Fact Detectives Slide Deck Tier 3 Small Group Mission
Grade 3 ELA
Fact Detectives
Cracking the Case: Truth vs. Feelings
Learn how to use the Prove-It Test to tell facts and opinions apart every single time.
Can you prove it?
Or is it a thought?
Detective Badge: Ready!
1
Clue #1: What is a Fact?
Always True
A FACT can be PROVED!
You can check it, see it, count it, or look it up in a reliable book or online source.
Example Sentence:
"Dogs have four legs."
How Do Detectives Prove It?
Use your eyes to observe it directly.
Count, measure, or test with tools.
Look it up in an encyclopedia or dictionary.
Detective Rule: If you can prove it with evidence, it is a FACT!
2
Clue #2: What is an Opinion?
Feelings & Thoughts
An OPINION is what you THINK or FEEL!
People can disagree. There is no ruler or tool that can prove someone's feeling true for everyone.
Example Sentence:
"Dogs are the cutest pets in the world."
Opinion Signal Words
When you spot these words, an opinion is usually hiding!
Best / Worst
Delicious
Favorite
Beautiful
Fun / Boring
Should
Detective Rule: If two people can disagree respectfully, it is an OPINION!
The 2-Step "Prove-It" Test
Every Detective's Secret Weapon
Q1
Can I prove this with evidence?
Can I use a ruler, a photo, a calendar, or an encyclopedia to show it is true?
YES! The sentence is a FACT .
Q2
Is this how someone thinks or feels?
Does it use words like best, boring, cool, or express personal taste?
YES! The sentence is an OPINION .
Detective Talk Frame: "I know this is a [Fact/Opinion] because ________."
Teacher Model
Watch the Lead Detective (I Do)
Listen to my thinking
Case File A
"Apples grow on trees."
My Detective Thinking: Can I prove this? Yes, I can visit an apple orchard or look at photos of apple trees.
Are there any feeling words? No.
Verdict: FACT!
Case File B
"Red apples are delicious."
My Detective Thinking: Can I prove everyone loves red apples? No, someone might prefer green apples or dislike apples.
Signal word found: delicious!
Verdict: OPINION!
Notice: One sentence can be proved with eyes and science. The other describes taste and feelings!
Guided Practice
Detective Turn #1 (We Do)
Let's solve it together!
Detective Case File #101
"Spiders have eight legs."
Can we count a spider's legs?
Yes! An encyclopedia or scientist can confirm it.
Are there feeling words?
No feeling or belief words are used.
Our Detective Verdict: FACT!
"I know this is a fact because you can count and prove the number of legs."
Give a thumbs up if you see how we proved it with our eyes!
Guided Practice
Detective Turn #2 (We Do)
Spot the Clue Word!
Detective Case File #102
"Spiders are super scary."
Does everyone find spiders scary?
No! Some scientists and kids think spiders are cool!
What is the signal clue?
The word scary shows a feeling!
Our Detective Verdict: OPINION!
"I know this is an opinion because scary tells how someone feels."
Remember: Feelings and thoughts belong to opinions!
Detective Mission Ready!
Your Turn
1. Read the Sentence
Look for signal words like best, favorite, yummy, or numbers and facts.
2. Use Prove-It Test
Ask: "Can I prove this with evidence, or is it someone's personal feeling?"
3. Explain Because...
Use your frame: "I know this is a _______ because _______."
Next Step: Open Your Detective Case Files!
Small-Group Ready
Fact Detectives Guided Practice Fact Detectives
Tier 3 Small-Group Guided Investigation
Name:
Date:
Fact = Can Be Proved
Use eyes, tools, or books to show it is true for everyone.
Opinion = Feelings & Beliefs
Clues: best, favorite, yummy, scary, cool, boring .
Step 1: I Do
Lead Detective Model
Teacher Read-Aloud
"A bird has two wings."
Prove-It Test: Can we count them? Yes! → FACT
"Birds make the sweetest music."
Prove-It Test: Clue word is sweetest (feeling) → OPINION
Step 2: We Do
Guided Detective Cases (Work Together)
Follow the 2-step test
Case File #1
Fact Opinion
"There are seven days in one week."
Detective Reason Frame:
I know this is a fact because I can prove it on a .
Case File #2
Fact Opinion
"Saturday is the most fun day of the week."
Detective Reason Frame:
I know this is an opinion because the clue word is .
Case File #3
Fact Opinion
"Water freezes into ice when it gets cold enough."
Detective Reason Frame:
I know this is a fact because science can it.
Turn page for Coached Practice → Page 1 of 2
Fact Detectives: Field Practice
Step 3: You Do (With Teacher Coaching)
Clue Bank:
best favorite delicious scary beautiful
Case File #4
Fact Opinion
"Pizza with extra cheese is the best dinner."
Circle the clue word. Then write your reason:
This is an opinion because .
Case File #5
Fact Opinion
"Pizza has crust, tomato sauce, and cheese."
Can you prove it? Write your reason:
This is a fact because you can see and the ingredients.
Case File #6
Fact Opinion
"Third graders are the smartest kids in school."
Explain your thinking:
This is an because not everyone .
Case File #7
Fact Opinion
"A triangle is a shape with three straight sides."
Explain your thinking:
This is a fact because you can the 3 sides to prove it.
Detective Flip Challenge
Turn this Opinion into a Fact :
My Fact Sentence (Use numbers or nature):
Detective Confidence Check: Ready to fly solo Need a little coaching
Page 2 of 2
Truth Check Exit Ticket Fact Detectives: Truth Check
Quick Exit Ticket • Tier 3 Check
Name:
Date:
Directions: Read each statement. Mark whether it is a Fact or an Opinion .
