To move beyond making bare assertions and consider differing perspectives in a Grade 5 lesson, you’ll want to focus on making sure students don’t just state their opinions but also understand how others might think differently. Here’s a way to make this lesson practical and easy to follow:

1. Start with examples they can relate to

You could start by asking a question like: “What’s your favourite fruit?”

One learner might say “apples” and another might say “bananas.” Ask both of them to explain why they prefer that fruit. This way, they’re not just making a statement (a bare assertion), but they are also giving reasons.

2. Teach the idea of different perspectives

Once you’ve got a few examples, explain that not everyone has to agree. Some people might love apples, but others might find them too hard to bite into. Some might like bananas because they’re sweet, while others think bananas get mushy too fast.

Now you’ve opened up the idea that there are different perspectives.

3. How to support their view with reasons

Now, show them how they can make their statement stronger by giving reasons. For example, a learner could say:

• “I prefer apples because they’re crunchy and I like that texture.”

This is much better than just saying, “Apples are the best.”

4. Understanding and respecting other views

The next step is to get learners to acknowledge and respect other views. You can teach them to say:

• “Even though I prefer apples, I understand why some people might like bananas more.”

This shows that they’re thinking about the fact that not everyone thinks the same way, and that’s okay!

5. Practice and feedback

Let learners practice this in groups. Maybe have a debate or discussion where they have to explain their point of view and listen to others. Make sure they know that it’s okay to disagree, but they must always give reasons for their opinion and respect others’ reasons too.

In the end, they’ll learn that it’s not just about saying what they think—it’s about why they think that and also being aware that someone else might have a different, but equally valid, point of view.