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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes

Which source is most reliable?

Reading Comprehension

CCSS RI.6.7CCSS W.6.8England: KS3 Reading (evaluating texts)England: KS3 English (spoken language and research)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Which source is most reliable?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Fact and opinion

Leads to: News, opinion, advert or satire?

Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Fact and opinion). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. A: Football is boring to watch. B: A football team has eleven players on the pitch. Which sentence is a fact? (A / B) → BPrompt: What is the writer's main claim?
  2. A: Water freezes at 0 °C. B: Winter is the worst season. Which sentence is an opinion? (A / B) → BPrompt: What is the writer's main claim?
  3. A: Chocolate ice cream is the best flavour. B: Ice cream is made with milk or cream. Which sentence is a fact? (A / B) → BPrompt: What is the writer's main claim?

Hook · 5 min

  • Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
  • Share the objective: Which source is most reliable?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: You find two articles about a new skate park. One was published yesterday; the other is from four years ago. Which should you trust for the park's current rules?
  • Step 1: Reliable sources are expert, up to date, based on evidence and not just trying to sell or entertain.
  • Step 2: For things that change, the most recent reliable source is best.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: the one published yesterday
  • Answer: the one published yesterday
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. You are researching whether a type of frog is endangered. Which source is most reliable? (a conservation organisation's species report / a cartoon about frogs / a pet shop advert / a joke website) → a conservation organisation's species reportPrompt: Ask: Who made this? Do they know the topic? Is it up to date?
  2. Read the question and choose. Which detail makes an article MORE trustworthy? (it uses lots of capital letters and exclamation marks / it names its sources and links to the original study / it has no author / it says 'everyone knows this') → it names its sources and links to the original studyPrompt: Think about expertise, evidence, purpose and date.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. A post says chocolate cures colds. Which is the best way to check the claim? (look for what health organisations and doctors say / ask the person who posted it / believe it because it has a photo / count how many likes the post has) → look for what health organisations and doctors sayPrompt: Ask: Who made this? Do they know the topic? Is it up to date?
  2. Read the question and choose. A video claims a new phone 'can't break'. The video is made by the phone company. What is the main problem? (the video is too short / videos can never be trusted / the source has a reason to exaggerate / phones are not a real topic) → the source has a reason to exaggeratePrompt: Think about expertise, evidence, purpose and date.

Watch out for

  • Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
  • Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Fact and opinion.
  • Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: News, opinion, advert or satire?.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-6.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Which source is most reliable?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

The Phone-Free Lunch Experiment

For one month, students at Brookfield School tried something unusual: no phones at lunch. Phones stayed in lockers from twelve until one, and the dining hall filled with board games, sketchbooks and a lot more noise. The idea came from the student council. In a survey, 61 per cent of students said they spent most of lunch looking at a screen, and many said they wanted a break but found it hard to stop on their own. At first, not everyone was happy. "I thought it was a punishment," admitted Jaden, 12. "But after a week I'd learned to play chess, and now I actually look forward to lunch." Teachers noticed changes too. Ms Ortega, who supervises the hall, said there were fewer arguments and more students sitting in mixed groups. However, some students said they missed messaging family members during the day. The council will now vote on whether to keep the rule. One suggestion is a compromise: phone-free Mondays to Thursdays, with Fridays left free.

  1. Question 1

    Read "The Phone-Free Lunch Experiment". What is the main purpose of this article?

    • A. to entertain with a made-up story
    • B. to sell board games
    • C. to persuade readers to ban phones everywhere
    • D. to inform readers about the trial and different views on it

  1. Question 2

    Read the question and choose. Why does the date of a source matter?

    • A. information can change, so old facts may be out of date
    • B. newer sources are always longer
    • C. old sources are always wrong
    • D. it doesn't matter

  2. Question 3

    You want to know whether a storm will reach your town tomorrow. Which source is most reliable?

    • A. a rumour in your class group chat
    • B. a video from someone who says they can 'feel' storms coming
    • C. the national weather service's latest forecast
    • D. a weather post from two years ago

  3. Question 4

    Read the question and choose. Which question is MOST useful when checking a website?

    • A. Who wrote it, and what do they know about the topic?
    • B. Does it have lots of pictures?
    • C. Is the font easy to read?
    • D. Does it have bright colours?

  4. Question 5

    A post says chocolate cures colds. Which is the best way to check the claim?

    • A. believe it because it has a photo
    • B. count how many likes the post has
    • C. ask the person who posted it
    • D. look for what health organisations and doctors say

  5. Question 6

    You are researching how many moons Jupiter has. Which source is most reliable?

    • A. an old encyclopedia from 1985
    • B. a space agency's website, checked for its latest update date
    • C. a quiz app with no sources
    • D. a science-fiction film about Jupiter

  6. Question 7

    Read the question and choose. A video claims a new phone 'can't break'. The video is made by the phone company. What is the main problem?

    • A. the video is too short
    • B. the source has a reason to exaggerate
    • C. videos can never be trusted
    • D. phones are not a real topic

  7. Question 8

    You need the opening times of the swimming pool this weekend. Which source is most reliable?

    • A. the pool's official website or phone line
    • B. a map app photo
    • C. a friend who went once
    • D. a review written last year

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Answer key: Which source is most reliable?

  1. 1. D. to inform readers about the trial and different views on it

  2. 2. A. information can change, so old facts may be out of date

  3. 3. C. the national weather service's latest forecast

  4. 4. A. Who wrote it, and what do they know about the topic?

  5. 5. D. look for what health organisations and doctors say

  6. 6. B. a space agency's website, checked for its latest update date

  7. 7. B. the source has a reason to exaggerate

  8. 8. A. the pool's official website or phone line