Snapshot
Fake News: Learn How to Search for the Truth!
Today’s students do not consume news from the traditional sources: not from TV networks or newspapers or even the websites of the major papers. There is an infinite stream of both true and false stories constantly appearing on their social media. Blocking social media on the school network helps but it is not a solution. Students use their data to access information on their smartphones. It is our responsibility as educators to teach children how to discern the difference between real and fake news. I am planning to devote one full month of library class time using both valid and non-valid sources of information to help my students become internet detectives and seek out the truth. This grant enabled me to purchase valid magazine sources such as the Scholastic Action and Choices Magazines to read with my students, pointing out the validity of the resources. We will also use fact-checking sites to seek the truth. Students will write both a fake and a real news story and present it to the class.