21Things4Students: Identifying 'Fake News'

Ask students what has happened in the world recently. In pairs, have students discuss whether they thing any of the stories are real or fake news. As a whole group, discuss the stories.

What is 'fake' news? How can you tell? In pairs, students discuss ways they decide if a story is true or false. Join together in the whole group and bring up what was mentioned in each group.

Why is it important to be able to identify if a story is real or fake? Fake news can spread quickly and then, because everyone is saying it, the story appears to be true. 

How does social media factor into this? In pairs students discuss the social media they use and the influence it has. Gather as a full group and discuss.

How can you determine if it is fake or true? show the video on the CRAAP test method 

Using an online discussion area like jamboard or padlet, have students discuss the usefullness and importance of the CRAAP test. Why are each of the five areas necessary? Which is most important? Why?

Begin the unit, Fake or Real News, by introducing the vocabulary words. (scroll down the page to Key Vocabulary) You can use the handout Fake or Real News in this resource.

Watch the video at the top of the site together. What problems do the characters encounter? How do they plan to solve them?

In pairs, students review the definitions. If you want more practice with the Vocabulary words, select the Vocabulary Game below the list of words. This opens a Quizlet where students can practice the words.

Gather the students as a group, watch the video How false news can spread by Noah Tavlin. It is  Step 1 on the lesson, Fake or Real News 

In pairs, students discuss the video. Gather as a group discuss social media and its influence.

The last element of the CRAAP test is Purpose: why the author wrote the article. Is it objective or biased? To learn more about bias, scroll down to Step 3. watch the video to explore ways to identify bias.

After the video, discuss the ways mentioned in the video. Have pairs discuss then gather the entire group. You can also use Jamboard, Padlet or Flip for students to present their idea.

Every day there are news stories that are misleading. Are they factual?

• Select a current news story for the students to explore. You can use one of the online news sites CNN, ABC News, Huffington Post, Fox News
• Decide on which of the fact-checking sites you want your students to use. If they are tech savvy you can have each pair use a different site, but if they are new to investigating new stories, select one site and have each pair of students use the same site.
• Demonstrate hoiw to use the three site(s): FactCheck.org, Snopes, and Politifact Point out that ads around the articles can distract your search.
• For this practice, student pairs will use a fact-checking website to investigate the current news story selected. On a padlet or jamboard, answer the questions: 1. What does the fact-check site say about the story? 2. How accurate is the reporting in the story?
• Gather as a group to discuss the findings.

• As pairs students select a news story from an online news source:  CNN, ABC News, Huffington Post, Fox News
• Use one or more of the fact-ckecking sites to decide how accurate the story is FactCheck.org, Snopes, and Politifact
• Type your findings on the class padlet/jamboard.
• Share your findings in a discussion with the class

Students find a current headline, investigate the facts and report to the class at the next class meeting.

Watch the TED Talk How we can protect truth in the age of misinformation

Students identify and discuss the five strategies recommended. Students bring stories they find to discuss with the class.