Source Scout Slides Lesson 01
Source Scout
Distinguishing between source types and spotting hidden bias.
The Headline Test
Headline A
"City Council approves new park project after three-hour debate."
Headline B
"Victory for families! Council finally greenlights long-awaited playground."
What is the difference? Which words change the "feel" of the news?
Types of Evidence
1
Primary Sources
First-hand accounts from people who were actually there.
Diaries and Journals
Photographs and Videos
Original Interviews
2
Secondary Sources
Analysis or interpretation written after an event.
Textbooks
Wikipedia / Encyclopedias
Documentaries
Bias Detectives
Look for these linguistic "red flags" in your sources.
Emotional Words
Words that try to make you feel angry, happy, or sad.
"Terrifying," "Cruel," "Wonderful"
Absolutes
Words that claim something is true 100% of the time.
"Always," "Never," "Everyone knows"
Loaded Verbs
Verbs that imply a judgment about the person speaking.
"Claimed," "Admitted," "Boasted"
Fact vs. Interpretation
Objective
"The temperature in the classroom is 22 degrees Celsius."
Focuses on observable facts and data.
Subjective
"The classroom is freezing and uncomfortable."
Focuses on personal feelings and opinions.
Mission Check
1. Can you name one primary and one secondary source?
2. Can you find one "bias red flag" in your worksheet article?
3. Why does the author's choice of adjectives matter?
Grab your "Fact or Opinion Field Notes"
Bias Detective Teacher Guide Bias Detective
Teacher Facilitation Guide | Lesson 01
Instructional Resource
Lesson Objective
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to distinguish between primary and secondary sources and identify linguistic markers of bias (adjectives, emotional verbs, and absolute statements) in academic and media texts.
Key Vocabulary
• Primary Source
• Secondary Source
• Objective
• Subjective / Bias
• Linguistic Marker
Facilitation Prompts
The Headline Hook:
"Why does Headline B use the word 'Victory'? Does that word tell us a fact, or how someone feels about the fact?"
Source Classification:
"If a scientist writes a report about their own experiment, is that primary or secondary? What if a journalist writes a news story summarizing that report?"
ESL Scaffolding:
"Look for words ending in -ly (adverbs) or strong adjectives. Do these words help us see a picture, or do they tell us what to think about the picture?"
Activity: Case Study Analysis
1
Comparative Reading:
Distribute the "Fact or Opinion Field Notes" worksheet. Have students read the two short blurbs about "The Local Festival."
2
Identifying Markers:
Students use highlighters to mark "Red Flag" words in Blurb 2 (Subjective). Encourage them to use a different color for "Data/Facts" in Blurb 1 (Objective).
3
Group Debrief:
Ask: "If you were doing a research paper on the economic impact of festivals, which source would you use? Why?"
Quick Answer Key: Field Notes Worksheet
Source Sorting:
• Diary of a soldier: Primary
• Textbook chapter: Secondary
• Photo of the moon: Primary
• YouTube video explaining history: Secondary
Bias Markers in Blurb 2:
• "Incredible" (Emotional Adjective)
• "Boasted" (Loaded Verb)
• "Everyone knows" (Absolute)
• "Disaster" (Emotional Noun)
Fact or Opinion Field Notes Worksheet Fact or Opinion Field Notes
Agent: ____________________________________
Date: ____________________
Mission Code
SOURCE-SCOUT-01
1
The Evidence Locker
Classify the following items as Primary (P) or Secondary (S) sources.
1. A handwritten journal from 1920.
2. An 8th-grade science textbook.
3. A photograph of a protest.
4. A Wikipedia article about Mars.
5. An interview with a survivor.
6. A documentary film made in 2024.
2
The Bias Detector
Read the two reports below. Circle the adjectives and verbs that show bias in Report B.
Report A: Objective
The school music festival took place on Friday evening. Five different bands performed for a total of two hours. Approximately 200 tickets were sold at $5 each. The event concluded at 9:00 PM without any recorded incidents.
Report B: Subjective (Biased)
The school's incredible music festival was a massive success on Friday. Everyone knows that our local bands are the most talented in the city. The ticket price was a bargain, and the audience boasted about the wonderful performances all night long.
Reflection Question:
Why is Report A better for a research paper about school funding?
3
Loaded Language Lab
Rewrite this sentence to make it Objective (Fact-only):
"The lazy mayor stubbornly refused to sign the important bill."
