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Lesson: What’s Real Online

In this lesson, students are introduced to the challenges of identifying what is real and what is fake online.

Grade range: 4-6

Teacher Material: https://textbook.mediasmarts.ca/discoveringstudent/chapter/real-or-fake-2/

Student Material: https://textbook.mediasmarts.ca/discovering/chapter/house-hippo-2-0/

Time Frame

One class period (45-60 minutes) Two or three class periods (90-120 minutes)  
Activities  

Real or Fake?

Reliable Sources

Is This For Real?

 

 

 

Real or Fake?

Reliable Sources

Is This For Real?

Custom Search Engines

 

 

 

Preparation:

Make sure that you are able to show the videos and that students are able to access the interactive activities.

A printable version of this lesson is available at https://mediasmarts.ca/teacher-resources/break-fake-whats-real-online

Learning Outcomes

Digital media are networked

  • Anyone can publish content onlne

Digital media experiences are shaped by the tools we use

  • Search engines search the entire web, but can be made to search only reliable sources

Key questions:

  • How can we tell whether a source is reliable?
  • How can we avoid finding unreliable sources when we search?

 

Essential knowledge: Students will know…

  • Finding and verifying: Hallmarks of a reliable source
  • Making and remixing: How to make a custom search engine

 

Performance tasks: Students will be able to…

  • Access: Limit searches to reliable sources
  • Use: Use search engines effectively
  • Understand: Analyze the difference between reliable and unreliable sources
  • Engage: Consider the importance of finding reliable information online

 

Curriculum Connections

 

Strand A: Literacy Connections and Applications

A1 Transferable Skills

A1.1 Receptive and Expressive Communication

explain how transferable skills can be used to support communication in various cultural, social, linguistic, and domain-specific contexts, and apply them when reading, listening to, viewing, and creating texts of various forms

A1.2 Student Agency and Engagement

evaluate and explain how transferable skills help them express their voice, be engaged in their learning, and plan the next steps to develop their capabilities and potential

A2 Digital Media Literacy

A2.1 Digital Citizenship

explain their rights and responsibilities when interacting online with appropriate permission, and make decisions that contribute positively to the development of their digital identity and those of their communities

A2.2 Online Safety, Well-Being and Etiquette

demonstrate an understanding of how to navigate online environments safely, manage their privacy and personal data, and interact in a way that supports their well-being and that of others, including seeking appropriate permission

A2.3 Research and Information Literacy

gather, evaluate, and use information, considering validity, credibility, accuracy, and perspectives, to construct knowledge, create texts, and demonstrate learning

A2.4 Forms, Conventions, and Techniques

demonstrate an understanding of the forms, conventions, and techniques of digital and media texts, consider the impact on the audience, and apply this understanding when analyzing and creating texts

A2.5 Media, Audience and Production

demonstrate an understanding of the interrelationships between the form, message, and context of texts, the intended audience, and the purpose for production

A2.6 Innovation and Design

select and use appropriate digital and media tools to support the design process and address authentic, relevant, real-world problems by developing innovative solutions

A3 Applications, Connections, and Contributions

A3.1 Cross-Curricular and Integrated Learning

explain how the knowledge and skills developed in this grade support learning in various subject areas and in everyday life, and describe how they enhance understanding and communication

 

Strand C: Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts

C1 Knowledge About Texts

C1.2 Text Forms and Genres

Grades 4-5: describe some characteristics of various text forms and genres, including cultural text forms, and explain how they help communicate meaning

Grade 6: analyze a variety of text forms and genres, including cultural text forms, and explain how their characteristics help communicate meaning

C1.3 Text Patterns and Features

Grade 4: identify text patterns, such as spatial order in a graphic text, and text features, such as type styles and hyperlinks, associated with various text forms, including cultural texts, and explain how they help readers, listeners, and viewers understand the meaning

Grade 5: identify text patterns, such as cause and effect in a persuasive text, and text features, such as a preface and glossary, associated with various text forms, including cultural texts, and explain how they help readers, listeners, and viewers understand the meaning

Grade 6: analyze text patterns, such as problem-solution in a report, and text features, such as subheadings and pull-down menus, associated with various text forms, including cultural texts, and explain how they help readers, listeners, and viewers understand the meaning

C1.6 Point of View

Grades 4-5: identify the narrator’s point of view, including first, second, or third person, in a variety of texts, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of the approach used in each story

