English Language Arts · Grade 9

Active learning ideas

Identifying Misinformation and Disinformation

Active learning works for this topic because students need to practice critical thinking in real time, not just absorb facts about misinformation. Handling actual examples lets them experience the emotional triggers and credibility gaps that make fake news spread so quickly.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.8

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Spot the Fakes

Display 8-10 printed articles or screenshots around the room, each with varying credibility levels. Students walk in pairs, using a provided evaluation checklist to note indicators of misinformation. After 20 minutes, pairs share top findings with the class.

What are the key indicators that a news source might be unreliable?

Facilitation Tip

During Gallery Walk: Spot the Fakes, position yourself to overhear group conversations so you can gently redirect assumptions by asking, 'What makes you say the author is anonymous?' instead of confirming their guesses.

What to look for

Provide students with two short online articles, one credible and one containing clear signs of misinformation. Ask them to write down three specific indicators they observed in the less credible article and explain why each is a red flag.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Disinfo Types

Divide class into expert groups on types like clickbait, deepfakes, echo chambers, and propaganda. Each group researches one type and prepares a 2-minute teach-back. Groups then reform to share knowledge and apply to sample posts.

Explain the difference between misinformation and disinformation.

Facilitation Tip

For Jigsaw: Disinfo Types, assign each expert group a single misinformation tactic to teach back, then rotate so every student practices explaining one concept clearly to peers.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you see a shocking news story shared by a friend on social media. What are the first three steps you would take to verify its authenticity before sharing it yourself?' Facilitate a class discussion, noting common strategies and introducing lateral reading if not mentioned.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Escape Room
• 40 min · Small Groups

Checklist Design Challenge

In small groups, students review sample articles and collaboratively build a 10-point credibility checklist. Groups test checklists on new articles, then refine based on peer feedback. Compile class checklists into a shared digital resource.

Design a checklist for evaluating the credibility of online articles.

Facilitation Tip

When running Checklist Design Challenge, provide a timer so students feel the pressure of making quick decisions, just like they would in a fast-moving social media feed.

What to look for

On an index card, have students define 'misinformation' and 'disinformation' in their own words and provide one example of a situation where distinguishing between the two is critical.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Escape Room
• 35 min · Whole Class

Fact-Check Debate

Present a controversial online claim to the whole class. Split into affirm/deny teams to fact-check live using devices, then debate evidence. Conclude with a vote on credibility and reflection.

What are the key indicators that a news source might be unreliable?

What to look for

Provide students with two short online articles, one credible and one containing clear signs of misinformation. Ask them to write down three specific indicators they observed in the less credible article and explain why each is a red flag.

• Remember
• Apply
• Analyze
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers approach this topic by treating misinformation like a puzzle: students learn to spot pieces that don't fit, such as mismatched dates or unverified quotes. Avoid lectures that just list warning signs; instead, model your own thinking aloud while examining sources together. Research shows students improve fastest when they repeatedly apply criteria to fresh examples rather than memorizing lists.

Successful learning looks like students confidently pointing to specific features of a source that raise credibility concerns. They should move beyond vague warnings to articulate why a headline, image, or author makes a claim questionable. Class discussions should reveal consistent patterns of skepticism rather than confusion.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk: Spot the Fakes, watch for students assuming that posts with many likes or shares are automatically trustworthy.

  Use the gallery walk comments section to post a prompt: 'Compare shares to fact-checks. How many likes would it take to make you believe this claim is true?' Guide students to examine viral examples where popularity clashes with verification.

• During Jigsaw: Disinfo Types, watch for students believing all mainstream news outlets publish completely neutral stories.

  Have each jigsaw group analyze three headlines from reputable outlets on the same event, noting word choices that reveal bias. Ask groups to present examples of slant they found, then compare headlines to primary sources like official statements.

• During Checklist Design Challenge, watch for students using the terms misinformation and disinformation interchangeably without considering intent.

  Provide role-playing cards with scenarios: one accidental error versus one deliberate hoax. Students must label each and explain how they would respond differently to each type in a real situation.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Jigsaw
• Escape Room