So where do we find good information?  And how do we know it is good information?  Can I just present quality information to my students? 

 

You could, but they will not always have someone curating the best resources for their own learning!   

 

Here is why...

 

Build your students’ skills to evaluate sources of information and think critically about what they are learning. These transferrable skills are truly the goal of inquiry-based learning.   At all ages, students can be taught and practice their ability to evaluate the information they find and think critically about what they are learning.   

 

Here is how...

 

  • Identify a variety of sources that you could explore together.  For example, photos, artifacts, fiction and non-fiction picture books, newspaper articles, Google, digital resources (ex. World Book Online), video streaming services (ex. Learn 360), interview an expert 

  • Our youngest students can learn to identify authors, their credibility and the relevance of the information to their topic: 

    • Who wrote the information?   

    • How do we know they know what they are talking about? 

    • Does the information help us chase our question? 

  • Our middle year students can also identify the date of the information and compare sources of information: 

    • When was this information written?  Does that affect its’ accuracy? 

    • If we look at three sources of information, do they all give us the same information?  Why or why not?  Is that relevant to us chasing our question? 

  • Our oldest students can go even deeper and work towards evaluating information and be aware of fake news: 

    • Consider using both the CRAAP method and Caulfield’s “4 Moves and a Habit” to teach students to think critically about what they are reading 

 

Here are some resources...

 

Here is an example...

From a Grade 4 inquiry rooted in the PHE curriculum: 

Real Question: How might screen time positively and negatively affect my wellbeing? 

  • You have found 3 sources of information: 

    • 1 World Book Online article 

    • 1 video from Learn 360 

    • 1 article from google 

  • It’s time to sleuth!  For every source of information used, dig in TOGETHER, make it fun in small groups competing to find out: 

    • Who wrote the information?  Why?  When was it written?  Does the information make sense and help you chase your question? 

    • Move them to be critically thinking about what they are reading and hearing.  If you find three sources of information on one topic, do they all agree?  If not, does that matter? 

    • Decide together, can we trust this source?  It is useful? 

  • Don’t forget to cite each source!  Get help with Easy Bib. 

 

Tips for Success:

  • When searching the internet: We all use Google!   

    • Teach your students how to brainstorm keywords for searching.  Start with your real inquiry question.  What are the main ideas?  Nouns?  Check out this video to learn more! 

    • Teach your students how to use Boolean logic to refine their results.  The most common Boolean operators (and, or, not) are powerful when using two keywords to search.  Be sure to capitalize the operator.  For example, screen time AND wellbeing.  New to this?  Check out this video to learn more!