You will learn
- Check the author.
- Check the web address.
- Check evidence and date.
- Cross-check.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Who runs the site?
- What is the purpose?
- Is there evidence?
- Do other sources agree?
Words to know
the web address of a page
the main part of a web address
a headline designed to attract clicks, often misleading
checking other sources about a site while reading it
1. Discover: Is this page trustworthy?
Tolu finds a page: “You won’t BELIEVE this one trick doctors hate!” The headline is clickbait. The URL is odd-looking and the domain is unknown. No author is named and no date is shown.
He uses lateral reading: he opens a new tab and searches for the site and the claim. Trusted health sites do not support it. He decides the page is not reliable.
Think: What checks did he use?
2. Understand: Check before you trust
Idea 1: Checks
Check author, purpose, evidence, date and the URL and domain.
Idea 2: Clickbait
Clickbait uses shocking headlines. Be cautious.
Idea 3: Lateral reading
Use lateral reading: check other sources about the site and claim.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Clickbait
Which is clickbait?
- One trick doctors hate.
Answer: you won’t believe this one trick doctors hate
Example 2 (We do it together): Missing
What was missing?
- Author and date.
Answer: author and date
Example 3 (You try): Lateral
What is lateral reading?
Show the steps and answer
- Check other sources.
Answer: checking other sources about the site and claim
Did you know?
Fact-checkers spend more time leaving a page to check it than staying on it.
Why this matters
Evaluating online information keeps you safe and informed.
4. Explore: Web check
Evaluate a page.
- Choose a page.
- Check author and date.
- Check the URL.
- Read laterally.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can evaluate online information.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The author is ___.
- The URL is ___.
- Other sources say ___.
- I trust / do not trust it because ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. The web address of a page is the ___.
URL
Question 2. The main part of a web address is the ___.
domain
Question 3. A misleading attention-grabbing headline is ___.
clickbait
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- The web address of a page is the ___.
- The main part of a web address is the ___.
- A misleading attention-grabbing headline is ___.
- Checking other sources while reading is ___ reading.
- Tolu opened a new ___.
Level 2: Grow
- What was missing from the page?
- What did trusted health sites do?
- What did Tolu decide?
Level 3: Stretch
- Is clickbait trustworthy?
- Should you check other sources?
- Is every website reliable?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Evaluate a web page using five checks.
Show a sample answer
a web evaluation
Another one. Check a website with a family member using lateral reading.
Show a sample answer
a completed task
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can check the author.
- I can check the web address.
- I can check evidence and date.
- I can cross-check.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Who runs the site?
- What is the purpose?
- Is there evidence?
- Do other sources agree?
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Misleading information. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define clickbait. [1 mark]
- Name four checks for online information. [4 marks]
- What is lateral reading? [1 mark]
- Why did Tolu reject the page? [2 marks]
- Explain how to evaluate a web page. [3 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a misleading headline designed to attract clicks [1]
- author [1]; purpose and evidence [1]; date [1]; web address or other sources [1]
- checking other sources about a site and claim while reading [1]
- no author or date [1]; trusted sources did not support the claim [1]
- check author, date and URL [1]; check evidence and purpose [1]; read laterally to cross-check [1]
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- The web address of a page is the ___.
- The main part of a web address is the ___.
- A misleading attention-grabbing headline is ___.
- Checking other sources while reading is ___ reading.
- Tolu opened a new ___.
- What was missing from the page?
- What did trusted health sites do?
- What did Tolu decide?
- Is clickbait trustworthy?
- Should you check other sources?
Homework
Check a website with a family member using lateral reading.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The web address of a page is the ___. | URL | 1 |
| 2. The main part of a web address is the ___. | domain | 1 |
| 3. A misleading attention-grabbing headline is ___. | clickbait | 1 |
| 4. Checking other sources while reading is ___ reading. | lateral | 1 |
| 5. Tolu opened a new ___. | tab | 1 |
| 6. What was missing from the page? | author and date | 1 |
| 7. What did trusted health sites do? | not support the claim | 1 |
| 8. What did Tolu decide? | the page is not reliable | 1 |
| 9. Is clickbait trustworthy? | no | 1 |
| 10. Should you check other sources? | yes | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 URL; 2 domain; 3 clickbait; 4 lateral; 5 tab. Level 2: 1 author and date; 2 not support the claim; 3 the page is not reliable. Level 3: 1 no; 2 yes; 3 no.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Check the author | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Check the web address | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Check evidence and date | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Cross-check | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen while your child explains the idea.
- Ask for one new example.
- Praise effort and careful work.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: check the author; check the web address; check evidence and date; cross-check.
Prerequisite knowledge. Facts and opinions.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.
Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 11-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 6 » Writing; Grade 6 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 6 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core W.6.8 and RI.6.7 (assess the credibility of each source; integrate information presented in different media); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (online information). These sources informed the lesson.