Lesson Plan - How to Fact-Check the Internet

News or Not?

After students watch the video, ask: How can you determine whether an article is trustworthy or not?

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• evaluate
• skeptical

1. What was false or misleading about the video of Sandra the orangutan? The video included a caption claiming that Sandra had learned to wash her hands after seeing zookeepers do it during the Covid-19 pandemic. But in reality, the video was filmed in November 2019, before anyone knew about Covid-19. 

_{(RI.4.1 TEXT EVIDENCE)}

2. What are some common mistakes people make when viewing information online? Some people read only the headline before sharing an article, or think that the first search result is the best. Another common mistake is not realizing that something is an ad.

_{(RI.4.2 KEY DETAILS)}

3. Why should you be skeptical when viewing posts on the internet? Being skeptical can help you evaluate posts on the internet so you aren’t tricked into believing something that isn’t true.

_{(RI.4.3 EXPLAINING IDEAS)}

FEATURED SKILL: Analyze Information

Use the Skill Builder “Don’t Get Fooled!” to have students follow a checklist to determine whether information they’ve recently seen on the internet is reliable or not.