Overview
The students begin the class by sharing and discussing the “Fake News” examples they identified in their homework assignment. A brief video is shown on a contemporary “fake news” event related to the pandemic and students then work in small groups to review and analyze an historic example of fake news from the U.S. colonial era. The lesson concludes with techniques that can be used to check the accuracy of news items that may be untrue.
Grade Level
8th-12th Grades
Essential questions the lesson will address:
● What are the motives behind “Fake News” and disinformation?
● What are the techniques for identifying “Fake News” or disinformation?
● What are the negative consequences of the spread of such items?
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Name some of the reasons why journalists and others spread “Fake News”.
● Identify and use techniques for checking to see whether a news item is false or not.
● Understand the negative consequences of “Fake News”, especially in relation to the pandemic.
Common Core State Standards
unMASKing Curriculum Glossary
● Fake News: false stories that appear to be news, spread on the Internet or using other media, usually created to try to influence political views or as a joke (Dictionary.Cambridge.org).
● Disinformation: false information deliberately and often covertly spread (such as through rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth (Mirriam-Webster).
● Fact: something that is known to have happened or to exist, especially something for which proof exists or about which there is information (Dictionary.Cambridge.org).
● Fact-check: verify the accuracy of information; in journalism this takes place before publication (Merriam-Webster).
● Unreliable: the media source or person is not trustworthy in terms of using facts, especially ones that can be cross-referenced.
● Untrue: the information is plain wrong!
Formative Assessment Strategies
The teacher can make note of:
● The whole class discussion on identifying “fake news”.
● Small group presentations of group work.
● Individual student participation in group work and in whole class discussions.
Materials for Instructor
● Access to the Internet and a screen for showing the video on coronavirus statistics in Alabama (beginning of lesson) and the video on how to detect fake news (end of lesson)
Materials for Students
● Handout: Ben Franklin’s “Fake News”
LESSON PLAN
I. Discussion on Identifying “Fake News” (15 min.)
Begin the class by asking one or two students to talk about the “fake news” stories they found for homework and identifying:
● Where they found the story
● Why they consider this to be “fake news”
● How widespread the story was in the media
Check to see if other students identified the same “fake news” stories. Make notes on the board about how students could tell that an item fit this category.
Review with students the criteria for fake news or “disinformation” from the previous lesson. The teacher should point out these are false stories that are intended to influence people’s views. They appear to be actual, verifiable, news but they are not.
Review the students’ ideas from their homework about how to identify if news is fake, and be sure to bring out the following points:
● Unreliable = the media source or person is not trustworthy in terms of using facts, especially ones that can be cross-referenced
● Untrue = the information is plain wrong!
Share a brief video on Coronavirus statistics in Alabama (20 seconds). Alabama Dept. of Public Health warning that viral COVID-19 post is false. August 18, 2020.
Discuss with the students:
● How do we know that this is fake news?
● Why do you think this fake news was released?
● What are the possible consequences of a news item like this?
II. Analysis of Historical “Fake News” Item (15 min.)
Step One (10 minutes)
Share with students that “fake news” can be traced back to the time of the American Revolution. In fact, Ben Franklin, created a fake newspaper in 1782 to sway the opinion of British citizens still living in England to be sympathetic to the requests of the colonists living in America!
Break students into pairs or small groups of 3 or 4. Pass out the handout on a piece of fake news written by Ben Franklin, which also includes the questions for the groups to address (Handout: Ben Franklin’s Fake News).
Each group should read the piece aloud within the group, with different students taking turns.
The groups should then quickly answer the following questions about the piece, with one student serving as Scribe for the group.
● What were Ben Franklin’s intention with this fake edition of the newspaper?
● Was there anything surprising about this old example of “fake news”?
● What do you think were the likely effects of this “fake news”?
● Was he ‘right’ in publishing this piece?
Step Two (5 minutes)
Allow a few minutes for the groups to present their answers to the questions.
III. Video and Discussion on Fact Checking (15 min.)
Ask the students if they now think it would be easier to recognize what is “fake news” or disinformation. How can you check on the accuracy of a news item when you read something that seems false or suspicious?
If the ideas are not already raised by the students, you can mention the importance of “fact checking” by using online sources and by checking alternative information sources on the same topic.
Conclude the class by showing the video:
