Fact vs. Fiction and More!
Sometimes teachers and other staff don't even know the school library has a professional collection so be sure to communicate that with your stakeholders. Here are some ideas:
- Send an email with an image of the book, a brief summary, and a reason WHY they should check it out.
- Book talk it! Create a video book talk or find one online to share.
- Display a poster or the book/resource itself in the teacher's lounge, workroom, mailroom, etc.
- Feature it in your library newsletter, blog, website, etc. Remember pictures are worth a thousand words so add a linkable cover image.
- Host a book study or book club.
- Drop a note to specific teachers you think would benefit most. This feels personal and (most) people appreciate that.
- Up your customer service game by hand-delivering the book/resource. Go the extra mile and throw in a little token of goodness. One of my favs? Those pre-packaged lens cleaning wipes that you can get from big box stores. We ALL have screens and it feels nice to wipe the slate clean, right?
- Follow up with teachers about the resource. How'd they like it? What did they learn? Did they even manage to open the book with all of life's other obligations? 😏
THE BOOK
Fact Vs. Fiction: Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in the Age of Fake News
The advent of the 24-hour news cycle, citizen journalism and an increased reliance on social media as a trusted news source have had a profound effect not only on how we get our news, but also on how we evaluate sources of information, share that information and interact with others in online communities. When these issues are coupled with the “fake news” industry that intentionally spreads false stories designed to go viral, educators are left facing a new and challenging landscape. This book will help them address these new realities, providing educators with tools and resources to help students discern fact from fiction in the information they access not only at school, but on the devices they carry in their pockets and backpacks.
THE JUMPSTART GUIDE
Fighting Fake News: Tools and Strategies for Teaching Media Literacy
Based on the best-selling book Fact vs. Fiction by Jennifer LaGarde and Darren Hudgins, this six-page laminated reference guide offers educators resources and strategies to define, detect and combat “fake news,” including links to fact-checking sites and lesson plans.
The guide includes:
...If there's one lesson to be learned from all of it, it's that we cannot simply lump news sources into neatly labeled categories indicating their trustworthiness. The onus is on us to be on the lookout for signs that a story might be false or created to deceive. We have to be diligent when it comes to triangulating sources of information, especially if they trigger our own biases, and we have to do all of this while always remembering that when we share something, we endorse it.
Disclaimer: The South Dakota State Library does not endorse any service, product, or recommendation listed in this post.
Based on the best-selling book Fact vs. Fiction by Jennifer LaGarde and Darren Hudgins, this six-page laminated reference guide offers educators resources and strategies to define, detect and combat “fake news,” including links to fact-checking sites and lesson plans.
The guide includes:
- Instructional strategies for defining, detecting and combatting fake news.
- Curated resources, including models for evaluating news stories with links to resources on how to include lessons on fake news in your curricula.
- Links to fake news self-assessments, including a digital component to help readers evaluate their skills in detecting and managing fake news.
- An infographic with mobile media literacy tips.
