Task 1 Objectives:

Today you will learn to:

  • Explain the difference between a fact and an opinion.
  • Recognise that information must be accurate and reliable for it to be valid.
  • Describe features of a website that make it clear and easy to use.

I am looking for you to:

  • Evaluate several websites and judge how good the quality of information is on each one.

 

 

Teacher Feedback Wiki

Instructions     

Help and Resources 

Time

Welcome

Welcome1.ppt

 

Intro Video This video gives intro info about Malawi.

Malawi.wmv | Malawi video streamed

 

1.1* Play Hangman.

Hangman

5 mins

1.2 View teacher 1.2.ppt. 

teacher1_2.ppt

10 mins

1.3 SAVE and complete worksheet1_4.doc

SAVE worksheet1.4.doc

5 mins

1.4 Copy the address link: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Open a new browser window (Ctrl n) and browse to google

Paste the address into google and view the number and types of links found.

Discuss how this can help to research how reliable a site is.

Ask students to do the same with www.guide2malawi.com/

www.google.co.uk

15 mins

Plenary View Welcome slide 4.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

10 mins

Homework Write notes on the differences between viewing a specific article on news.bbc.co.uk, or a newspaper and on TV.

Homework1.doc

 

  

Teacher info:

1.1

·         Facts are often communicated as simple statements.

For example, the Atlantic Ocean lies between the UK and the USA; dogs are more intelligent than cats.

·         A statement of opinion can be presented as a fact if it is backed up by evidence to support it. Advertisements sometimes use this technique. It is up to the reader or listener to assess how well founded the evidence is. Even when evidence is provided, whether the statement is a fact or is opinion may still be debatable.

·         When a fact is obviously debatable, the statement will sometimes include ‘safety clauses’ such as ‘possibly’ or ‘probably’.

For example, Italy is possibly the most attractive country in Europe.

·         Where an opinion or viewpoint is not deliberately presented as a fact, there are clues to look out for. The use of conditionals (could, might, would) and signals of opinion (believe, opinion, think) are indicators that an opinion is being offered.

For example, school uniform is not important, but that’s just my opinion;
a low-fat diet is believed to be a healthy one;
solar power could be the answer to national power shortages.

Discuss the merits of each type of URL briefly. Discuss the level of reliability as you move through the list. Make sure pupils know what ‘endorsements’ are.

Notes

·         .gov is a government website.

·         .ac is an academic website.

·         .ed is an educational website.

·         .org is a charity or organisation.

·         .co or .com is probably a commercial site and may be reliable but will usually have a commercial interest.

·         .sch is a school website in the UK. (Pupils could check how up to date the information is.)

·         Updates: the most recent update of the site can be found in the site information or from clues in the text, such as dated news items.

 

Key Words:

From Year 6: accurate

From Year 7: opinion, reliable, search engine, URL, viewpoint

From Year 8: appraise, authentic, bias, plausible

Other: accessible, valid