In this electronic age, there is so much

information available online, but not
everything you find is credible, reliable,
or trustworthy. Therefore it is of the
upmost importance to teach our
students how to evaluate the difference
between good and bad web sites.

John is in the third grade and is given his

first research assignment about the
cockroach. The following sites are what
John found through his internet search.

John finds this web site that seems

reliable, but in fact the creator of the
web site may have skewed the
information due to their own beliefs or
opinions.
Personal beliefs
and opinions
Facts

The web master is
a pest company.

The next web site John finds has very

valuable, reliable information but is at a
level way above his comprehension.

Huh??

John finds great information from this

web site but he is unaware of the fact
that the webmaster is not providing any
credible sources on their site.
 There is no authorized
webmaster, evidence of authorship, or
that of a reputable sponsor.

Great
information, b
ut we don’t
know who
wrote it.

John finds this web site which is a perfect

example of a web site that does NOT:
 Lack credibility
 Is inappropriate for his age
 Is biased

John learned that not ALL information on

the internet is valuable. John knows now
that he should play detective when it
comes to internet research.

Create a “Favorites” list of preapproved web sites

that students should use.
Have students use a school supported search

engine such as Net Trekker, AskKids.com and
YahooKids.com.
Always follow the two-step rule. Never be more

than two steps away when students are searching
the internet.