Case 1
"Fish live and breathe underwater."
Fact Opinion
Case 2
"Goldfish are the most boring pets."
Fact Opinion
Case 3
"An ice cream cone has dairy milk."
Fact Opinion
Prove-It Quick Question: Why is sentence #2 an opinion ?
Sentence #2 is an opinion because the clue word is .
How do you feel about facts & opinions?
😊 I got this! 😐 Almost there 🤔 Need help
Cut along line for 2 identical tickets
Fact Detectives: Truth Check
Quick Exit Ticket • Tier 3 Check
Name:
Date:
Directions: Read each statement. Mark whether it is a Fact or an Opinion .
Case 1
"Fish live and breathe underwater."
Fact Opinion
Case 2
"Goldfish are the most boring pets."
Fact Opinion
Case 3
"An ice cream cone has dairy milk."
Fact Opinion
Prove-It Quick Question: Why is sentence #2 an opinion ?
Sentence #2 is an opinion because the clue word is .
How do you feel about facts & opinions?
😊 I got this! 😐 Almost there 🤔 Need help
Fact Detectives Teacher Guide Fact Detectives: Teacher Guide
Tier 3 Small-Group Intervention Protocol • Grade 3 ELA
Pacing: 20–25 Min
Target Skill
Distinguishing verifiable facts from feeling-based opinions.
Group Size
3–5 students needing intensive explicit modeling.
Physical Gesture
"Binoculars" hands for Fact; hand on heart for Opinion.
Lesson Architecture & Pacing
Time
Phase
Teacher Actions & Student Routine
3 min
Anchor Warm-Up
Review Slides 1–3. Lead chant: "A Fact can be proved; an Opinion is what I think or feel!" Practice hand gestures.
5 min
I Do (Modeling)
Display Slide 4–5. Conduct explicit think-aloud on "Apples grow on trees" vs. "Red apples are delicious." Emphasize the Prove-It test.
8 min
We Do (Guided)
Move to Guided Worksheet Page 1 (Cases 1–3). Read aloud together. Prompt choral student responses with sentence frames.
5 min
You Do with Coach
Worksheet Page 2 (Cases 4–7 + Flip Challenge). Circulate with prompting hierarchy. Students explain their thinking aloud before writing.
4 min
Exit Ticket
Administer Truth Check Exit Ticket independently. Collect for Tier 3 progress monitoring and mastery log.
Scripted Lead Detective Think-Aloud ("I Do")
Read Word-for-Word
Teacher: "Detectives, look at Case A: 'Apples grow on trees.' Watch how I run my Prove-It Test. Step 1: Can I check this with my eyes, a photograph, or an encyclopedia? Yes! I can visit an orchard or look up apple trees. Everyone in the world can see that apples grow on trees. There are no feeling words like best or yummy . That means this statement is a FACT !"
Teacher: "Now look at Case B: 'Red apples are delicious.' Let me run the test. Can I measure deliciousness with a ruler? No! My friend might think green apples are delicious and dislike red apples. When I hear the word delicious , my alarm goes off: that's a taste or feeling word! Because people can disagree, this statement is an OPINION ."
Choral Response Protocol:
Before students mark their paper, prompt in unison:Teacher: "Detectives, can we prove it with evidence, or is it a feeling?" → Students: "[Prove it / Feeling!]" Teacher: "So what is our verdict?" → Students: "[FACT! / OPINION!]"
Turn page for Error Correction & Complete Answer Key → Page 1 of 2
Tier 3 Diagnostic & Evaluation Toolkit
Intervention Support & Key
Common Tier 3 Misconceptions & Exact Fixes
Misconception 1: "I really like it, so it's a fact to me!"
Correction Script: "Just because you love it with your whole heart doesn't make it a fact. A fact must be true for everyone , even people who don't like it."
Misconception 2: "It's wrong/false, so it must be an opinion!"
Correction Script: "If I say 'Dogs have six wings,' that is not an opinion—it is a false fact! We can look at a dog and prove it wrong with our eyes."
Misconception 3: Overlooking stealth opinion words in factual sentences.
Correction Script: "Watch out! A sentence can have real information but still be an opinion if it has words like best , fun , or smartest ."
4-Level Scaffolding Ladder (Least to Most Support)
Level 1: Re-Test
"Can we prove it with tools or is it a feeling?"
Level 2: Clue Hunt
"Look at our Clue Bank. Do you see any signal words?"
Level 3: Sentence Frame
"Start with: 'I know this is a fact because...'"
Level 4: Direct Model
Teacher models the answer, student echoes and points.
Master Answer Key
Guided Practice Worksheet
Case 1: FACT (Prove on calendar / days of week)Case 2: OPINION (Clue word: most fun )Case 3: FACT (Science experiment / thermometer)Case 4: OPINION (Clue word: best )Case 5: FACT (See / count ingredients)Case 6: OPINION (Clue word: smartest / belief)Case 7: FACT (Count 3 straight sides)Flip Challenge: Accept any verifiable statement such as "Summer has the hottest temperatures" or "Summer comes after spring."
Truth Check Exit Ticket
Case 1: "Fish live and breathe underwater." → FACT (Proven by biology / observation).Case 2: "Goldfish are the most boring pets." → OPINION (Clue word: most boring ).Case 3: "An ice cream cone has dairy milk." → FACT (Proven by ingredient list / science).Quick Question: Clue word is boring (or most boring ).
Tier 3 Decision Rule: Students with 3–4 items correct advance to Tier 2/independent practice. Students with ≤2 correct receive repeat modeling with physical sorting cards.
Fact Detectives Intervention Protocol • Ready for Classroom Implementation Page 2 of 2
