Identifying Misinformation and Disinformation

Active learning works well for this topic because young people need to experience misinformation tactics firsthand before they can recognize them independently. Moving beyond lectures helps students practice critical analysis in a safe, collaborative space where mistakes become learning opportunities.

• 1st Year
• Active Citizenship and the Democratic World
• 3 activities
• 40 min–50 min

Problem-Based Learning

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Fact vs. Fiction: Social Media Feed Analysis

Students analyze a curated social media feed containing a mix of real and fabricated news stories. They work in small groups to identify posts that appear suspicious, noting specific red flags like sensational language or unverified sources. Each group then presents their findings and reasoning.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between misinformation and disinformation.

Facilitation Tip: During Gallery Walk: Spot the Tactics, circulate and listen for students naming tactics out loud as they move—this verbalization builds metacognitive habits.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to research materials

Materials: Problem scenario document, KWL chart or inquiry framework, Resource library, Solution presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Problem-Based Learning

⏱ 50 min·Individual

Disinformation Detective: Case Study

Present students with a real-world example of disinformation, such as a viral conspiracy theory or a political deepfake. Students research the origins and spread of the false information, identifying the tactics used and the potential impact. They present their 'case file' findings to the class.

Prepare & details

Analyze common tactics used to spread false information online.

Facilitation Tip: For Pairs Relay: Fact-Check Challenge, set a visible timer so pressure mimics real-time social media scrolling urgency.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to research materials

Materials: Problem scenario document, KWL chart or inquiry framework, Resource library, Solution presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Problem-Based Learning

⏱ 40 min·Pairs

Verification Challenge: Source Scrutiny

Provide students with several news articles on the same topic from different sources, some reputable and some questionable. Students use a checklist of verification criteria (e.g., author credibility, publication date, evidence cited) to evaluate each source and determine its reliability. They then rank the sources from most to least trustworthy.

Prepare & details

Design strategies for verifying information encountered on social media.

Facilitation Tip: In Jigsaw Groups: Verification Strategies, assign each group a different platform (Instagram, TikTok, X) to emphasize context-specific tactics.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to research materials

Materials: Problem scenario document, KWL chart or inquiry framework, Resource library, Solution presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should model vulnerability by sharing their own past mistakes in sharing unverified posts, which normalizes the learning process. Avoid framing this as a ‘know-it-all’ lesson; instead, position students as co-investigators discovering patterns together. Research shows that guided practice with immediate feedback cements skepticism more than abstract warnings about ‘fake news’ ever could.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently pointing out specific tactics in media examples and justifying their reasoning with evidence. By the end, they should adjust their own sharing habits on social platforms and feel empowered to verify before believing or forwarding content.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Gallery Walk: Spot the Tactics, watch for students assuming all false content is created with harmful intent.

What to Teach Instead

Use the first two stations to contrast a well-intentioned but mistaken post with a deliberately deceptive one, then have partners compare motives and consequences in a written reflection.

Common Misconception

During Pairs Relay: Fact-Check Challenge, watch for students assuming engagement metrics validate accuracy.

What to Teach Instead

Include two identical fabricated stories, one with inflated likes and one with few likes, and require pairs to justify which is more trustworthy using verification steps rather than popularity.

Common Misconception

During Jigsaw Groups: Verification Strategies, watch for students believing disinformation only comes from official sources.

What to Teach Instead

Provide three examples: a bot account, a celebrity post, and a verified journalist’s account, and have groups identify the common tactic across all three.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Gallery Walk: Spot the Tactics, present two social media posts side by side—one factual and one misinformative—and ask students to write one key difference and identify one tactic used in the misinformative example.

Discussion Prompt

During Jigsaw Groups: Verification Strategies, facilitate a whole-class discussion: ‘After reviewing your platform’s verification steps, what is the first red flag you would notice in a TikTok video claiming to show a current event?’ Listen for evidence-based answers.

Exit Ticket

After Pairs Relay: Fact-Check Challenge, give students a short fabricated thread and ask them to label one claim as opinion and one tactic used to add credibility, then submit before leaving class.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to design a misinformation post using one tactic from the gallery walk, then swap with peers to identify the tactic and reverse-engineer a verification strategy.
• Scaffolding: Provide a two-column table with common verification steps (reverse image search, check about page, look for sources) for students to fill in during the Pairs Relay activity.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research how algorithms on TikTok or Instagram prioritize content and present findings in a one-slide infographic for the class.