Fact Checking 101

From viral memes to so-called "fake news," the web is overflowing with information – true, false, and everything in between. For many, this makes the web a challenging place to find credible and reliable sources. 

In this classroom activity from News Literacy Project and Common Sense Education, learners join an “expert” group to learn one specific digital verification skill, then reorganize and join a “jigsaw” group to share what they learned with their co-participants and to fact-check and analyze one example (or more) of viral rumors. 

“Jigsaw” groups will work as a team to answer a series of questions about the authenticity and origins of visual examples (photos and videos) and the accuracy of any claims made (in an accompanying social media post or meme, for instance), then extend their skills to explore each example further. 

Activity

• Break learners into “expert” groups in which they will learn one of five digital verification skills by watching a short tutorial, taking notes and asking clarifying questions of others in their group. The skills (with tutorial links) are –

  • Critical Observation

  • Reverse Image Search

  • Geolocation

  • Lateral Reading

  • Magnifiers

• After learning the digital verification skills, convene learners back and break them into “jigsaw” groups in which each of the five skills is represented.

• Once learners are in their “jigsaw” groups, explain that you will be sharing an example for them to fact-check as a team using the attached worksheet. If you want to give this activity a competitive aspect, you can also tell them that groups will be rewarded for speed and accuracy, but that accuracy is more important than speed.

• Share the misinformation example with each group.

• If you feel that it is necessary, elicit a discussion about the example (what it is claiming and why someone might want to make or amplify this claim).

• Ask learners to complete these worksheets individually or to fill out one as a group. 

Questions you may want to ask to process learning – What different types of misinformation exist? Why do people believe misinformation? What skills and tools do people need to effectively debunk misinformation?