Evaluating Information

Evaluating information on the web is something that every frequent internet user should know how to do. Some things to pay attention to when searching are, who published the site? If a credible publisher published a site it is more likely to be legitimate. Another question to ask yourself is, is the author biased? If a scientist in support of cancer research writes an article supporting it, it is safe to say that he is biased because he is so involved in the issue. Something else to think about is, can the information on the site be verified? It is good to check up on information you find on the web on other sites. If the information seems true across the board then it has been verified. If contradicting information is found then the site is probably not legitimate. A last thing to check on a site would be when was the site was last updated. If it was recent then whom ever runs it keeps up on what is current. If it hasn't been updated for years then the site probably doesn't have the best information. 

Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are great classroom tools. They come in many different types like charts, storyboards, writing webs, and venn diagrams. KWL charts are a great tools when starting a new lesson. Children discuss what the Know, what they Want to know, and what they have Learned in the end. Story boards help children to plan out writing or better understand a book they are reading in class. Writing webs also help with planning out reports and papers. Venn diagrams are great in discussing similarities and differences of about almost anything. In conclusion graphic organizers are great to spice up a lesson. They help kids get a deeper understanding and can be created on a lot of Microsoft software.