Teacher:

Subject: Information Literacy on the Internet

Grade Level: Grade 10

Date:

  1. Objectives:
  2. The student will evaluate websites using an information checklist.
  3. The student will understand how to determine the information is credible on selected websites.
  4. The student will predict website credibility from viewing a website’s homepage.
  1. Warm Up:

The teacher will take a poll using this question:

How many of you have gone onto the Internet and searched for a topic but didn’t find any useful information?

  1. Activities:

-This is common when searching the World Wide Web. It takes the words that were typed in by the user and finds only the matching words on available websites. This does not account for the crediblity or the correctness of the information.

-Teacher driven activity - get volunteers to help list answers to the question: What are the parts of a website? What information must you obtain from the site if needing to cite this webpage?

  • Title
  • Author
  • Web Address
  • Date
  • Content

-Define Reputable - held in esteem or employed widely or sanctioned by good writers (defined by Merriam Webster dictionary)

Lesson Plan Continued

-From the information on the webpage, there are 4 main topics to consider when determining how credible or reputable information is listed.

4 main topics:

1. Scope of Coverage (Content) –Does it show all sides of the topic? Is it biased in any way?

2. Credibility (Authority) – Does it list an author with credentials? What is the source of the information?

3. Accuracy of Information - can it be confirmed by another source?

4. Timelessness – Listed dates of updated publication? Is it revised often? Is there a contact person with a valid email or phone number?

-Teacher will review these points and verify the students understand what they mean.

-Teacher will then have all students pull up the same website to evaluate as a group:

-Teacher will allow students to look at the page, without clicking any links, just scrolling from top to bottom. Students will predict the credibility of the site. -Teacher will check with a show of

thumbs up/thumbs down.

-Teacher will review the good/bad points of the website.

-Teacher will hand out a list of six websites. Students will be broken up into small groups and given a chance to explore and critique each site using the four reputable topics reviewed earlier.

-After 15 minutes, the group will come back together and one spokesman from each group will talk about the good/bad points about their website.

-Teacher will talk about the looks being legitimate but the information being falsified.

-If time permits, teacher will give the students a choice of four reputable websites for them to browse.

Lesson Plan Continued

  1. Wrap-Up and Closure:

The student will be given an index card and asked to list three items necessary to check on a website that would make it reputable. Student name goes on the back and the card will be handed in before leaving.

  1. Evaluation and Self Assessment:

(To be completed after the lesson is completed)

VI.Appendix:

Websites Evaluation Activity (handout)

Name: ______Date: ______

Websites Evaluation Activity

Number of Chosen Website: ______Name of Site: ______

1. Scope of Coverage (Content)

Has a proper title1 2 3 4 5

Additional resource links are included1 2 3 4 5 Section 1 Total:

Rich in content1 2 3 4 5

How this website compares to similar websites1 2 3 4 5 ______

The scope of the topic is non-biased1 2 3 4 5

  1. Credibility (Authority)

Has an author or company listing1 2 3 4 5

Has a date of original posting1 2 3 4 5 Section 2 Total:

Lists other sources that were used 1 2 3 4 5

Pages are short and in a suitable format1 2 3 4 5______

Links are current and working1 2 3 4 5

States information copyright usability 1 2 3 4 5

  1. Accuracy of Information

Information can be verified with other sources1 2 3 4 5

Site has been reviewed by others1 2 3 4 5Section 3 Total:

Has a bibliography or works cited page1 2 3 4 5

Information is useful to user1 2 3 4 5______

Shows user how to cite information1 2 3 4 5

4. Timelessness

Has a last updated date1 2 3 4 5

States how often the website is updated1 2 3 4 5Section 4 Total:

Lists a contact person for questions1 2 3 4 5

Has a working email address or contact address1 2 3 4 5______

Total Possible Points: 100Total Overall Points: ______