Who Can You Trust? Evaluating Bias and Credibility in Three Sources

SubstitutePlans.com
English Language Arts · English 9-12
SP-ELA912-004 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 2
Who Can You Trust? Evaluating Bias and
Credibility in Three Sources
English Language Arts · English 9-12 · Grades 10-12 · 50 minutes
Time needed
50 minutes (one class period)
Prep
Copy the 2-page worksheet (one per student). Write three source questions on the board.
Technology
None.
Student
independence
High. Individual reading and analysis, partner talk during the chart.
Copies to make
One 2-page worksheet per student
Materials
Pencils, Worksheet, Whiteboard or chalkboard
Goal for today: Students will evaluate sources for author, purpose, bias and evidence, and rank them by credibility
with written support.
Before the bell
☐ Copy the worksheet, one per student (2 pages).
☐ Write on the board: 1) Who made this and why? 2) What evidence is shown? 3) Does the writer gain from my
belief?
☐ Keep the answer key on your desk. No outside knowledge is needed.
Say this to start
Good morning! Today you will practice deciding which sources to trust. Imagine three sources about a made-up
product, a chewable gummy that is supposed to help students focus. All three are written for this exercise. You will
read each one, fill in a chart, and then decide which is most believable and why.
Run of show
Minutes
What you do
What students do
0–5
Take attendance. Hand out the worksheet and read the
three board questions aloud.
Settle in and take out a pencil.
5–15
Ask students to read all three sources silently. Remind
them to circle words that sound like advertising.
Read and circle.
15–30
Tell students to complete the credibility chart. Partners
may talk quietly.
Fill in every box of the chart.
30–38
Tell students to answer questions 1–3 on their own.
Answer the multiple-choice questions.
38–47
Tell students to answer questions 4 and 5. Walk the room.
Rank the sources and write two questions
to ask.
47–50
Collect the worksheets and place them in a stack.
Hand in the worksheet.

SubstitutePlans.com
English Language Arts · English 9-12
SP-ELA912-004 · Free to print and use in your classroom · substituteplans.com
Page 3
If things go wrong
• If students argue about whether a gummy could really help focus, remind them the product is invented. They
are judging the sources, not the product.
• If students say all sources have bias, agree that most do, and ask them to compare how much and how
openly it is shown.
• If the room gets loud, return to silent work for five minutes.
• If a student finishes early, use the early finisher list.
Early finishers
• Rewrite Source A so it sounds more honest and less like an ad.
• List three things a trustworthy review of any product should include.
Support and challenge
• Support: Provide the board questions as a checklist and have students mark each source with a check or an X
for each question.
• Challenge: Ask students to explain whether a source can be biased and still be accurate.
Notes for the teacher (you fill this in)
Jot a few lines before you leave. A full Daily Sub Report is in the free Sub Survival Kit at SubstitutePlans.com.
How far the class got / what to pick up next:
Students who were especially helpful:
Anything the teacher should know: