LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Identify common features of reliable news versus fake news; identify a variety of resources available to help teens fight fake news; distinguish fact from myth about fake news.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 2: Analyze the influence of technology and other factors on health behaviors.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Social awareness

KEY VOCAB

trustworthy

persuade

unbiased

endorse

manipulative

Lesson Plan: The Shocking Truth About Fake News

Your social media feed is an easy place to get news—but you shouldn’t believe everything you see. Here are four tips to avoid falling into a misinformation trap.

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the article “The Shocking Truth About Fake News,” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

How can you tell the difference between real and fake news?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the article “The Shocking Truth About Fake News”; read the article out loud to them; or have students partner-read the article out loud.
  • After they’ve read the article, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION AND VOCAB

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz
  • Vocab Builder

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following writing prompt:

In CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, have students choose one of two options. Option A is to write a one- to two-page personal essay about fake news on social media. Have students who choose this option start with a short introduction about the dangers of watching fake news. They should continue by describing one or two fake or misleading stories they saw recently, and expand on the features that helped them identify the stories as fake. Have them conclude by saying how they think social media users should respond when they spot a fake, such as unfollowing a certain content creator or reporting the fake post. For Option B, have students write a one- to two-page article inspired by a recent event at school, such as the win or loss of a school sports team, a talent show, or a Model UN conference. Remind students to use features of reliable news as they write.

Print the Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech