- Seaford Union Free School District
- Overview
Harbor Students Develop Their Research Skills
Not every piece of information on the internet is reliable, and fourth graders at Seaford Harbor Elementary School recently learned how to find the most trustworthy sources. Working with library media specialist Jennifer Brand, students evaluated different websites to figure out which ones were real and which ones were fake.
Ms. Brand noted that as fourth graders, they are doing more research projects and need to know how to find factual information. In addition to using print materials in the school library, students also do research online. The ability to find credible sources on the internet is an important research skill, she explained.
As a supporting activity, Ms. Brand gave students five different websites to explore, which all related to their current social studies unit on explorers. Working in groups, each was assigned to thoroughly review a different site, using a checklist to analyze different aspects such as how fast it loaded, spelling and grammar, visual appearance and whether or not information was supported with evidence.
After they browsed, students reconvened to discuss their impressions of the different website and determine which one wasn’t real.