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Anyone can publish on the Internet, so not all sites
are equally trustworthy.
You need to carefully evaluate the sites you use for
research, and then decide which ones you can trust.
What criteria will you use to judge the trustworthiness
and usefulness of websites?
In this SlamDunk lesson you will examine the research
resources within to be able to answer the question:
Select the image above to review a BrainPOP
video about using evaluating online sources.
Image Source: BrainPOP
How can I evaluate the quality of the online resources I find?
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Next
Use these websites to read about ways to evaluate
websites:
 Criteria for Evaluating Websites: from Classzone
 World Book-Evaluating Sources: an article from BCPS
database World Book
 Research Toolkit- Evaluating Resources: This research
toolkit from the University of Nevada provides a
collection of sources, tools, and information that you
can use to evaluate media.
 Evaluating Internet Sources: chapter 9 of Using the
Internet, a Safari Montage video.
*You may need to log-in when viewing a Safari Montage video.
See your library media specialist for help.
Select the image above to watch a Safari
Montage video about evaluating sources.
Image Source: Safari Montage
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Evaluate these websites:
Site 1: World Book- Octopus
Site 2: The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Site 3: Giant Pacific Octopus
Use the resources on slide 2 to determine which of these
sites would be a reliable source of information if you
were conducting research on an octopus.
Use this CHECKLIST to help guide your decision. Which of
these websites are trustworthy sources of information?
Select the image above to learn more about
evaluating websites from EasyBib
Image Source: EasyBib
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Now it is time for YOU to conduct your own research
using a search engine of your choice. (ex: Google,
Yahoo, or Bing)
Search for information about the topic of Climate
Change. Enter the topic Climate Change into the
search engine of your choice, and use the checklist
from slide 3 to evaluate the first 3 websites that
appear.
Reflect on this activity. Which of these 3 sites would you
use for research? Do any make the cut?
Use this REFLECTION SHEET to write about your
findings. Use the data from your checklists to explain
why or why not these websites would be would be
good resources to use for research.
Select the image above to view an interactive
website on website evaluation from
kidscomputerlab.org
Image Source: kidscomputerlab.org
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Evaluate the Evaluation Checklists below. Do
you like using one of these checklists better than
the one we used in our lesson? Why or why not?
Read, Write, Think: an interactive checklist
for evaluating websites.
Evaluating Web Sites: A Checklist: from the
University of Maryland libraries
Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites: from the
Arthur C. Wagner Library at Capitol
Community College.
Select the image above to watch an interactive slide
show about evaluating websites.
Image Source: TEAMS Educational Resources
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Middle School: Grade 6-8
Maryland State Curriculum
The Impacts of Technology: Students will develop abilities to assess the impacts of technology. Indicator Statement:
Develop an understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and political effects of technology. (ITEA, STL 4)
Common Core State Standards
grade 6: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
grade 7: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
grade 8: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
Standards for the 21st Century Learner
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g. textual, visual, media, digital) in order to
make inferences and gather meaning.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-world
situations, and further investigations.
ISTE Standards for Students
1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative
products and processes using technology. a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new
Ideas, products, or processes. b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct
research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and
resources. c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
5. Digital Citizenship : Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice
legal and ethical behavior. 5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and
technology.
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Time Frame:
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1 hour for research
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1 hour to create research product (website evaluation/
reflection)
Differentiation strategies for this lesson:
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Direct students to use learning tools included in our BCPSlicensed databases, such as: audio read-aloud, labeled reading
levels/Lexiles, and embedded dictionaries.
Notes to the teacher:
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Collaborate with your school library media specialist to
implement this lesson and to assist with having students use content
creation tools associated with this lesson.
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Students may complete this lesson independently from school or
home.
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Lesson content used or adapted from the Common Sense Media
lesson Identifying High Quality Sites. Please review this lesson before
implementing the SlamDunk research model to gain a broader scope
of the lesson content.
Last updated: July 2015
Created by Anna Conner, Library Media Specialist
BCPS Slam Dunk Research Model, Copyright 2013, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. The models may be used for educational, non-profit school use only.
All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. This lesson is based on Jamie McKenzie’s Slam Dunk Lesson module.