Of Course It's True, I Found It on the Internet!: Evaluating Resources

Presented by: Maureen Southorn

Subject Area(s):

Grade Level(s):

Description:

In this lesson plan, students will learn why it is important to evaluate sources of information, learn the CUBAC method -- Comprehensive, Useful, Balanced, Authoritative, Current -- to evaluate their resources, and demonstrate use of these criteria as applied to scholastic and personal research.

Goals & Objectives:

Instructional Goals:

Students will learn why it is important to evaluate sources of information, learn criteria to do so, and demonstrate use of these criteria as applied to scholastic and personal research.

 

Learning Objectives:

High school students will

-       Demonstrate understanding of WHY critically evaluating sources is important by providing examples of good and bad information sources.

-       Successfully evaluate curriculum-area resources using the CUBAC criteria.

Motivational Goals:

-        Establish relevance by relating evaluation criteria to personal interests and class projects.

-       Increase confidence in choosing solid information for research.

-       Promote continuing ILS use by challenging students to apply critical evaluation techniques in their own life.

Materials:

The setting must include:

a)    a chalkboard, whiteboard, empty wall with sticky-backed paper, or other space for capturing brainstorming session ideas, and

b)   enough computer terminals to accommodate student pairs or trios.

 

Prior to the lesson, the teacher-librarian should post five posters, each listing one of the five criteria for source evaluation.  Make sure that enough copies of the CUBAC handout are available for all activities. 

Procedures:

See attached lesson plan in Supporting Files

Assessment:

See attached lesson plan in Supporting Files

Supporting Files:

Standards: