Middle School
In this lesson, students learn how to read less and learn more.
In today’s information ecosystem, deceptive content rarely looks deceptive. Websites can appear professional, authoritative, and well-designed, all while advancing misleading claims.
This week’s lesson introduces students to one of the most important skills in today’s information environment: lateral reading. Many students read webpages more carefully, but research shows that professional fact-checkers do the opposite.
This lesson walks students through four core ideas:
The difference between vertical reading and lateral reading.
The SIFT (Four Moves) framework developed by Mike Caulfield for evaluating information.
What reliable outside sources can be used to verify claims, including primary documents, established fact-checking sites from across the political spectrum, academic studies, or reverse image searching
How curated tools like Verity make sourcing visible while still requiring students to think critically and independently.