New resource from News Literacy Project turns viral misinformation into classroom lesson
A new classroom resource from RumorGuard, the News Literacy Project’s platform dedicated to exploring viral misinformation trends, teaches students how to think like a fact-checker and spot common tactics used to spread falsehoods online.
As concerns grow about the information young people are exposed to on their phones and in their social feeds, this valuable resource offers educators real-world examples they can use to teach students critical thinking skills, including how to identify credible sources.
RumorGuard Report: Don’t Be Fooled helps students analyze an example of viral misinformation. First, students pick an entry from RumorGuard.org, which curates fact-checks and provides tips to build news literacy skills. After choosing the rumor, students summarize its main points, read a related fact-check from a third-party source, and reflect on the verification process used by journalists to determine the accuracy of claims.
A related activity asks students to choose an article from a fact-checking site and identify the steps the journalist took to confirm or debunk the featured claim. Then, students reflect on how they can verify information when they encounter a viral post on their own.
Designed for grades 6 and up, the activities help students recognize common tactics used to mislead people online and think critically about the content they encounter in their digital lives. Research shows that this approach, sometimes called “prebunking,” can help people build resilience against misinformation.
Students can complete the activity on their own, in pairs or in groups. It also is well-suited for lessons on digital literacy, media literacy, digital citizenship, journalism and more.