Materials
- Lesson slide deck
- Lesson outline
- Projector
- Student handout
- Computers and internet connection
- Background reading
Activator
(SLIDE 1) — THINK, PAIR, SHARE (5 Minutes)
Think – Pair – Share Activity
- What emotions does a social media post like this evoke?
- Why would someone share a post like this without evidence intentionally?
- Why would someone share a post like this without evidence unintentionally?
(SLIDE 1) Presenter Notes
- Ask students to write down their thoughts.
- Share with a peer.
- Share with the class.
These types of posts evoke a sense of fear.
These types of posts are shared intentionally because they know it will be re-shared because of the strong emotions it evokes.
These types of posts are shared unintentionally by parents wanting to protect their children. We feel urgency to share this information to protect others.
(SLIDE 2) — KEY VOCABULARY (5 Minutes)
Key Vocabulary
- Fentanyl — A powerful synthetic opioid similar to morphine but much more powerful. Though it has medical uses, fentanyl can cause overdoses and death and is often manufactured and sold illegally.
(SLIDE 2) Presenter Notes
- Explain that we will look at why it is important to recognize satire online to avoid spreading misinformation from satirical sources that are mistaken for legitimate news sources.
- Review the key vocabulary, review the examples, and let students know they will use these terms throughout the lesson.
- Discuss the message each example is trying to communicate.
(SLIDE 3) LONG-TAIL KEYWORD SEARCH TRAITS (5 Minutes)
(SLIDE 3 ) Presenter Notes
Explain that long-tail keyword searches should:
- include 4 or more words
- include specific names or places
- target the specific claim or goal
- aim for credible sources
(SLIDE 4) APPLICATION (15 Minutes)
- Write a long-tail keyword search term to find evidence about this claim.
- List the two most credible sources in your results.
- Explain why they are credible.
(SLIDE 4) Presenter Notes
- Students can work individually, in pairs, or groups. Ask them to consider what may make a source more credible than others.
(SLIDES 5-6) MEDIAWISE FACT CHECK
- What long-tail keyword search did the MediaWise teen fact-checker use?
- Why is the source they found credible?
What long-tail keyword search did the MediaWise teen fact-checker use? Answer — “halloween candy dangers 2022”
Why is the source they found credible? Answer: Professor Joel Best, probably the nation’s top expert on Halloween candy incidents who has collected data for 64 years.
(SLIDE 7) DISCUSSION OR EXIT OUT THE DOOR
“What’s the Big Idea?” Discussion Questions
- Why do strong emotions like fear contribute to the spread of misinformation?
- How can you determine whether a source is credible or not?
- What are four indicators that a source is credible?
(SLIDE 7) Presenter Notes
- Examine the source’s and author’s credentials and affiliations.
- Evaluate what sources are cited by the author.
- Make sure the source is up-to-date.
- Check the endorsements and reviews that the source received.
(SLIDE 8) EXTENSION AND REFINING ACTIVITY
Extension and Refining Activity
- Choose a topic you would like to learn more about
- Visit https://trends.google.com/
- Enter your topic and list the top five long-tail search phrases being used worldwide
Additional Resources
- MediaWise “Is This Legit?” Series
- How To Combat Political Misinformation from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- Fact-Checking Lesson for Student Journalists
- Misinformation Overload Interviews from PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
- StoryMaker Media Literacy Learning
- Reuters Media Literacy Contest
- Journalism in Action, a history of journalism in the U.S., including political satire, from PBS NewsHour Classroom
MediaWise is a digital media literacy initiative of the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Now in over 170 middle and high schools, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs (SRL) is a national youth journalism program that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements and challenges today’s youth face.
