EMPOWERING CRITICAL MINDS IN THE DIGITAL AGE

As Grade 6 students spend more time online, they are constantly coming across, sharing, and searching for information. With so much information available, it can be difficult to know what is reliable and what is not.

This toolkit helps teachers introduce students to fake news, misinformation, and online credibility in an engaging and age-appropriate way. It includes activities and resources that help students think critically about the information they come across online while connecting it back to the Ontario Language curriculum.

Why Fake News & Misinformation?

This is an important time for students as they become more independent when using technology and navigating online spaces. They are exposed to a large amount of information, and it can be sometimes difficult to know what is accurate, reliable, or meant to influence them. A video, search result, or a post can shape how students understand a topic without them stopping to think about where the information came from.

This toolkit helps students learn how to question the information they see online, decide whether a source is credible, and explore how information is presented can influence how a message is understood. The goal is for students to feel more confident when navigating online information and use these skills in their everyday lives, both inside and outside the classroom.

Curriculum Expectations Snapshot

Overall Expectation - A2.Digital Media Literacy  

 Demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills needed to interact safely and responsibly in online environments, use digital and media tools to construct knowledge, and demonstrate learning as critical consumers and creators of media

A2.2 Online Safety, Well-Being, and Etiquette

Demonstrate an understanding of how to navigate online environments safely, manage their privacy and personal data, and interact in a way that supports their well-being and that of others, including seeking appropriate permission

A2.3 Gather, Evaluate, and Use Information:

Gather, evaluate, and use information, considering validity, credibility, accuracy, and perspectives, to construct knowledge, create texts, and demonstrate learning

A2.4  Forms, Conventions, and Techniques

Demonstrate an understanding of the forms, conventions, and techniques of digital and media texts, consider the impact on the audience, and apply this understanding when analyzing and creating texts

OUR LEARNING TARGETS 

We are learning how to interact safely and respectfully online when searching for, sharing, and discussing information.

We are learning how to check if online information is reliable, identify who created it, and consider whose perspectives may be missing.

We are learning how images, colours, words, and other media techniques can shape a message and influence how information is understood.

TEACHING RESOURCES 

Explore a range of digital and hands-on classroom resources that support Ontario curriculum expectations.

STRUCTURED LESSON PLANS

Cross-curricular unit plans and inquiry guides that help Grade 6 students explore bias, sponsored content, and how to evaluate online sources.

INTERACTIVE GAMES

Interactive games that help students investigate online information, spot misinformation, and check whether sources and content are reliable.

MEDIA LITERACY VIDEOS

Engaging videos that help students learn how to spot misinformation, evaluate online sources, and think critically about the information they see.

NON-DIGITAL RESOURCES

Classroom posters, visual aids, and youth-friendly books that help students build media literacy skills and explore different perspectives.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

By the end of this toolkit, I can…

  • Use the internet safely and respectfully when searching for and sharing information.

  • Check if information is reliable by looking at the source, author, and evidence.

  • Identify missing or different perspectives in online information.

  • Explain how words, images, colours, and other media techniques can influence a message.

Think like a detective: check information before you believe or share it.” — EdTech Endeavours

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Which Ontario curriculum strands does this toolkit address?

This toolkit focuses on the Grade 6 Language curriculum strand for Digital Media Literacy A2, covering specific expectations A2.2 (Online Safety, Well-Being, and Etiquette), A2.3 (Research and Information Literacy), and A2.4 (Forms, Conventions, and Techniques).

Are both digital and non-digital resources included?

Yes. The toolkit includes digital activities, such as online tools, videos, and games, as well as classroom materials like worksheets, books, and anchor charts.

How does the toolkit support cross-curricular learning?

Media literacy connects with Social Studies, Science, and Health. Students can learn how to check science news, decide if historical sources are trustworthy, and understand how online ads can affect their feelings and choices.

What age group is this toolkit designed for?

All materials have been carefully selected and adapted for Grade 6 learners (ages 11-12), ensuring reading levels, media themes, and discussion prompts are age-appropriate and engaging.