TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Oct 13, 2024
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to return to the Featured Sites Archive
OK2Ask: Misinformation & Fact Checking - TeachersFirst
Grades
1 to 12
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2024. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
In today's digital...more
In today's digital...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from July 2024. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
In today's digital world, students face a constant barrage of online information, and the ability to discern fact from fiction is essential. This interactive workshop will equip you with engaging strategies that will help students develop critical thinking skills and empower them to become discerning digital detectives. Learn how to effectively introduce the concepts of misinformation and fact-checking, fostering a healthy skepticism towards online information. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Define misinformation and its impact on learning and decision-making. 2. Identify common techniques used to spread misinformation online. 3. Develop strategies for critical thinking and responsible information-sharing among students. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In today's digital world, students face a constant barrage of online information, and the ability to discern fact from fiction is essential. This interactive workshop will equip you with engaging strategies that will help students develop critical thinking skills and empower them to become discerning digital detectives. Learn how to effectively introduce the concepts of misinformation and fact-checking, fostering a healthy skepticism towards online information. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Define misinformation and its impact on learning and decision-making. 2. Identify common techniques used to spread misinformation online. 3. Develop strategies for critical thinking and responsible information-sharing among students. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Big Fib Podcast - Benjamin Strouse, Chris Tarry & David Kreizman
Grades
K to 8
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The Big Fib Podcast encourages kids to separate accurate information from falsehood by listening to an interview with two participants in a game show format. The participants are known...more
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The Big Fib Podcast encourages kids to separate accurate information from falsehood by listening to an interview with two participants in a game show format. The participants are known experts and liars. Recent podcasts include kid-friendly topics such as whales, bicycles, and laughter. Several educational guides are available for download, including a Listening Guide for prelistening, an Explore Board for use before and while listening, and a Choice Board for after listening activities. An additional document includes correlations between reading and literature standards and speaking and listening standards.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Share this podcast as a flipped learning experience or include it as part of a listening center during station rotation activities on evaluating information shared by different sources. Take advantage of free teaching materials such as the Listening Guide to provide students with focus while listening and as a resource for documenting their evaluation process. After listening to and evaluating several episodes of the podcast, encourage students to write and produce a podcast in a similar style. After creating storyboards and writing their script, use a podcast creation tool such as Castbox Creator Studio, reviewed here to record and share your podcasts.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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OK2Ask: Engage & Inspire with Fake Websites - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2024. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Misinformation...more
Misinformation...more
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This recording of an OK2Ask online professional learning session is from January 2024. You can register and immediately view the archive of the session.
Misinformation is rampant online. As educators, how can we prepare students to navigate this landscape? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore techniques for leveraging fake websites to build essential media literacy skills. Join us to explore this engaging approach to promoting digital citizenship and critical thinking. Leave equipped with practical strategies for developing media-savvy students through authentic learning experiences that incorporate analyzing fake websites. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Evaluate fake websites and identify specific indicators of misinformation, such as biased language, questionable sources, and misleading visuals. 2. Learn strategies for responsibly incorporating fake websites into instruction to foster critical thinking. 3. Plan to implement activities using fake websites in instruction. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
Misinformation is rampant online. As educators, how can we prepare students to navigate this landscape? In this interactive workshop, participants will explore techniques for leveraging fake websites to build essential media literacy skills. Join us to explore this engaging approach to promoting digital citizenship and critical thinking. Leave equipped with practical strategies for developing media-savvy students through authentic learning experiences that incorporate analyzing fake websites. As a result of this session, teachers will: 1. Evaluate fake websites and identify specific indicators of misinformation, such as biased language, questionable sources, and misleading visuals. 2. Learn strategies for responsibly incorporating fake websites into instruction to foster critical thinking. 3. Plan to implement activities using fake websites in instruction. This session is appropriate for teachers at all technology levels.
In the Classroom
The archive of this teacher-friendly, hands-on webinar will empower and inspire you to use learning technology in the classroom and for professional productivity. As appropriate, specific classroom examples and ideas have been shared. View the session with a few of your teaching colleagues to find and share new ideas. Find additional information and links to tools at the session resource page. Learn more about OK2Ask and upcoming sessions here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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RumorGuard - News Literacy Project
Grades
6 to 12
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RumorGuard is a fact-checking website that teaches you how to identify online misinformation based on up to five factors - source, evidence, context, reasoning, and authenticity. The...more
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RumorGuard is a fact-checking website that teaches you how to identify online misinformation based on up to five factors - source, evidence, context, reasoning, and authenticity. The home page shares recent fact checks with a summary of the rumor and includes the number of factors used to determine the authenticity of the information. Click to learn more about the story to view complete details on analyzing the topic. Each topic includes a quick look at the facts and the takeaway for readers. Scroll further on the topic page to view a snapshot of information based on the five factors, techniques used to determine authenticity, and featured fact checks. Some fact-checks include links to lessons on RumorGuard's parent site, Checkology, reviewed here, to support learning about misinformation and evaluating online resources.
