1. Test Before You Trust 1. Question Online Sources
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Test Before You Trust 1 2 3 4 5 6
1. Question
Anyone can publish on the Internet, so not all sites
are equally trustworthy.
You need to carefully evaluate the sites you use for
research, and then decide which ones you can trust.
What criteria will you use to judge the trustworthiness
and usefulness of websites?
In this SlamDunk lesson you will examine the research resources within to be able to answer the question:
Online Sources
Select the image above to review a BrainPOP video about using evaluating online sources.
Image Source: BrainPOP
How can I evaluate the quality of the online resources I find?

2. 2. Information Sources Next 1 2 3 4 5 6
Use these websites to read about ways to evaluate websites:
Criteria for Evaluating Websites: from Classzone
World Book-Evaluating Sources: an article from BCPS database World Book
Research Toolkit- Evaluating Resources: This research toolkit from the University of Nevada provides a collection of sources, tools, and information that you can use to evaluate media.
Evaluating Internet Sources: chapter 9 of Using the Internet, a Safari Montage video.
*You may need to log-in when viewing a Safari Montage video. See your library media specialist for help.
Select the image above to watch a Safari Montage video about evaluating sources.
Image Source: Safari Montage

3. 3. Student Activity Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 Evaluate these websites:
Site 1: World Book- Octopus
Site 2: The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Site 3: Giant Pacific Octopus
Use the resources on slide 2 to determine which of these sites would be a reliable source of information if you were conducting research on an octopus.
Use this CHECKLIST to help guide your decision. Which of these websites are trustworthy sources of information?
Select the image above to learn more about evaluating websites from EasyBib
Image Source: EasyBib

4. 4. Assessment Activity Next 1 2 3 4 5 6
Now it is time for YOU to conduct your own research using a search engine of your choice. (ex: Google, Yahoo, or Bing)
Search for information about the topic of Climate Change. Enter the topic Climate Change into the search engine of your choice, and use the checklist from slide 3 to evaluate the first 3 websites that appear.
Reflect on this activity. Which of these 3 sites would you use for research? Do any make the cut?
Use this REFLECTION SHEET to write about your findings. Use the data from your checklists to explain why or why not these websites would be would be good resources to use for research.
Select the image above to view an interactive website on website evaluation from kidscomputerlab.org
Image Source: kidscomputerlab.org

5. 5. Enrichment Activities
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5. Enrichment Activities 1 2 3 4 5 6
Evaluate the Evaluation Checklists below. Do you like using one of these checklists better than the one we used in our lesson? Why or why not?
Read, Write, Think: an interactive checklist for evaluating websites.
Evaluating Web Sites: A Checklist- from the University of Maryland libraries
Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites: from the Arthur C. Wagner Library at Capitol Community College.
Select the image above to watch an interactive slide show about evaluating websites.
Image Source: TEAMS Educational Resources

6. 6. Teacher Support Materials1 2 3 4 5 6
Middle School: Grade 6-8
Maryland State Curriculum
The Impacts of Technology: Students will develop abilities to assess the impacts of technology. Indicator Statement: Develop an understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and political effects of technology. (ITEA, STL 4)
Common Core State Standards
grade 6: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
grade 7: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
grade 8: RI.2, RI.3, RI.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.2, SL.5, SL.6, L.6
Standards for the 21st Century Learner Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g. textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.
ISTE Standards for Students
1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new
Ideas, products, or processes. b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
5. Digital Citizenship : Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. 5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
Time Frame:
1 hour for research
1 hour to create research product (website evaluation/ reflection)
Differentiation strategies for this lesson:
Direct students to use learning tools included in our BCPS-licensed databases, such as: audio read-aloud, labeled reading levels/Lexiles, and embedded dictionaries.
Notes to the teacher:
Collaborate with your school library media specialist to implement this lesson and to assist with having students use content creation tools associated with this lesson.
Students may complete this lesson independently from school or home.
Lesson content used or adapted from the Common Sense Media lesson Identifying High Quality Sites. Please review this lesson before implementing the SlamDunk research model to gain a broader scope of the lesson content.
Last updated: July Created by Anna Conner, Library Media Specialist BCPS Slam Dunk Research Model, Copyright 2013, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. The models may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly. This lesson is based on Jamie McKenzie’s Slam Dunk Lesson module.