Grade 6: identify the narrator’s point of view, including first, second, or third person, in a variety of texts, providing evidence, and explain how using an alternative point of view would change each story

C3 Critical Thinking in Literacy

C3.2 Making Inferences

Grades 4-5: make local and global inferences, using explicit and implicit evidence, to extend their understanding of various texts

Grade 6: make local and global inferences, using explicit and implicit evidence, to develop interpretations about various texts and to extend their understanding

C3.3 Analyzing Texts

Grade 4: analyze various texts, including literary and informational texts, by identifying main and supporting ideas, sequencing the events of multiple plots, and explaining cause and effect

Grade 5: analyze various texts, including literary and informational texts, by identifying main and supporting ideas, sequencing the events of multiple plots, recording relevant information, and explaining cause and effect

Grade 6: analyze various texts, including literary and informational texts, by identifying main and supporting ideas, evaluating the quality of information and its relevance for a specific purpose, and formulating conclusions

C3.5 Perspectives within Texts

Grades 4-5: identify explicit and implicit perspectives communicated in various texts, explain how these perspectives are conveyed, give some evidence of any biases the texts may contain, and suggest how such biases could influence an audience

Grade 6: explain explicit and implicit perspectives communicated in various texts, including narrative texts, provide any evidence that could suggest bias in these perspectives, and suggest ways to avoid any such bias

C3.6 Analysis and Response

Grades 4-5: explain how various topics, such as diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, are addressed in texts, and describe what insights or messages are conveyed

Grade 6: explain how various topics, such as diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, are addressed in texts, analyze the insights or messages conveyed, and identify different positions presented

C3.8 Reflecting on Learning

Grades 4-5: identify the critical thinking skills they used to analyze and evaluate various texts, and explain how these skills have helped them better understand the texts

Grade 6: compare the critical thinking skills they used when analyzing and evaluating various texts, identify the skills that best supported their understanding, and explain why they are effective

 

Strand D: Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts

D1. Developing Ideas and Organizing Content

D1.1 Purpose and Audience

identify the topic, purpose, and audience for various texts they plan to create, and explain why the chosen text form, genre, and medium suit the purpose and audience, and how they will help communicate the intended meaning

D1.2 Developing Ideas

generate and develop ideas and details about various topics, such as topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to other subject areas, using a variety of strategies, and drawing on various resources, including their own lived experiences

D1.3 Research

Grade 4: gather information and content relevant to a topic, using a variety of sources and strategies, and record the sources of information

Grade 5: gather and record information and content relevant to a topic, using multiple textual sources; verify the reliability of sources, using simple criteria; and record the creator and source of all content created by others

Grade 6: gather information and content relevant to a topic, using multiple textual sources; summarize the information; verify the reliability of sources; and record the creator and source of all content created by others

D1.4 Organizing Content

Grades 4-5: select and classify ideas and collected information, using appropriate strategies and tools, and sequence content, taking into account the chosen text form, genre, and medium

Grade 6: classify and sequence ideas and collected information, using appropriate strategies and tools, and identify and organize relevant content, taking into account the chosen text form, genre, and medium

 

D2. Creating Texts

D2.1 Producing Drafts

Grades 4-5: draft texts of various forms and genres, including narrative, persuasive, and informational texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies

Grade 6: draft complex texts of various forms and genres, including narrative, expository, and informational texts, using a variety of media, tools, and strategies

D3 Publishing, Presenting, and Reflecting

D3.1 Producing Final Texts

Grade 4: produce final texts using a variety of techniques and tools, including simple digital design and production tools, to achieve the intended effect

Grade 5: produce final texts using a variety of techniques and tools, including digital design and production tools, to achieve the intended effect

Grade 6: produce final texts, selecting a variety of suitable techniques and tools, including digital design and production tools, to achieve the intended effect

D3.3 Reflecting on Learning

Grade 4: describe various strategies that helped them present and communicate their message when publishing and presenting texts, and explain how they helped them improve as a text creator

Grade 5: describe various strategies and tools that helped them communicate their intended message when publishing and presenting texts, and suggest steps for future improvement as a text creator

Grade 6: compare how various strategies and tools helped them communicate their intended message when publishing and presenting texts, and suggest future steps for improvement as a text creator

 

 

 

 

License

Discovering Digital Media Literacy - Teacher Textbook Copyright © by MediaSmarts. All Rights Reserved.