Seaford Students Learn To Separate Fact From Fiction Online

SEAFORD, NY — It's becoming increasingly precarious for kids on the internet and not every piece of information available at the click of a mouse is reliable. That's why fourth graders at Seaford Harbor School recently learned how to find the most trustworthy sources. Working with library media specialist Jennifer Brand, students evaluated various websites to determine which ones were real — and which were fake.

Brand noted that fourth graders conduct research projects and must know how to identify fact from fiction. Students use print materials in the school library, but they also do a lot of research online. Finding credible internet sources is a key research skill, she said.

Brand gave students five websites to explore, all involving their current social studies unit on explorers. Teams thoroughly reviewed a different site, using a checklist to analyze different aspects, including comparing how fast sites loaded, the quality of spelling and grammar, visual appearance and whether the information was supported with evidence.

After browsing, students reconvened to discuss their impressions of the different websites and determine which was fake.