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Break The Fake: Becoming a Fact-Checker

Secondary

Description

This lesson is designed to help students develop digital media literacy by learning how to evaluate the credibility of information found online. Students learn to critically analyze online content and apply fact-checking strategies so they can identify misinformation and share reliable information responsibly.

Students will:

  • discuss how they encounter and share information online and consider how misinformation spreads.
  • watch videos and read handouts, and review four key steps to verify information: find the original source, verify the credibility of the source, check other reliable sources and correct misinformation when necessary
  • work in groups to analyze social media posts and apply the fact-checking steps they previously reviewed
  • create a fact-checking video in which they present a claim they have seen on social media, explain the steps they took to verify it, and share their conclusion about whether the claim is true or false.                                                                                                                 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • how to evaluate the credibility of information found online
  • to critically analyze online content and apply fact-checking strategies so they can identify misinformation and share reliable information responsibly

Strengths

  • The resource is well organized and easy to use
  • The lesson explores a current issue that is particularly relevant to students’ lives
  • This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) are available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.
  • Material covered is relevant to the lives of learners
  • The content is Canadian

Weaknesses

  • Needs to include some accommodations for students with learning difficulties
  • Include an action project/action skills
  • No opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students during the lessons.

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This lesson is designed for students in grades ten to twelve and focuses on helping students develop digital media literacy and fact-checking skills.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Media

Human Rights (1)

  • Education

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

Using videos and tip sheets students are equipped with practical digital literacy skills that help them critically evaluate online information, participate responsibly in the digital world, and consider different points of view.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Satisfactory

The lesson effectively addresses the social dimension, but it does not directly cover environmental or economic aspects. The lesson plan focuses on digital literacy and learning how to evaluate the credibility of information found online.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good

The lesson effectively addresses the importance of fact-checking information online, helping students understand the need to verify content every time to prevent the spread of misinformation.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Satisfactory

Students create a fact checking video in which they present a claim they have seen on social media.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good

There are opportunities for discussions after viewing the videos, allowing students to share their thoughts and ideas. Students also create a fact-checking video in which they present a claim they have seen on social media, explain the steps they took to verify it, and share their conclusion about whether the claim is true or false.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Good

The lesson promotes respect and social awareness by teaching students to consider the impact of information on others and to act responsibly online.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Poor/Not considered
Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Good

In today's world of daily social media, students need to learn to critically analyze online content and apply fact-checking strategies so they can identify misinformation and share reliable information responsibly.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

This lesson is designed to help students determine the validity of information that is presented to them on the Internet. After reviewing a series of evaluation techniques for online resources, students form groups to assess selected websites. Multiple answers are possible and encouraged.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Good
  • Language arts
  • Digital literacy
  • Technology
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

This lesson plan is a partially guided inquiry rather than fully open inquiry. Students investigate a question or claim they have seen online and determine whether it is true or false. They apply fact-checking strategies to gather and analyze information, rather than simply being given the answers.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good
  • The lesson plan addresses a range of learning styles, visual, auditory but there are no modifications  to accommodate diverse learners.
Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Good

The learning activity involves direct experience in a real world context as students evaluate online information.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Student work in groups.

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Good

The lesson plan includes a final assessment task called a “Fact-Checking Video.” In this activity, students choose a claim they have seen online and investigate whether it is true or false. They then create a short video explaining the claim, the steps they used to fact-check it, and their final conclusion. This assessment allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the fact-checking process and apply the strategies they learned during the lesson.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory
Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered
Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Good

Students choose which social media post they want to fact check and which editing platform they which to use for their video assignment.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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