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Fact-Checking Using Online Tools: Snopes, FacCheck and Politifact
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Activity Description
A skill we need to teach our students is to fact-check those things they read, hear, or see in the media. Using online checkers: snopes, FactCheck and Politifact, students will investigate a current story presented in the media.
Preparation
- Check the website to ensure it is not blocked at your site.
- Read through the lesson plan.
- Print and make copies of any handouts.
More Ways
Evaluating sources: Use the CRAAP test by MacOdrum Library
Rubric to use with the CRAAP Test
There are many videos available to use with this topic. Here is a sample:
-
You’re being manipulated and don’t even know it/Nate Pressner/ TEDxYouth@Basel
- How Real is Fake News/ Sharyl Attkisson/ TEDUniversityofNevada
Program Areas
- ABE: Adult Basic Education
- ESL: English as a Second Language
- ASE: High School Equivalency Preparation
- ASE: High School Diploma
- CTE: Career Technical Education
Levels
- Intermediate
- High
- Intermediate Low
- Intermediate High
- Advanced
Lesson Plan
Ask the students to discuss in pairs any stories they have heard in the news. Gather the students and make a list of current stories in the news.
Looking at our list, how do we know if these stories are true? Have students had experiences with misinformation? Students discuss as pairs and then come together as a class. Make a list of positive and negative consequences of sharing information on the Internet.
The goal of this lesson is to gain skills to investigate and distinguish between credible and unreliable sources.
1. What are the characteristics of unreliable information (fake news) Students discuss in pairs then join as a class. Write the ideas on the board. Here are ideas to include:
- sensational headlines
- lack of author attribution
- biased language
- unsupported claims
2. What are the characteristics of reliable sources? Again have students discuss as pairs then join as a class and write answers on the board. Indeas to consider:
- established news organizations (why? they fact check)
- government websites
- expert opinions
- peer reviewed resources (journals)
3. One of the important considerations is the author. What makes an author credible? pairs/class put answers on the board. Ideas to consider:
- expertise: consider the author's qualifications, affiliations and experience
- crediblity: look critically especially if the source is unknown or cannot be verified
- bias: consider any bias or commercial interest and how it might influence the author.
4. HOw do we find out if the information is credible or not? Have students discuss then share as a class. Consider these fact-checking techniques:
- find multiple sources of the information
- verify the information with reliable surces
- check for the publication date
- use fact-checking websites and tools-
5. Demonstrate three fact-checking sites: Snopes, FactCheck and Politifact
For this practice select one of the stories the students mentioned earlier or an article you have chosen. Students will use the three fact-checking websites just demonstrated to investigate the story. On the board make a table to gather the information about the article. Add the three websites down the side. Add a column for students to mark if it is credible or not. Add a second column for why they think their evaluation is true.
Divide the class into groups of two to four. Assign one of the fact-check websites. As a group, the students check on the credibility of the story.
Groups investigate the story and determine if it is factual or misinformation. Groups gather back as a class and share their findings, on the board and in discussion.
Each student write a paragraph (using Google Docs, Microsoft Word or on paper) about what they learned about misinformation and how to investigate whether or not something is true of false infomation.
Students share their paragraphs with their partner. Students peer review each other's paragraphs, looking for ways to improve the paragraphs. Students share their paragraphs with the teacher.
The teacher shares pargraphs written by the students with the class to start a discussion of fact checking, and class conclusions. How can this apply in everyday life?
What are the best practices we can use daily?
Subjects
- Electives
- Career Exploration
- Language Arts - Writing
- Language Facility
- Organization of Ideas
- Writing Conventions
- Reading
- Critical Thinking/Decision Making
- Employability
- Writing
- Basic Sentences
- Paragraph Skills
CTE Anchor Standards
- Anchor Standard 1: Academics - Analyze and apply appropriate academic standards required for successful industry sector pathway completion leading to postsecondary education and employment. Refer to the industry sector alignment matrix for identification of standards.
- Anchor Standard 2: Communications - Language Standard: Acquire and accurately use general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the (career and college) readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
- Anchor Standard 3: Career Planning and Management - Speaking and Listening Standard: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.