If it's on the Internet, it must be true ... right? Introduce young Internet explorers to the importance of fact-checking through a fun web-based activity. Pairs work together to read and analyze biographies about world explorers, then use reliable sources to create a persuasive letter that corrects errors in each biography.

Concepts

explorers, early explorers, historical research, persuasive letters, evaluating sources, the internet, facts

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Expand on the writing assignment by incorporating a poster or presentation about one or more of the explorers
• Use the activity as a culminating assessment for an explorers unit

Classroom Considerations

• Partners need a computer with Internet access to perform research and send an email
• The lesson builds on four previous lessons, available at the same website
  

Pros

• Pupils receive an email response to their persuasive letters
• The exercise promotes critical thinking and sharpens fact-checking skills
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

W.6.10 W.7.10