The media and reliable information 8-May-19 The media and reliable information Starter Diamond 9 You have a sheet with 9 diamonds on. You need order the 9 diamonds into a big one in order of what you think is the most reliable source of information to the least. Tabloid Friends Broadsheet Youtube Facebook Teachers A diamond 9 is a Thinking Skills activity. There is no right or wrong answer but it gets students to think about which sources of information they find the most reliable. To discuss get students to give examples of what they put at the top and the bottom of the diamond and explain their reasons for this. BBC Twitter Parents

Your diamond 9 should end up like this Starter Now write a brief paragraph explaining your choices. Most reliable Very reliable Very reliable reliable reliable reliable Not very reliable Not very reliable Least reliable

Keywords The media Objectives By the end of this lesson you might be able to… ALL – will look at what we mean by fact and opinion Most- will assess what constitutes ‘good evidence’ Some– will analyse what techniques are used to create convincing propaganda Keywords Fact, fiction, opinion, evidence, media, propaganda

In 2003 British and American forces invaded Iraq in a conflict that officially lasted until 2011. There were some shocking images. On the next slide you’ll see a picture of an Iraqi soldier captured by the British. You’ll have one minute to write a headline that sums it up. Information

Has your opinion on what you’ve seen now changed? Write a headline that now sums up the image. If you think you wouldn’t change anything then write a couple of sentences explaining why. Activity The image is quite controversial but the aim of it is to demonstrate how if we are only given limited information then it makes it difficult for us to accurately judge what is going on in a situation. Has your opinion on what you’ve seen changed?

Activity Has your opinion on what you’ve seen changed?

What happens when fact and opinion are mixed? Fact or opinion? Activity From the classroom window I can see a lamppost. There are too many people on the planet. Earth is the third planet from the sun. A gay couple should not be allowed to have kids. The richer you are, the happier you are. There are twelve eggs in a dozen. The Bible suggests you should not have tattoos and body piercings. The European Union Headquarters are located in Brussels. The legal age of drinking should be lowered to 16. The names of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.   Facts are statements that are either backed up directly by evidence or where evidence can easily be retrieved to prove it. Opinions are statements that are based on feelings, past experiences, or emotions. It is similar to the fiction versus nonfiction argument. What happens when fact and opinion are mixed? Facts can be checked and back up with evidence. Opinion is based on belief and value and cannot not be checked. Writers often mix fact and opinion – it’s not often easy to whether something is based on facts that can be checked or whether it is just a somebody’s viewpoint. For this reason, it’s important to have a questioning mind. Just because someone says something doesn’t mean it’s true.

How could you find out if this story is true? Fact or opinion? Activity How could you find out if this story is true? What tips can help us to check a source? Facts can be checked and back up with evidence. Opinion is based on belief and value and cannot not be checked.

The class will now be split in two The class will now be split in two. A volunteer from either side of the room will come and stand at the front. Your teacher will then ask you a question and the answer will be one of the words on the board. The first player to hit the correct word, whilst saying ‘splat’ get the point. You can only hit words on your side of the board. Plenary SPLAT Split the class in two. A student stands either side of the board. Make up a question to which one of the key words is the answer. The student who hits the correct answer first whilst saying the word splat wins the point

Team 1 Evidence Media Broadsheet Propaganda Fact Opinion Team 2 Plenary Make up your own questions for which one of these key words are the answer. It’s good to do a few and have different volunteers come up to the front to play. Then get other students in the class to come up with their own questions to which some of these words can be the answers too.