4 of 8. Template.

Weak: "Mia will understand fact and opinion." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the material, the response and the count.

Sorting single sentences (grades 3 to 5)

Given 10 written sentences at a grade 3 level, Eli will label each as fact or opinion for 9 of 10 on 3 consecutive weekly probes. Baseline: 6 of 10. Template.
Given 10 sentences, Eli will label each and underline the clue (a judging word, or the part that can be checked) for 8 of 10 on 3 probes. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
Given 8 fact statements, some true and some false, Rosa will explain why each is still a fact statement for 6 of 8 on 2 consecutive probes. Baseline: 1 of 8. Template.
Given 6 opinions, Rosa will rewrite each as a fact statement about the same topic (from "Recess is too short" to "Recess is 15 minutes long") for 5 of 6 on 3 probes. Baseline: 2 of 6. Template.

Weak: "Eli will identify facts and opinions with 80% accuracy." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It adds the clue, so a correct guess does not count.

Facts and opinions in passages (grades 4 to 8)

Given an unpracticed grade 4 article of 200 to 300 words with 10 marked sentences, Eli will label each and name the clue for 8 of 10 on 3 consecutive probes. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
Given a grade 5 book review, Noah will highlight 3 facts and 3 opinions and explain one clue for each, for 5 of 6 on 3 probes. Baseline: 2 of 6. Template.
Given a grade 6 passage, Noah will find the author's opinion and list 2 facts the author uses to support it, scoring 3 of 3 points on 3 of 4 probes. Baseline: 1 of 3. Template.
Given a claim and 6 statements, Jae will sort each as relevant evidence or not and as fact or opinion for 10 of 12 decisions on 3 probes. Baseline: 6 of 12. Template.

Weak: "Noah will find facts and opinions in text." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the text level, length, the number of marked sentences and the clue.

News, persuasion and online sources (grades 6 to 12)

Given 8 short articles, Jae will label each as a news report or an opinion piece and name one feature that shows it, for 7 of 8 on 3 probes. Baseline: 4 of 8. Template.
Given a persuasive article, Lena will highlight 4 loaded words and rewrite each sentence in neutral words for 3 of 4 on 3 probes. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.
Given a claim from an online article, Lena will check it against a second reliable source and state whether it is supported, for 4 of 5 claims on 3 probes. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
Given a 30 to 60 second ad or opinion clip, Omar will name the opinion, one fact used and one persuasive technique, scoring 3 of 3 points on 3 of 4 clips. Baseline: 1 of 3. Template.

Weak: "Lena will recognize bias in the news." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the text type, the target words and the rewrite.

Using facts and opinions in writing

These goals link reading to the student's own writing. For more, see the written expression goals page and opinion writing IEP goals.

Given a familiar topic and a sentence frame, Sam will write one opinion and one supporting fact, with both correct, on 4 of 5 prompts across 3 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
Given a prompt and a planning organizer, Rosa will write an opinion paragraph with 2 reasons, each backed by a fact, scoring 4 of 5 rubric points on 3 consecutive probes. Baseline: 2 of 5. Template.
Given 6 possible pieces of evidence, Jae will choose the 3 strongest facts for a claim and explain each choice, for 3 of 3 on 3 of 4 probes. Baseline: 1 of 3. Template.
Given a grade-level prompt, Lena will write an opinion essay that states a clear opinion and supports it with at least 3 facts, scoring 3 of 4 on the opinion rubric across 3 essays. Baseline: 1 of 4. Template.

Weak: "Sam will write opinions." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the support, the parts and the count.

How to measure fact and opinion goals

Labeling only: use percent accuracy on a fixed set of 8 to 10 items. Record on an accuracy data sheet.
Label plus clue: score each item 0, 1 or 2 (label correct, clue correct). Count only 2-point items toward the criterion.
Passages, news and writing: use rubric scoring with the points defined in the goal.

Probe weekly or every 2 weeks with new items. Balance each set: about half facts and half opinions, so a student who always says "fact" scores near 50%.

Short-term objectives

Build objectives that add one demand at a time. For Eli's passage goal: first, label 10 single sentences with 9 of 10 correct; next, label and name the clue for 8 of 10 single sentences; then, label and name the clue for 8 of 10 marked sentences in an article.

Adapting by grade

Grade band	Material	What the student does
K to 2	Spoken statements, picture books	Says or points to "can check" vs "someone thinks"
3 to 5	Single sentences, short articles, reviews	Labels and names the clue; knows a fact can be false
6 to 8	Articles, editorials, ads	Finds the author's opinion and the facts used to support it
9 to 12	News, opinion pieces, online sources	Separates news from opinion, checks claims, spots loaded language

For more reading goals, see the comprehension goals page and IEP goals for reading comprehension. Paste your draft into the goal checker before the meeting.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to teach fact vs opinion?

Use the check test: could you look it up, measure it or see it? If yes, it is a fact statement. Then teach judging words like best and should as opinion clues, and have students say the reason every time.

Can a fact be false?

A fact statement can be false. The moon is made of cheese is a statement that can be checked, so it is a fact statement, and checking proves it wrong. Teaching this separates fact from true and helps older students judge claims.

What grade should fact and opinion be taught?

Simple spoken versions work in kindergarten through grade 2. Written sorting is common in grades 2 to 4. Older students apply it to articles, editorials, ads and online sources, where it matters most.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences
Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.