Jami Cameron
Brazoswood High School
Clute, TX
Title: Fact Checking
Description of School and Students
This fact checking unit is taught to freshman-senior Journalism I students in a public high school of
approximately 2,500 students. The class size ranges from 20-30 students who are predominately
Caucasian and Hispanic. Brazoswood High School is a Title 1 school with 41 percent of students on
a free or reduced lunch.
Generative Topic
Why is it important to fact check? Who’s responsibility is it to fact check?
Goal
To understand, apply and defend fact checking.
Understanding Goals
Essential Questions
Why is it important to fact check?
How do you fact check an article?
Critical Engagement Questions
What are facts?
What is fact checking?
Why is fact checking important?
This lesson follows a “Shattered Glass” lesson I teach (Use the “Shattered Glass” study guide), so
my students are already aware of how the lack of fact checking is the difference between fiction and
non-fiction.
This lesson will require you to make contact with your local Politifact organization. If that isn’t
possible, you can provide the facts for students to check.
Activities
Day 1
Hand out newspapers for bell work. Have students choose an article. Tell them to underline all the
facts in the story. Students will then share the facts they underlined and write them on the board.
After everyone has shared one fact, choose one fact on the board and ask them how they would
check it (call ______, visit website, etc.).
Then, hand out a hard copy of the student newspaper (or have students go to the online site). Tell
them to choose one story in which they must check at least 5 facts by the next day. Give them the
rest of the period to work on it. Walk around and check for understanding.
Day 2
Have students get into groups of 3-4 and share the facts they checked, how they checked them and
the results. Then, as a group, have them pick one example from each person to share with the class.
After each group shares their results, take feedback/suggestions that can improve fact checking
techniques.
Day 3
Introduce the class to Politifact. Explain its background, purpose and importance. Show them one or
two checked facts on the website.
Next, assign each group (keep them in the same groups from yesterday) a checked fact from the
website. Tell them to locate and print it out, and then answer the following questions and turn it in
by the end of the period:
1. Title of the fact that was checked
2. Fact checker name
3. Fact being checked:
a. Was it in print or said aloud?
b. When was it in print/said aloud?
c. How did the fact checker come to his/her conclusion (step by step)
4. Is there anything you would have done differently to check the fact?
Day 4
Hand out the completed sheets from day 3. Have each group share their information with the class.
Next, show them examples of facts (pull from newspapers, online news sources or presidential
candidacy speeches that are available on video) that need confirmation. Have them brainstorm
independently how they would check each fact in a step by step process. Turn in ideas at the end of
the day.
Day 5
Hand back their brainstorming sheet with feedback. Tell them that they are now Politifact checkers.
Explain that their original groups will be responsible for checking a fact provided by a Politifact staff
member. Their team will be responsible for confirming whether the fact is true, may be true or pants
on fire. They will have one week to complete the fact checking process – more time will be given if
they provide documentation on why they need more time.
Instructions for the project:
1. Students must keep a group log (either written or online) that explains each step of their process.
It must be thorough and each member must log their participation daily. The log must include
a. Name of the person logging
b. Who they contacted
c. When they were contacted
d. What was the outcome
e. Is more information needed?
f. Did the person/website provide other sources to contact? Why or why not?
2. Once they have completed their fact checking, they must present their findings to the class,
explaining the following information:
a. The fact they were responsible for
b. The importance of checking the fact
c. The result of their fact checking
d. The process that they used to come to their conclusion
Days 6-12
Students will use class time for fact checking. If they run into a problem, or are waiting on a
source, sit down with their group and have them discuss what they have completed so far. Help
them generate other ways to check the fact.
If some groups finish before others, have them check facts for the school newspaper’s upcoming
articles.
Day 13
Students will present their findings to the class. Have classmates complete feedback forms for
each presentation for the group’s reflection.
Resources:
Politifact
http://www.politifact.com/
various newspapers
speech videos