Angela Shuang Liang

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Lesson Title: Evaluating Internet Resources Timing: 90 minutes

Target Audience: Grade 6

Learning Goals:

Students will be able to

Identify the criteria for trustworthy websites

Evaluate web resources to use for biodiversity unit

Prior Knowledge: Familiarity with website text features (e.g. URL, links, ads)

Materials: Evaluating Web Resources anchor chart (pg. 4), Web Resource Evaluation form (pg.

5), one device per two students

Minds On (5’)

Introduce lesson as one about human impacts on biodiversity and endangered species.

Read a few paragraphs about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and elicit student responses

1. Who has heard of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus?

2. What are your thoughts about this information?

3. Do you trust this website? Why/why not?

Reveal the site to be a hoax carefully designed to seem authentic. Discuss the real purpose of

the lesson - to learn to evaluate web resources and gather a collection of trustworthy sites to

use for upcoming science unit on biodiversity.

Guided Practice (25’)

Elicit student responses

How do you know if a website if giving you authentic information?

Present the anchor chart for evaluating web resources (pg. 4).

With the whole group, investigate and evaluate the Tree Octopus website. Fill in the Web

Resource Evaluation form, and make a conclusion about the credibility of the website.

Below is a sample of a filled-in evaluation form.

Angela Shuang Liang

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Website: Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

Purpose

What is the purpose of the

website?

To inform.

Is the information mostly fact

or opinion?

Information is conveyed in a factual tone.

Authority of Author

Who wrote the page? Lyle Zapato

Google search reveals Zapato is the creator of an Internet

hoax.

What are the author’s

credentials?

Author is the “President & CEO of Zapato Productions”

and an “Intradimentional” according to author’s blog.

No science credentials.

Authenticity

Is the information from a

credible organization?

No connection to established organizations.

Are there links to other

resources? Do they work?

Links are working.

Unfamiliar list of “Other Animals of Interest.” Links don’t

lead to recognized sources.

Books listed under Media have nothing to do with the Tree

Octopus.

What sources are listed in the

bibliography/footnotes?

None.

Are there errors in the writing? None found.

Timeliness

Is the page dated? The page was updated a month ago.

Conclusion: The website is not trustworthy because the author has no authority on the

subject of science. The page has no connection to any established organizations, and the

links to literature and other animals of interest are irrelevant.

Angela Shuang Liang

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Independent Practice (45’)

In groups of two, students are assigned websites to evaluate using one iPad/Netbook per group.

They will complete the Web Resource Evaluation form, and make a conclusion based on their

investigation.

Websites to evaluate:

Dog Island

The Burmese Mountain Dog

Save the Guinea Worm Foundation

Protecting Endangered Species

Parasitic Wasp Introduced to Ontario

Ecosystems

Mike the Headless Chicken

Consolidation (15’)

Students reflect on the most effective and efficient way to evaluate websites by having a

discussion around these questions

1. What were the most obvious signs of an unreliable source?

2. What made evaluating websites difficult?

3. How did your prior knowledge help you determine whether a website was trustworthy?

Differentiation

Group students according to ability and assign websites at their reading level. Consider

difficulty, complexity, and text density.

Students who need a challenge can use the anchor chart and Web Resource Evaluation form to

find their own trusted web resources on the topic of biodiversity.

Assessment

Web Resource Evaluation form

Discussion

Angela Shuang Liang

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Anchor Chart

Evaluating Web Resources

Criteria for Evaluation Specific Questions

Authority of author Who wrote the page? What are the author’s credentials?

Purpose What is the purpose of the website (i.e. to inform, entertain, persuade, sell)? Is the information mostly fact or opinion?

Authenticity Is the information from a credible organization? Are there links to other resources? Do they work? What sources are listed in the bibliography/footnotes? Are there errors in the writing?

Timeliness Is the page dated?

Angela Shuang Liang

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Web Resource Evaluation

Website:

Purpose

What is the purpose of the

website?

Is the information mostly fact or

opinion?

Authority of Author

Who wrote the page?

What are the author’s

credentials?

Authenticity

Is the information from a credible

organization?

Are there links to other

resources? Do they work?

What sources are listed in the

bibliography/footnotes?

Are there errors in the writing?

Timeliness

Is the page dated?

Conclusion: