A real-world literacy lesson on evaluating online sources and claims.
This lesson develops student skills in evaluating online information by examining misinformation, disinformation, and deceptive digital behavior. Students learn and apply strategies for determining credibility and for recognizing common tactics used to mislead audiences.
Students begin by defining key terms related to misinformation and digital manipulation. They then examine the difference between vertical reading (evaluating a source from within the page) and lateral reading (checking credibility across multiple sources) and practice using these approaches to judge reliability.
Students apply these skills by:
investigating the background and purpose of a pseudo-scientific organization
evaluating whether an article is worth their time and attention before reading it
identifying indicators of bias, agenda, and weak evidence
using an interactive activity to recognize traits of online trolls and deceptive personas
Throughout the lesson, students focus on source evaluation rather than opinion, learning how to decide what to trust before engaging deeply with content.
This lesson is designed to support:
critical evaluation of digital sources
recognition of misinformation and disinformation strategies
informed decision-making about what to read and share
early-year establishment of academic and digital literacy norms
It functions well as a beginning-of-year activity or as part of a media literacy or science literacy sequence. The digital format allows for low-prep implementation while maintaining analytical rigor.
To preview this lesson, click here.
NGSS Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs):
Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs):
Cause and Effect; Systems and System Models; Stability and Change
Common Core (Literacy in Science):
RST.9-10.8
RST.9-10.9
WHST.9-10.1
SL.9-10.1
A real-world literacy lesson on evaluating online sources and claims.
This lesson develops student skills in evaluating online information by examining misinformation, disinformation, and deceptive digital behavior. Students learn and apply strategies for determining credibility and for recognizing common tactics used to mislead audiences.
Students begin by defining key terms related to misinformation and digital manipulation. They then examine the difference between vertical reading (evaluating a source from within the page) and lateral reading (checking credibility across multiple sources) and practice using these approaches to judge reliability.
Students apply these skills by:
investigating the background and purpose of a pseudo-scientific organization
evaluating whether an article is worth their time and attention before reading it
identifying indicators of bias, agenda, and weak evidence
using an interactive activity to recognize traits of online trolls and deceptive personas
Throughout the lesson, students focus on source evaluation rather than opinion, learning how to decide what to trust before engaging deeply with content.
This lesson is designed to support:
critical evaluation of digital sources
recognition of misinformation and disinformation strategies
informed decision-making about what to read and share
early-year establishment of academic and digital literacy norms
It functions well as a beginning-of-year activity or as part of a media literacy or science literacy sequence. The digital format allows for low-prep implementation while maintaining analytical rigor.
To preview this lesson, click here.
NGSS Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs):
Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs):
Cause and Effect; Systems and System Models; Stability and Change
Common Core (Literacy in Science):
RST.9-10.8
RST.9-10.9
WHST.9-10.1
SL.9-10.1