Your Objective Version:
Credibility Compass Slides Credibility Compass
Navigating the sea of digital information.
Is this Real?
"Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus"
A rare species found in the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park. They spend most of their lives in branches.
First Impressions
• Does it sound possible?
• Is the design modern?
• Who wrote this?
Mission:
We are going to use the CRAAP Test to find out the truth.
THE C.R.A.A.P. TEST
C
Currency
Is it new enough? When was it published?
R
Relevance
Does it help YOUR specific research?
A
Authority
Who is the author? Are they an expert?
A
Accuracy
Is the info true? Are there sources cited?
P
Purpose
Why does this page exist? To sell? To teach?
Authority
Don't just believe anyone! Check the "About Us" or "Contact" pages.
Ask yourself:
• What are the author's credentials?
• Is there an email address?
• Does the URL end in .gov, .edu, or .org?
Accuracy
Can you find this same information in another source?
Check for:
• Spelling or grammar mistakes.
• Links that don't work.
• References or a bibliography.
Warning: Purpose
Inform
"Here are the facts about Mars."
Sell
"Buy our Mars vitamins now!"
Persuade
"Mars is the best planet to live on."
Detective Mission
Use your CRAAP Detective Checklist to evaluate the "Tree Octopus" website.
10 Minutes
Work in Pairs
CRAAP Detective Checklist CRAAP Detective Checklist
Evaluation Tool: Evaluating Website Credibility
Investigator: ___________________
Site URL: _________________________
Criteria Investigative Questions Score (1-5) Currency • When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Are the links functional or broken?
|
|
| Relevance |
• Does the information relate to your topic?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (not too simple/hard)?
|
|
| Authority |
• Who is the author / creator / sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is there contact information (publisher or email)?
|
|
| Accuracy |
• Where does the information come from? Is it supported by evidence?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased or free of emotion?
|
|
| Purpose |
• What is the purpose of the information? (to inform, sell, persuade?)
• Do the authors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
|
|
Final Verdict
Based on your scores, is this source reliable for an academic paper?
YES (Reliable)
NO (Hoax/Biased)
Justification (One sentence):
Total Score Calculation
Sum of Scores
/ 25
Scoring Guide:
Hoax Hunter Answer Key Hoax Hunter Key
Case Study: The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Teacher Answer Key
Why this is a "Masterclass" Hoax
The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus website is a famous digital literacy training tool. It looks professional and uses academic language, making it the perfect challenge for 8th-grade students who are just beginning to evaluate credibility.
Total CRAAP Score
08 / 25
Verdict: FAILED / UNRELIABLE
Category Analysis
A AUTHORITY (1/5)
"The author is listed as 'Lyle Zapato.' A quick search reveals he is a comedy writer/artist, not a biologist. There are no institutional links to Olympic National Park or any university."
A ACCURACY (2/5)
"While it provides 'facts,' octopuses are cephalopods that require water to live. The biology described is impossible. Images are clearly photoshopped (blurred edges around the octopus in the tree)."
C CURRENCY (3/5)
"The site is regularly updated to stay functional, which is a 'trap' for students. Being new doesn't mean it's true!"
P PURPOSE (2/5)
"The site contains links to a 'store' and is clearly satirical (parody). It's designed to be funny, not to provide scientific information."
Critical Thinking Questions
1. "Why did the site seem real at first?" (Focus on the design, use of Latin names, and formal tone.)
2. "Which letter of CRAAP was the 'smoking gun'?" (Usually Authority or Accuracy—octopuses can't breathe air!)
3. "What happens if you use this source in a science paper?" (Loss of credibility, failing grades, spreading misinformation.)
Search Master Slides Level 03: Data Retrieval
Search Master
Stop 'Googling' and start searching like a pro.
The Search Race
Challenge Question:
"What is the average lifespan of a wild sea turtle, excluding those living in the Pacific Ocean?"
If you just type the whole question into Google, you'll get 10 million results.
The Pro Way:
"sea turtle" AND lifespan NOT Pacific
Keywords: The Secret Language
The Student types:
"How do bees make honey in the winter?"
The Master types:
bees honey winter production
Databases look for exact words , not complete thoughts.
Strip away the "Stop Words": how, do, the, in, is
AND
OPERATOR: AND
Narrows your search. Both terms MUST be present in the result.
Example:
Dogs AND Cats
Finds only articles that mention BOTH animals.
OR
Broadens your search. Great for synonyms.
