The simplest and most direct way to address misinformation is to fact-check. Ideally, you can demonstrate these skills "live" in class, working with student suggestions and your supplemental guidance.

This presentation lesson introduces you (or your class) to some basic tools used by professional fact-checkers. It also includes a "fast-and-frugal" decision tree for evaluating sources of information. .

But there are limits. This lesson thus sets a context for further lessons on expertise and deceptive tactics.

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Instructor's Narrative:

See presentation..

Background Reading:

Allchin, D. 2023. Marginalizing misinformation--the fast and frugal way. The Science Teacher.

Wineburg, S. 2024. The art of critical ignoring. The Science Teacher.

Pimentel, D. 2025. Looks can be deceiving: Learning to stop and read laterally. The Science Teacher .

Further Reading:

Caulfield, M.. & Wineburg, S. 2024. Verified: How to Think Straight, Get Duped Less, and Make Better Decisions about What to Believe Online. University of Chicago Press.