In the Classroom
Share RumorGuard with students during digital citizenship and online safety lessons to help students understand how misinformation is shared and provide them with tools for analyzing online information. Engage students in your lessons using RumorGuard by choosing different topics on this page and news stories, then ask students to determine if the information is real or fake. Next, use a simple polling tool such as Poll Maker, reviewed here, to create and share quick true/false polls. Extend and enhance learning by asking students to become fact-checkers of any online information using the model found on Rumor Guard. Create a template on Google Slides, reviewed here, or Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here, modeling the process used on RumorGuard to determine the authenticity of the information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Be MediaWise - Lessons to Teach Media Literacy - PBS Learning Media
Grades
6 to 12
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Be MediaWise--Lessons to Teach Media Literacy is a series of media literacy lessons designed to teach students to fact-check information found online. The collection consists of engaging...more
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Be MediaWise--Lessons to Teach Media Literacy is a series of media literacy lessons designed to teach students to fact-check information found online. The collection consists of engaging videos featuring teens evaluating various online sources. The videos are short and give relevant examples of how to evaluate posts on social media, spot satire, and identify content that may be created by artificial intelligence.
In the Classroom
Teach your middle and high school students how to critically evaluate information with each video's downloadable lesson plans, handouts, and slide decks. Lessons include evaluating actual posts on social media, video, and news sites. Create deeper understanding and extend learning by having your students create "social media" posts using tools such as Canva for Education, reviewed here, or Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, then, evaluate classmates' work.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iThrive Sim: Follow the Facts - ithrive games
Grades
9 to 12
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iThrive Sim: Follow the Facts is a digital role-playing simulation game with situations that help students in high school social studies, history, and humanities classes to strengthen...more
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iThrive Sim: Follow the Facts is a digital role-playing simulation game with situations that help students in high school social studies, history, and humanities classes to strengthen civic and social-emotional learning (SEL). The digital simulations are designed to support student-driven learning, and the student's actions determine the storyline. Students will play as journalists reporting on a breaking story. To get the truth, they need to find credible sources, collaborate with peers, and report the story accurately and without bias. Registration with a school email address is required to play. This game was designed to function within school firewalls. If you have trouble accessing it, please contact your school's IT department. iThrive Sim: Leading Through Crisis scenario is centered around topics that may be sensitive for some students. Consider offering alternatives or providing extra support if needed.
In the Classroom
Engage your high school students with iThrive Sim: Follow the Facts. The game-based simulation includes teacher preparation, pre-simulation, and optional post-simulation activities. The entire simulation takes about two thirty-minute sessions total to play. Teachers should plan for the full simulation and activities to take at least five 45-minute class periods. A complete implementation guide is included. Civics topics include effective sourcing of information, SEL skills include understanding bias and collaboration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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My Media Choices - Common Sense Education
Grades
3 to 5
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This forty-five-minute lesson plan provides activities to guide fourth-grade students in learning about a "What? When? How Much" framework for use in evaluating media sources. In addition...more
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This forty-five-minute lesson plan provides activities to guide fourth-grade students in learning about a "What? When? How Much" framework for use in evaluating media sources. In addition to the lesson description, resources include a slide presentation, video, student handouts, and take-home resources to share with families. Also available is the correlation to Common Core ELA, CASEL, AASL, and ISTE standards.
In the Classroom
Although created for fourth grade, this lesson works well for grades three through five, with possible adaptations for additional grade levels. First, engage students by conducting a poll or survey of the different types of media your students regularly consume. For example, use a simple polling tool such as Kahoot reviewed here, or take a more in-depth survey using Microsoft Forms, reviewed here. Instead of completing worksheets as a paper and pencil activity, convert the worksheets into an interactive document using Google Docs, reviewed here, and assign within Google Classroom. Add questions or comments to the included video using EdPuzzle, reviewed here, to enhance learning. As an extension activity, ask students to share tips for safe media use by creating short videos to share on your class and school's websites. Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create engaging videos from scratch or by using the templates provided.
