Angela Shuang Liang

Lesson Title: Evaluating Internet Resources

Timing: 90 minutes

Target Audience: Grade 6

Learning Goals:
Students will be able to
Identify the criteria for trustworthy websites
Evaluate web resources to use for biodiversity unit
Prior Knowledge: Familiarity with website text features (e.g. URL, links, ads)
Materials: Evaluating Web Resources anchor chart (pg. 4), Web Resource Evaluation form (pg.
5), one device per two students

Minds On (5)
Introduce lesson as one about human impacts on biodiversity and endangered species.
Read a few paragraphs about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and elicit student responses
1. Who has heard of the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus?
2. What are your thoughts about this information?
3. Do you trust this website? Why/why not?
Reveal the site to be a hoax carefully designed to seem authentic. Discuss the real purpose of
the lesson - to learn to evaluate web resources and gather a collection of trustworthy sites to
use for upcoming science unit on biodiversity.

Guided Practice (25)

Elicit student responses
How do you know if a website if giving you authentic information?
Present the anchor chart for evaluating web resources (pg. 4).
With the whole group, investigate and evaluate the Tree Octopus website. Fill in the Web
Resource Evaluation form, and make a conclusion about the credibility of the website.
Below is a sample of a filled-in evaluation form.

Angela Shuang Liang

Website: Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

Purpose
What is the purpose of the
website?

To inform.

Is the information mostly fact

or opinion?

Information is conveyed in a factual tone.

Authority of Author
Who wrote the page?

Lyle Zapato
Google search reveals Zapato is the creator of an Internet
hoax.

What are the authors

credentials?

Author is the President & CEO of Zapato Productions

and an Intradimentional according to authors blog.
No science credentials.
Authenticity

Is the information from a

credible organization?

No connection to established organizations.

Are there links to other

resources? Do they work?

Links are working.

Unfamiliar list of Other Animals of Interest. Links dont
lead to recognized sources.
Books listed under Media have nothing to do with the Tree
Octopus.

What sources are listed in the

bibliography/footnotes?

None.

Are there errors in the writing?

None found.
Timeliness

Is the page dated?

The page was updated a month ago.

Conclusion: The website is not trustworthy because the author has no authority on the
subject of science. The page has no connection to any established organizations, and the
links to literature and other animals of interest are irrelevant.

Angela Shuang Liang

Independent Practice (45)
In groups of two, students are assigned websites to evaluate using one iPad/Netbook per group.
They will complete the Web Resource Evaluation form, and make a conclusion based on their
investigation.
Websites to evaluate:
Dog Island
Parasitic Wasp Introduced to Ontario
The Burmese Mountain Dog
Ecosystems
Save the Guinea Worm Foundation
Mike the Headless Chicken
Protecting Endangered Species

Consolidation (15)
Students reflect on the most effective and efficient way to evaluate websites by having a
discussion around these questions
1. What were the most obvious signs of an unreliable source?
2. What made evaluating websites difficult?
3. How did your prior knowledge help you determine whether a website was trustworthy?

Differentiation
Group students according to ability and assign websites at their reading level. Consider
difficulty, complexity, and text density.
Students who need a challenge can use the anchor chart and Web Resource Evaluation form to
find their own trusted web resources on the topic of biodiversity.
Assessment
Web Resource Evaluation form
Discussion

Angela Shuang Liang

Anchor Chart
Evaluating Web Resources
Criteria for Evaluation
Authority of author

Specific Questions
Who wrote the page?
What are the authors credentials?

Purpose

What is the purpose of the website (i.e. to

inform, entertain, persuade, sell)?
Is the information mostly fact or opinion?

Authenticity

Is the information from a credible

organization?
Are there links to other resources? Do they
work?
What sources are listed in the
bibliography/footnotes?
Are there errors in the writing?

Timeliness

Is the page dated?

Angela Shuang Liang

Web Resource Evaluation

Website:
Purpose
What is the purpose of the
website?
Is the information mostly fact or
opinion?
Authority of Author
Who wrote the page?
What are the authors
credentials?
Authenticity
Is the information from a credible
organization?
Are there links to other
resources? Do they work?

What sources are listed in the

bibliography/footnotes?

Are there errors in the writing?

Timeliness
Is the page dated?
Conclusion: