University of Manitoba

Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Page 1 of 2
Created by Alyssa Olynyk

Title of Lesson: Reliable Resources in the Science Classroom

Course: Science Grade: 9

Brief Description of Lesson: In this lesson students will explore the differences between reliable
and unreliable sources on the internet.

Connection to previous lesson: This lesson could be incorporated into any science classroom to
show students what information is reliable, for future research purposes.

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Determine how to find credible, reliable
sources from the internet.

Materials & Resources needed:

 Laptops
 Poster Paper
 Markers
 SMART board

What the teacher must do prior to class:

 Have a list of important “Do’s & Don’ts” of reliable sources to ensure students are on the
right track and target all the areas to keep in mind.
 Sign out laptop cart, if each student does not have their own device.

Timeframe: Detailed Description of Teacher’s and Students’ Activities During Lesson:

75 Minutes

Phase 1: Activate
Students will first get into groups of four and brainstorm what they believe the
(~10 minutes) difference between reliable and unreliable sources are.
Students will explore what they think “fake news” means, along with what they
think makes a reliable source.
They will record their ideas on poster paper.
Each group will share their ideas with the class, followed by a class discussion.

Phase 2: Acquire
(~25 minutes) Students will be given time on their laptops to try and find websites that
distinguish the difference between reliable, and non-reliable sources, creating a
list of “do’s & don’ts”.
As a class we will compile the students findings into a list on the SMART board,
of what to look for when deciding if a source is reliable or not.
Show students the YouTube Video: “How to Evaluate Websites”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZZ5XJQ1aHQ

Pozzer, L. L. (2017). Lesson Plan Template. University of Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
 University of Manitoba
Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Page 2 of 2
Phase 3: Apply
Students will pick a research topic of their choice that pertains to science. They
(~40 minutes) will be responsible for finding 5 sources that they find to be reliable, and 5
sources they find to be unreliable, based on the discussions and lists we
created on the SMART board.

Phase 4: Assess
The final assessment piece will be handed in at the end of their research, and
will be summatively assessed based on if the 5 reliable sources fit the criteria
we laid out as a class, and if the 5 unreliable sources violated the criteria laid
out as a class.

Description of Forms of Assessment applicable in this lesson: Diagnostic assessment will take
place during the activate phase of this lesson, by walking around and listening to conversations
being had on what the students prior knowledge on this subject is. Formative assessment will take
place during the acquire phase of this lesson, by giving students feedback while compiling their list
of do’s and don’ts, which they found online. Finally, summative assessment will take place after the
apply phase, by collecting students assignments to fully assess their understanding of the lesson.

Rationale for Teaching Strategies Included in this lesson: This lesson demonstrates the four
A’s by getting students activated in thinking about reliable sources, acquiring information, then
applying it to what they have found, providing different assessment strategies throughout the
lesson. I set this lesson up to be student driven, by getting students to problem solve, inquire and
investigate the information themselves, trying to target more of the underlying curriculum (soft skill
curriculum). It puts the learning into the student’s hands, by getting them to learn what responsible
sources are, through their own research. It is hands on for the students, and targets different types
of learners (kinesthetic, audio, visual). It integrates technology into the classroom, by not only
teaching students responsible resources, but also by getting students to explore the internet for
information themselves.
References:
Coiro, J. (2017). Teaching Adolescents How to Evaluate the Quality of Online Information.
Edutopia: Media Literacy. Retrieved on February 24th 2018, from:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/evaluating-quality-of-online-info-julie-coiro
Education World, (2018). The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Source Credibility. Retrieved on
February 24th 2018, from:
http://www.educationworld.com/ultimate-guide-teaching-source-credibility
Johnson, A. (2018). How To Evaluate Websites. YouTube. Retrieved on February 27th, 2018, from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZZ5XJQ1aHQ
Teaching Channel, (2018). Using Critical Thinking to Find Trustworthy Websites. Retrieved on
February 24th, 2018, from:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/analyzing-websites-with-students
Turabian, K. (2010). Scavenger Hunt: Identifying Unreliable Sources. Student’s Guide to Writing
College Papers, 4th ed. University of Chicago Press, 44-55. Retrieved on February 26th, 2018,
from: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/tcc/LP4_1112.pdf

Pozzer, L. L. (2017). Lesson Plan Template. University of Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB, Canada.