Brief Description

Students will explore two urban legend websites and answer questions designed to help them understand, recognize, and learn to evaluate Internet "stories".

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

2T-E1. Discuss basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information and describe personal consequences of inappropriate use
5T-E2. Evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness and bias
of electronic information sources

R-E4. Identify the author’s purpose, position, and bias
3WP-E1. Utilize information acquired from several sources and transfer information learned in one situation to another

Academic

• Students will use critical reading and thinking skills to understand and evaluate Internet "stories" for accuracy.

• Students will use a URL to access a website.
• Students will use search terms at hoax search sites.
• Students will discuss basic issues related to responsible use of technology and information and describe personal consequence of inappropriate use.

Use of mouse
Familiarity with keyboarding

Materials

Computer with Internet access for each student (could be adapted to small groups of students or one-computer classroom).
Urban Legends Assignment:  http://www.amphi.com/~crolewsk/urbanlegend/
Urban Legends Handout/Worksheet
Urban Legends article: On the Net, tales too tall to be true. (available at: http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cta293.htm)
Snopes--Urban Legends and Hoaxes: http://www.snopes2.com
Urban Legends and Folklore: http://urbanlegends.about.com

Accommodations for Special Needs

NES, beginning ESL, and non-readers can be paired with more proficient students.

Procedures

This lesson will take 1-2 class periods.

Discussion
"Did you hear the one about..?"
Ask students about some of the wild stories they have heard. Begin perhaps with some tales you are familiar with such as tragic photo from the WTC. They will be able to share many other stories.

Discuss:  How can we tell if such stories are true?

Article
Read and discuss the article: On the Net, tales too tall to be true.

Model
1. Demonstrate the websites which will be used: the teacher-created Urban Legends Assignment site which they will begin with (http://www.amphi.com/~crolewsk/urbanlegend/)
and the two Urban Legend sites: Snopes.com and Urban Legends and Folklore.

2. Demonstrate how the handout matches the webpage.

Monitor during Work Time
Assist students as they progress through this activity. It is critical that you continue to remind them that much of what they are reading is NOT true and they need to look for the indicators offered by the websites.

Discuss Findings
When students are finished, have a class discussion on what they learned.
What were some of the most outrageous stories?
Which ones seemed really believable?
How can you tell, now, when a story is true or not?
Where can you go to check the validity of a story you hear or receive as email?
What should you ALWAYS do before forwarding a story vie email?

Students will be assessed by the completeness/accuracy of the handout/worksheet as well as class discussion.

Teacher Name: Cindy Rolewski
Site: La Cima
Date Submitted: February 2002