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How to Check a Fact

Fourth graders learn a simple method to fact-check — notice a claim, ask who said it and how they know, look it up in a trusted source, check a second source, and then decide. Fact-checking turns readers into careful thinkers.

Grade 4Checking Facts45 minutes1 class periodMedia Literacy · CCSSExplicit teaching4 StandardsCCSS / NAMLE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Learn to fact-check.
  • ✓Use trusted sources.
  • ✓Order the steps.
  • ✓Decide what’s true.
Essential Question

You read something surprising online — is it true? How do you check a fact the right way?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Fact-Checking Steps

Project this and have students put the steps of checking a fact in order.

🔎 Put the fact-checking steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Literacy Flow (Hook · Explore · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Is It True?

5 min

You read something surprising — how do you check if it’s true?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a surprising claim.
  • Ask how to check it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — How to Check a Fact

12 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Present the steps.
  • Note ask who & how.
  • Note two sources.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Order It

12 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Steps.
  • Put it in order.
  • Explain.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
4

Apply — Apply

10 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Fact-check a claim.
  • Use two sources.
  • Share your decision.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Check.
  • Confirm.
  • Share.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a first step.
  • Say why check two sources.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core ELA Standards (informational literacy) & NAMLE media-literacy competencies.

CCSS
W.4.8

Gather & verify information.

CCSS
RI.4.1

Use evidence from text.

NAMLE
Evaluate

Fact-check claims.

CCSS
RI.4.9

Integrate information from sources.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Step cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First ___, then ___.”
  • Use a claim to check.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with “notice” and “look it up.”
  • Order two at a time.
  • Use examples.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Fact-check a real claim.
  • Compare three sources.
  • Explain a false claim.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🔎A claim to check
  • 💻Order the Fact-Checking Steps
  • 📚Trusted sources
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

claimsomething stated as trueverifyto check ittrusted sourcea reliable placeevidenceproofsecond sourceanother place to checkconfirmto make surefact-checkto check if truedecidemake a judgment
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a good FIRST step to check a fact?
Notice a claim that might not be true.
QUESTION 2
Why check a second source?
To be sure the first one is right.
QUESTION 3
After checking, what do you decide?
If it’s true, false, or you need more information.

Reflect: checking facts.

Have students describe how they would check a surprising claim using two sources. A printable fact-checking sheet is in the ELA library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 How to Check a FactFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 How to Check a FactQuiz
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1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ How to Check a FactPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: claim, confirm, decide, evidence, fact-check, second source, trusted source, verify
  1. proof
  2. another place to check
  3. a reliable place
  4. something stated as true
  5. to make sure
  6. make a judgment
  7. to check if true
  8. to check it

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a good FIRST step to check a fact?
  2. Why check a second source?
  3. After checking, what do you decide?
Answer key — Part A: 1) evidence · 2) second source · 3) trusted source · 4) claim · 5) confirm · 6) decide · 7) fact-check · 8) verify
Part B: 1) Notice a claim that might not be true. 2) To be sure the first one is right. 3) If it’s true, false, or you need more information.