All lessons › Research & Sources: Check and Explain › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 1 of 3
Cross-check Before You Share
Inquiry question: How could you check a confident online claim?
Marked no materials needed
Evaluating supplied source cards
What students learn
Compare independent sources and methods before accepting a strong claim.
Success criteria
- I can tell independent evidence from reposts.
- I can compare a claim with a limited original observation.
- I can explain what remains uncertain before sharing.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Know that repeating a claim is not the same as independently checking it.
- Charged iPad per individual or pair — One per student or pair
- Projector — One
Teacher setup
- Open the assigned lesson and present the slides.
- Show the lesson QR; students enter one or two names and start.
- Use the lesson timings: allow 45–55 minutes plus first-use sign-in time. Do not add copying to fill a full hour.
- All evidence is supplied in the lesson. No equipment, worksheets or external websites are necessary.
Safety and adaptations
- Screen-based evidence inquiry only. Do not perform physical experiments or imitate hazards described in the case files.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- State the exact sweeping claim to check.
- Identify which pages give original evidence and which repeat another.
- Explain what B challenges about daily human watering, and why missing rainfall matters.
- Explain why C's conditional explanation is more useful than a universal rule.
- Write a cautious summary and name what extra information you would seek.
Teacher modelling prompt
Identify Card D as a copy of Card A, not a new observation. Show how B's ten-plant trial provides a limited counterexample.
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: How could you check a confident online claim?
| Card | Original or copied? | What it supports |
|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Which statement is better supported and why?
Provided example or reference data
Fictional source checking cards
| Card | Claim | Evidence or method |
|---|---|---|
| A · Popular Post | All plants die without daily watering | No method or data |
| B · Garden Class Log | Eight of ten plants survived with twice-weekly watering | One garden, one season, ten plants |
| C · Horticulture Guide | Water needs vary by plant, soil and weather | Explains conditions, cites observations |
| D · Repost of A | Daily water is always essential | Copies A; not independent |
Check the data source in the teacher lesson. Illustrative or fictional data are not measurements collected by your class.
Check understanding
What should pupils know? What is independent confirmation?
Explain with evidence: Why is D not a new independent source?
Apply the idea: Can the class log prove twice-weekly watering is right everywhere?
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.