University of St.

Francis
College of Education

Lesson Plan
Name of Lesson/Topic: Website Evaluation Lesson

Learning Goals or Standards to be addressed:

A November 2016 Stanford University study found that while middle
schoolers are fluent users of technology, 82% could not distinguish
between an ad labeled sponsored content and a real news story on a
website. The study highlighted the difficulty students have evaluating
the accuracy and trustworthiness of what they find.

Learning Target: I will know how to evaluate three websites to

determine which is the best to use for my research project.

Standards:
CC.7.W.8/ CC.6-8.WHST.8
Gather relevant information from print and digital sources;
assess the credibility and accuracy of each source.

Students will understand

The lifelong importance of evaluating all information sources
before using information contained within that source.

Students will know

1. The features that make a website credible and safe to use
(authors credentials, domain, format, purpose,
perspective, accuracy, evidence.)
2. Where and how to locate this information.
Students will be able to
1. Identify key elements of a website that provide clues to the
credibility of the website (Domain, About, Contact Us,
Publisher, Copyright date).
2. Determine, based on their analysis, the best of three
websites examined.

Learning Activity How will students be formatively

assessed?

Using ChromeBooks, students will

As an introduction to the website
take Socrative quick quiz.
evaluation lesson, students will be
Students are given several
given a pretest to assess, and
opportunities to compare two
demonstrate to them, the need for
different websites, and to select
examining sources prior to using
the best.
them.

We will review the results together

discussing why it is important to
evaluate sources prior to using.

Using a Pear Deck presentation,

After each element is explained,
students will be instructed on:
students will answer two
1. Key elements/features of a
questions about that element;
credible website; and
results will be projected
2. Where to locate them.
anonymously to determine
understanding. Additional
instruction will be provided, as
needed.

Students will choose a topic they

Summative Assessment:
have some prior knowledge of (a
Using Google Slides, students will
passion or interest). They will
paste links to their websites and
locate three websites and evaluate
complete an evaluation form.
them, identifying which website
would be the best source for
their topic.
How will the needs of students with various needs (ELL, digital
learners, gifted learners, RTI students, and special education students)
be addressed during and after each stage in the formative
assessment process?

ELL students will be allowed to use Google translate or their

phones to translate the pre-assessment.

All students in our district are subscribed to Read & Write for
Google Chrome, which supports students with learning
difficulties, dyslexia and ELL. They can activate the tool bar for
text-to-speech and translation features during the instruction
and formative portion of the lesson.

After the instruction and formative assessment process,

student choice in topic for the Google Slide chart completion
will help to differentiate for all learners, gifted, ELL and RTI
students.

Describe the specific learning activities and process for

implementation. What SRS is being used? How should students access
the SRS tool? How will students be introduced to the tool? Will the
SRS be used in any other way beyond formative assessment
(attendance, engagement, rewards, etc.)?

Begin class with reference to the upcoming research project

and review of Learning Targets. Students will use
ChromeBooks to complete a Socrative Quick Quiz. Students will
be reassured that the quiz is a fun way to determine if they can
distinguish between a good and not-so-good website, and that
the instruction today will be based on the collective results of
the Quick Quiz, which we will review together. (Majority of
students will have used Socrative with other teachers already.)

Next, students will sign into a Pear Deck presentation for

instruction on the features of a credible website and how to
find them. (Students should also have prior experience with
Pear Deck.) After each feature is discussed, students will
answer 2 questions. Results will be projected anonymously.
Instruction will not progress to the next feature until the
majority of students are able to answer correctly.
Formative assessment will also take place via question and
answers during instruction.

Reflect on how the lesson will improve the learning environment for
students. How will it improve the retention of important material and
learning processes?

As stated in the Learning Goals section, research, as well as

day-to-day experience, overwhelmingly indicates the need for
student instruction on source evaluation. The pre-test is
expected to demonstrate this need to the students themselves.

Like the requirement to cite sources, students need to be

continually urged to closely evaluate their sources; their need
for speed to complete assignments and lack of prior
knowledge of new subject areas often makes them reluctant or
unable to effectively evaluate sources.

This lesson with engaging, hands-on practice at evaluating

each individual component should increase understanding. By
taking the time to reinstruct on key features, as indicated by
student responses in Pear Deck, students should be able to
track the steps required.

The Google Slides evaluation form will provide the opportunity

to put their new skills into practice on a subject of their own
choosing that they are knowledgeable and passionate about.

The results of their analysis will identify students needing

additional instruction in this area.

Describe other ways you can incorporate technology learning into your
classroom.

Since I am the librarian at our school, the vast majority of my

classroom instruction revolves around technology, either
instructing students how to use a new tech tool, or how to
search for information using a device.
Since I have limited time with the majority of the classes I
teach, often just 1 or 2 class periods, formative assessment
during my instruction is critical. I need to know at the time of
my instruction what students are understanding and what they
are not so that I can adjust immediately to insure they learn
what they need to before I leave.