English · Year 9

Active learning ideas

Identifying Misinformation and Disinformation

Active learning helps students grasp the nuances of misinformation and disinformation by immersing them in realistic scenarios. When students actively verify claims, analyse tactics, and role-play scenarios, they move beyond abstract definitions to practical discernment.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E9LY01
• AC9E9LY02

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Document Mystery
• 45 min · Small Groups

Scavenger Hunt: Viral Claim Verification

Share 6 recent social media claims with the class. Small groups use tools like Google Reverse Image Search, Snopes, and ABC Fact Check to verify each one, noting evidence for or against. Groups report back with a class tally of true versus false.

Differentiate between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.

Facilitation Tip

For the Scavenger Hunt, provide printed or digital versions of viral posts with varied credibility so students practice close reading of captions, dates, and source URLs.

What to look for

Present students with three short online posts: one clearly factual, one containing misinformation, and one with disinformation. Ask them to label each post and write one sentence explaining their reasoning for the misinformation and disinformation examples.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Document Mystery
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Detective: Tactic Breakdown

Provide pairs with examples of memes, articles, and videos containing disinformation. They label tactics such as fear-mongering or false authority, then explain the psychological pull. Pairs swap analyses for peer review.

Analyze the psychological reasons why people share false information online.

Facilitation Tip

During Pairs Detective, give each pair a printed tactic card (e.g., fake experts, conspiracy framing) and ask them to find real-world examples before explaining how the tactic works.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Why might someone share a piece of information they suspect might be false?' Facilitate a class discussion, guiding students to consider psychological factors like echo chambers, confirmation bias, and social pressure.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Document Mystery
• 40 min · Small Groups

Group Workshop: Strategy Posters

Small groups brainstorm and illustrate 5-step verification checklists, like check date, author, and bias. They add real examples. Conduct a gallery walk where students vote on most practical strategies.

Construct strategies for verifying the accuracy of online content.

Facilitation Tip

In the Group Workshop, assign each group one verification strategy to illustrate on a poster with examples, deadlines, and rubric criteria clearly posted.

What to look for

Ask students to list two distinct strategies they can use to verify the accuracy of an online news article. They should also briefly explain why one of these strategies is effective.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Document Mystery
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Simulation: News Spread Role-Play

Assign roles as creators, sharers, and checkers of a fake news story. Simulate sharing across the class, then debrief on detection points. Record insights on a shared digital board.

Differentiate between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.

Facilitation Tip

During the News Spread Role-Play, assign roles with secret motives beforehand so students experience how intent shapes sharing behaviour and emotional responses.

What to look for

Present students with three short online posts: one clearly factual, one containing misinformation, and one with disinformation. Ask them to label each post and write one sentence explaining their reasoning for the misinformation and disinformation examples.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model skepticism without cynicism, showing students how to evaluate claims step by step. Avoid presenting misinformation as purely technical; instead, connect it to emotions, identity, and trust to make lessons memorable. Research suggests frequent, low-stakes practice with feedback builds lasting media literacy more effectively than one-off lessons.

Successful learning looks like students confidently distinguishing misinformation from disinformation, naming specific tactics used in false content, and applying verification strategies independently. They should articulate why certain posts are misleading and propose ways to confirm or refute them.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Scavenger Hunt, watch for students who label all false posts as disinformation regardless of intent.

  During the Scavenger Hunt, direct students to check each post’s source and intent clues, then discuss in pairs whether the falsehood was likely shared by mistake or design.

• During Pairs Detective, students may assume obvious spelling errors always signal fake news.

  During Pairs Detective, provide polished samples with no typos and ask pairs to identify subtle tactics like manipulated images or fake experts instead.

• During the News Spread Role-Play, students may believe only strangers or governments spread falsehoods.

  During the News Spread Role-Play, assign roles like ‘friend’ or ‘influencer’ and challenge students to explain why trusted figures can still spread disinformation effectively.

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Methods used in this brief

• Document Mystery