Evaluating Information
Lesson Summary
There is so much information available to students on the Internet and in text form it's imperative they know how to evaluate the information for accuracy and credibility.
There is so much information available to students on the Internet and in text form it's imperative they know how to evaluate the information for accuracy and credibility.
Standards Addressed
Ohio Academic Content Standards
Language Arts: Grade 3: Reading Applications
2. List questions about essential elements (e.g., why, who, where, what, when and how) from informational text and identify answers.
3. Identify and list the important central ideas and supporting details of informational text.
ISTE | NETS for Students
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Ohio Academic Content Standards
Language Arts: Grade 3: Reading Applications
2. List questions about essential elements (e.g., why, who, where, what, when and how) from informational text and identify answers.
3. Identify and list the important central ideas and supporting details of informational text.
ISTE | NETS for Students
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
General Goals
- Provide instruction on evaluating books and websites for credibility and accuracy.
- Provide instruction on the difference between primary and secondary sources.
Specific Objectives
- Given instruction, the learner will be able to identify key components that lend themselves to a book or website's credibility.
- Given instruction, the learner will be able to identify key components that lend themselves to a book or website's accuracy.
- Given instruction, the learner will be able to identify primary and secondary sources.
Required Materials & Equipment
- Computer projection screen
- Berendes, Mary. Piranhas . Mankato, MN: Child's World, 2008. Print. (book for teacher demonstration)
- Handout for each student: "Evaluating Information"
Instructional Procedure
- Teacher provides each student with a copy of the "Evaluating Information" handout
- Teacher projects Internet onto computer projection screen
- Teacher reads aloud the information in the handout as the students follow along.
- At each section of the handout, the teacher demonstrates and points out on the projection screen what is being discussed.
- After completing the first page of the handout, Teacher uses the book Piranhas by Mary Berendes to identify components discussed in the handout. On page 31 of the book, there is a Web page listed that is associated with the book (http://www.childsworld.com/links). Once at that website, Teacher must type in the ISBN of the book (9781592968510) to find websites associated with the book's content.
- One of the websites listed is http://www.nature.org. This site could be used to demonstrate how to examine a website's external links and how to find the history of a website (page two of the handout). When looking at the history, teacher can click on the "Go Wayback!" button and show students a snapshot of what the website looked like back on January 20, 2002 (for example).
- Finally, Teacher can reference the Piranha book and websites when discussing primary and secondary sources.
Assessment
Teacher will informally assess students by verbally asking random students various questions about items discussed in the handout.
Teacher will informally assess students by verbally asking random students various questions about items discussed in the handout.