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Resources related to Source Reliability/Checking Sources - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 12
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As educators, we must teach our students how to make sure the resources they are using are reliable. This collection includes information and resources related to checking sources and...more
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As educators, we must teach our students how to make sure the resources they are using are reliable. This collection includes information and resources related to checking sources and determining if a source is reliable and credible.
In the Classroom
We have included resources for all grades. Remember, our "In the Classroom" suggestions with each reviewed resource, give you ideas about using these tools in your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teachers' Guide to Cranky Uncle - John Cook
Grades
6 to 12
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How do you teach students to understand and build resilience against misinformation? Try using this game created by George Mason University scientist John Cook which uses cartoon personifications...more
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How do you teach students to understand and build resilience against misinformation? Try using this game created by George Mason University scientist John Cook which uses cartoon personifications of climate science denials. The game is available to play on any browser or download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play. By teaching how others use fake experts and cherry-picking information to spread disinformation, this game engages players as they employ critical thinking skills to build points and learn how to separate fact from myth. The Teacher's Guide features all you need to know to understand how to set up the game for your class, the basic premise and information found in the game, and classroom activities that accompany the game's features.
In the Classroom
Add this game to your toolkit of lessons and activities when teaching Internet safety and media literacy skills. The Teachers' Guide already includes many ideas on integrating the game into classroom lessons and includes using technology to enhance and extend learning. Use these ideas as a starting point to build student engagement and help them understand the real-world applications for the information found in the game. For example, use the suggested Padlet, reviewed here, activity to compile quiz questions as suggested in Activity 5. After completing that activity, have students create their own videos, fake social media posts, or news articles that contain misinformation and create quiz questions for their peers to complete. Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, is an excellent tool for students to use when creating websites, flyers, and infographics. As a final project, and to extend learning, have students share what they learned with others by producing podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here, or digital books for younger students using Book Creator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fake News: Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation - Pace University
Grades
4 to 12
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This helpful page provides information to help you understand how to verify news resources for research purposes. This resource guides readers through suggested tips on how to stay...more
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This helpful page provides information to help you understand how to verify news resources for research purposes. This resource guides readers through suggested tips on how to stay alert and recognize fake news. Be sure to look at Real News About Fake News and Other Resources of Interest. Use this resource as a news consumer's handbook that includes ways to identify and recognized fake news stories and resources.
In the Classroom
Include this article with your other resources for teaching how to navigate online information. Include this website within a learning management system such as ActivelyLearn, reviewed here, to build a complete learning unit that includes articles, videos, and assessments that fully immerse and engage students in the learning activities. Enhance learning throughout the school year using Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and organize online information. For example, create a Padlet that includes a column for each of the four categories of fake news mentioned on this website, then ask students to share examples found during online use. Extend learning by asking students to become the teacher through presentations on how to recognize and avoid fake news. Provide a variety of options for student presentations including a comic creation tool like ToonyTool, reviewed here, Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create simple video explainers, or use Wick Editor, reviewed here, and have students create a game to teach the hazards of disinformation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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News and Media Literacy Resource Center - Common Sense Media
Grades
6 to 12
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This collection of vetted resources provides activities and lessons for current news and social discussion topics. In addition to materials found for specific lessons, scroll further...more
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This collection of vetted resources provides activities and lessons for current news and social discussion topics. In addition to materials found for specific lessons, scroll further down the page to find curated collections for news and literacy, media literacy, and social and cultural literacy. Each collection includes regularly updated resources specially chosen to reinforce and practice each literacy skill. Pay particular attention to activities with a green heart icon; these are the site's favorite resources.
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to take advantage of the many curated resources for teaching media and news literacy. Use a curation tool like Padlet, reviewed here, to save and share favorite resources found on this site with students. Use the shelf option in Padlet to create columns and organize information by topic, type of content, or for use by different groups of students. Enhance instruction by asking students to become creators of information as they share their learning. Have students use Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to create infographics to demonstrate different forms of media bias or to share facts learned from news articles. Extend learning even further by asking students to create blogs using edublogs, reviewed here, to demonstrate how to write and share the news using credible information and factual resources.
