Skip to main content
Sign in Create a free account
Varsity Tutors
Sign in
Back to lessons

2nd Grade Writing (Common Core) • Writing

Find Facts to Answer Questions

Learning to look for information that helps us answer what we want to know.

Explore the lesson 7 min read
A writing pencil with notebook and spelling check for elementary writing
Inside this lesson 10 sections 5 questions 5 figures

SECTION 1

Why Do We Look for Facts?

Long ago, people had many questions about the world around them. They wanted to know why the sun came up every day. They wanted to know where animals lived. They wanted to know how to grow food. To find answers, they had to look for facts.

Long Ago • Cave Drawings

People drew pictures on cave walls to share facts about animals they saw.

Ancient Times • First Books

People wrote down facts in books so others could find answers to questions.

Long Time Ago • Libraries

Libraries were built to keep many books full of facts in one place.

Today • Internet and Books

We can find facts in books, on computers, and by asking people who know a lot.

Today, when we have questions, we need to know how to find facts that help us get answers. This skill helps us learn new things every day!

SECTION 2

What Are Facts and Questions?

1

What is a Fact?

A fact is something that is true. Facts tell us real information about people, animals, places, or things.
2

What is a Question?

A question is something we want to know. Questions often start with words like who, what, where, when, why, or how.
3

How Do Facts Answer Questions?

Facts give us the information we need to answer our questions. We look for facts that match what we want to know.
✦

KEY TAKEAWAY

Finding facts to answer questions is like being a detective! A detective looks for clues to solve a mystery. When you have a question, you become a detective looking for fact-clues that give you the answer!

SECTION 3

How to Find Facts

QuestionWhat do I want to know?Look in BooksRead to find factsAsk PeopleTalk to expertsUse ComputerSearch safely onlineAnswerNow I know!
This diagram shows how we start with a question, then look for facts in different places like books, by asking people, or using a computer. The facts we find help us get our answer!

When you have a question, you can look for facts in many places. The most important thing is to find facts that match your question. If you want to know about dogs, you look for facts about dogs. If you want to know about the moon, you look for facts about the moon!

SECTION 4

Steps to Find Facts

  1. Step 1: Read your question carefully. What exactly do you want to know? Look for the important words in your question.
  2. Step 2: Think about where to look. Will you find the answer in a book? Should you ask someone? Do you need to use a computer?
  3. Step 3: Look for key words. When you read, look for words that match the important words in your question.
  4. Step 4: Check if the fact answers your question. Does the fact you found really help answer what you wanted to know?
💡

REMEMBER

Not every fact will answer your question. You need to find facts that match what you want to know. If your question is about cats, facts about dogs won't help you!

SECTION 5

Where to Find Facts

BOOKLook up topicsRead carefullyAsk teachersAsk familySafe websitesWith adult helpVisit libraryAsk librarianWatch videosSee real things
There are many places to find facts! You can look in books, ask people who know a lot, use safe websites, visit the library, or watch and observe things around you.
Place to LookGood ForRemember
BooksLearning about animals, places, historyLook at pictures and words
PeopleGetting quick answers, learning from expertsAsk politely and say thank you
ComputerFinding pictures, videos, current informationAlways have an adult help you

Different places to find facts and what they're best for

SECTION 6

Finding Facts: Step by Step

ℹ

EXAMPLE QUESTION

"Where do penguins live?"

How to Find the Answer

  1. 1

    Step 1 — Read the Question

    The question asks "Where do penguins live?" The important words are where and penguins. I need to find facts about penguin homes.
    Looking for: penguin homes and places
  2. 2

    Step 2 — Choose Where to Look

    I can look in an animal book, ask my teacher, or look on a safe website about animals. I'll start with a book about animals.
    Plan: Look in animal book first
  3. 3

    Step 3 — Look for Key Words

    In the book, I look for the word "penguins" and words about where they live like "home," "habitat," or place names.
    Found: "Penguins live in Antarctica"
  4. 4

    Step 4 — Check if it Answers the Question

    The fact "Penguins live in Antarctica" answers "Where do penguins live?" This fact matches my question perfectly!
    Answer: Penguins live in Antarctica

SECTION 7

Tips for Finding Good Facts

Good FactsFacts That Don't Help
Match your question exactlyAre about something different
Are true and correctMight not be right
Are easy to understandUse words that are too hard
Come from books or trusted sourcesCome from places that might not be safe

What makes a fact helpful for answering questions

🎯

KEY TAKEAWAY

Finding good facts is like finding the right puzzle piece. You need a fact that fits perfectly with your question. If the fact doesn't match what you want to know, it won't help you solve your puzzle!

SECTION 8

What Comes After Finding Facts?

What You Do NowWhat You'll Learn Later
Find facts that answer your questionsCompare facts from different sources
Look in books and ask peopleUse many different sources and websites
Check if facts match your questionCheck if facts are reliable and true

How fact-finding skills grow over time

Learning to find facts is just the beginning! As you get older, you'll learn how to check if facts are true, compare facts from different books, and even do your own research. But right now, the most important skill is knowing how to find facts that help answer your questions!

SECTION 9

Practice Finding Facts

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Your friend asks you "What do cats like to eat?" What are the important words in this question that you should look for when finding facts?
Show answer
The important words are "cats" and "eat." When looking for facts, you should look for information about cats and what they eat or their food. These key words will help you find facts that match the question exactly.

Question 2: BASIC

You want to answer "How tall do sunflowers grow?" You found this fact: "Sunflowers are yellow flowers." Does this fact answer your question? Why or why not?
Show answer
No, this fact does not answer the question. The question asks "how tall" sunflowers grow, but the fact only tells us sunflowers are yellow. We need a fact about sunflower height, like "Sunflowers can grow 6 feet tall" to answer the question.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

You need to answer "Where do polar bears live?" You have three places to look: a book about farm animals, a book about Arctic animals, or a book about ocean fish. Which book would be the best choice and why?
Show answer
The book about Arctic animals would be the best choice. Polar bears live in cold, snowy places called the Arctic. A book about farm animals would have facts about cows and pigs, and a book about ocean fish wouldn't have facts about polar bears. Always choose sources that match your topic.

Question 4: APPLIED

Your teacher asks "How do butterflies change from caterpillars?" You look in a nature book and find: "Butterflies have colorful wings" and "A caterpillar makes a cocoon and becomes a butterfly." Which fact answers the question and what should you do with your answer?
Show answer
The fact "A caterpillar makes a cocoon and becomes a butterfly" answers the question about how butterflies change. The other fact about colorful wings doesn't explain the change process. After finding the right fact, you should share it with your teacher as the answer to the question.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

You want to know "What games did children play long ago?" You could ask your grandmother, look in a history book, or ask a friend your age. Explain which two choices would give you the best facts and why the third choice might not be helpful.
Show answer
Your grandmother and a history book would give the best facts. Your grandmother lived long ago and can share real experiences about old games. History books have facts about the past written by experts. A friend your age would not be helpful because they only know about games children play today, not games from long ago. Always choose sources that have the right kind of information for your question.

SUMMARY

Finding Facts to Answer Questions

Summary

When we have questions, we need to find facts that give us answers. Facts are true information, and they help us learn about the world. We can find facts in many places like books, by asking people, using computers safely, or visiting the library.

The most important thing is to find facts that match our question. We look for key words from our question when we read. Then we check if the fact really answers what we want to know. This skill helps us become good learners and find out amazing things about our world!

Varsity Tutors • 2nd Grade Writing • Find Facts to Answer Questions