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Comments
This is such a valuable resource and it's so helpful to have one collection that I know has been vetted with accurate, useful information that teachers can use for themselves as well as with their students. I also love the "In the Classroom" section with suggestions for ways to use the information and resources.Peggy, AZ, Grades: 0 - 8
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Thinkalong - Conneticut Public
Grades
6 to 12
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Improve and build students' critical thinking skills, debate skills, and media literacy using Thinkalong. Present students with provocative questions such as "Are Self-Driving Cars...more
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Improve and build students' critical thinking skills, debate skills, and media literacy using Thinkalong. Present students with provocative questions such as "Are Self-Driving Cars Safe? Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in professional sports? Should schools provide a laptop and internet for every student? Should social media companies be allowed to sell your data?" to name a few of the many topics. Topics focus on science, social studies, and current events. After clicking a topic, find three main categories: Teachers (a teacher's guide), Investigate (usually a graphic organizer), and Contemplate (question the authorship, format, audience purpose, etc.). However, that's not all! Under those categories, you'll find even move resources listed as Watch, Listen, Think Deep, and Contemplate (deeper thinking questions about the message); after all this, students have the opportunity to test their opinions through a structured debate in class or online with another class. Although the resource states it's for middle school students, these lessons could easily be adapted for high school.
In the Classroom
Whether teaching in a classroom or online, scan the included PDF or Word documents into Google Classroom or your school student/teacher platform to share and assign to students. Enhance student learning by asking students to use highlighting and note-taking tools within their word document to provide documentation for their responses. To prepare students for Common Core Assessments on evidence and arguments, have them choose a popular topic, research it (with the materials provided) so they can provide evidence for their stance when writing about their opinion or to refute another's. The debate section is the perfect opportunity to teach students about countering an opposing opinion, deciding which is the strongest point, and then teach them how to address concerns of others in their writing or debate. For example, they can concede it is a valid point and then counter with another strong argument. Consider sharing the activities found on this site with your peers as a model for redesigning lessons you already use in your classroom (for online learning during absences and crises?). Use Padlet, reviewed here, to collaborate and share ideas, activities, and resources as you work toward incorporating inquiry lessons into your classrooms.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Advertising Game - FunEnglishGames.com
Grades
4 to 7
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This game teaches you how to create brochures that captivate and grab the attention of readers through the effective use of content and imagery. Begin by choosing a theme for ...more
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This game teaches you how to create brochures that captivate and grab the attention of readers through the effective use of content and imagery. Begin by choosing a theme for your advertisement and follow the prompts to make selections for the best use of titles, text, and images. If you select the wrong option, the game provides feedback on why it isn't the best choice for creating the most effective advertisement.
In the Classroom
Use this game to help students understand the different components of effective advertising, then apply this knowledge to any project involving images and text. Engage students by beginning with a simple voting tool like Dotstorming, reviewed here. Dotstorming offers a voting tool that includes images and comments. Share different advertising images with students on this tool and have students vote on the most effective design and share comments on why this is their selection. Have students locate online advertising that fits into different categories (appeal to senses, emotion, etc.) and share it on Padlet, reviewed here. Use the column feature in Padlet for students to separate information into the various categories. Enhance student learning by asking students to become the teacher and create a screencast using Free Online Screen Recorder, reviewed here, to share tips and secrets for creating effective digital advertisements. Once students have learned about different features of effective advertising, extend learning by asking them to use their skills to create their own flyer using a graphic design tool like Canva, reviewed here. Use Canva to create book covers for novels, flyers to advertise upcoming historic events, or as an announcement of their latest scientific discovery.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NewsFeed Defenders - FactCheck.org
Grades
6 to 12
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Learn how to find and deal with disinformation and misinformation through this news media literacy game. Players find and identify factual portions of a news story along with misinformation....more
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Learn how to find and deal with disinformation and misinformation through this news media literacy game. Players find and identify factual portions of a news story along with misinformation. Begin by choosing a topic of interest to start your mission. Your goal is to build up your integrity as much as possible throughout the game. Login to your free teacher account to access and print lesson plans and the teacher extension pack.
In the Classroom
Include the NewsFeed Defenders game and lesson as part of your broader unit of teaching about online safety and media literacy. Engage studets by using Padlet, reviewed here, to share materials. Include links to videos, articles, and other materials for students to access. Ask them to add comments sharing their insights and information learned. Help students identify online disinformation by collaborating with Fiskkit, reviewed here. Change out paper and pen by sharing the URL of an article to discuss within Fiskkit, then have students highlight any area to discuss the information within the article. Enhance learning by encouraging students to teach others about media literacy using an online book tool like Book Creator, reviewed here. Book Creator can be used for a variety of assignments in any classroom that is integrating technology as an enhancement, modification, or transformation. Have students design and share a book that includes tips for spotting disinformation or bias using specific examples, including text, videos, and images, along with examples of factual, non-biased information.
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