Teenagers OR Adolescents
NOT
Excludes results. Good for filtering out irrelevant info.
Saturn NOT Car
Use Quotation Marks for
"Exact Phrases"
Global Warming
vs
"Global Warming"
Without quotes, the search engine looks for "Global" in one place and "Warming" in another. With quotes, it looks for the words together.
Boolean Battle Worksheet Boolean Battle
Exercise 03: Search Logic
NAME: __________________________
SCORE: ________ / 20
PHASE 1: Venn Diagram Shading
Shade the area that represents the search results for each string.
Coffee AND Sugar
Soccer OR Football
Bears NOT Polar
PHASE 2: Code Breaking
Convert the following research questions into optimized search strings using keywords and Boolean operators.
1. "What are the effects of plastic pollution on ocean turtles?"
__________________________________________________________________
2. "I want to find information about cell phones or smartphones, but not iPhones."
__________________________________________________________________
3. "Find the population of Tokyo in the year 2024."
__________________________________________________________________
PHASE 3: Prediction
Which search string will return the FEWEST (smallest amount) results? Circle one:
Cars AND Electric AND Tesla
Cars OR Vehicles
EXPLAIN WHY:
Search Logic Reference Card Search Logic Pro
Ref: 3.0
Essential Operators
AND
Narrows. Returns pages with all words. (e.g., Cats AND Dogs)
OR
Broadens. Returns pages with either word. (e.g., Cat OR Feline)
NOT
Excludes. Hides results with the second word. (e.g., Jaguar NOT Car)
Power User Hacks
Quotation Marks
Use "exact phrase" to find words in that specific order.
Site Specific
Use site:.gov or site:.edu to limit to reliable domains.
Before you hit Search:
Strip away "stop words" (the, is, in, how)
Identify 3-4 unique keywords
Think of 2 synonyms for your main topic
Source Sleuths Academy • Digital Investigator Kit
Own Your Words Slides Own Your Words
The art of paraphrasing and synthesis.
Information Leak
Original Message:
"The research indicates that sleep is vital for brain function and memory."
The Problem
When we retell information, we often lose the meaning or accidentally copy word-for-word.
Copying word-for-word without credit is Plagiarism.
Retelling Techniques
Paraphrasing
Rewrite the details
Explaining a specific passage in your own voice. Length is usually the same as the original.
"In other words..."
Summarizing
The "Big Idea"
Focusing only on the main points. Much shorter than the original text.
"Overall..."
How to Paraphrase
1
READ
Read the text multiple times until you fully understand the meaning.
2
COVER
Cover the text or look away. Do not look at the original words!
3
REWRITE
Write the idea in your own words, using your own voice.
"If you copy more than 3 words in a row, you're probably plagiarizing!"
Synthesis: Building a Bridge
Source A:
"Bees help flowers grow by spreading pollen."
Source B:
"Bees are responsible for 1 in every 3 bites of food we eat."
Synthesis
Combined Idea:
Bees are essential for our food supply because they pollinate the plants we eat.
Transitions: Because... In addition...
Blueprint Challenge
Time to apply the 3-Step Method to your "Paraphrase Puzzle" worksheet.
No Copying
Use Synonyms
Paraphrase Puzzle Worksheet Paraphrase Puzzle
Skill-Building: Paraphrasing & Synthesis
Writer: _________________________
Date: ____________________
01
The 3-Step Rewrite
The Original Text:
"According to NASA, the Arctic sea ice is melting at a rate of 12.6 percent per decade due to rising global temperatures."
Step 1: Identify Key Facts (3 words or numbers)
1. ____________
2. ____________
3. ____________
Step 2: Rewrite in your own words (Don't look at the original!)
02
The Synthesis Bridge
Read these two sources and combine their main ideas into one complete sentence.
Source A
"Social media helps teenagers stay connected with their friends after school hours."
Source B
"Heavy social media use can lead to increased feelings of anxiety and FOMO in young people."
Synthesized Summary (Use a transition word like 'however' or 'although'):
Self-Check Checklist
No 3-word copy?
Kept the meaning?
Used my voice?
Academic Voice Support Guide Academic Voice Kit
Writing Tools for Paraphrasing & Synthesis
Reference Tool
Signal Verbs
Use these instead of "The author said..."
Strong Agreement
Argues
Demonstrates
Proves
Neutral / Suggestion
Suggests
Explains
Illustrates
The Synthesis Bridge
How to connect two sources:
When sources agree:
"Similarly, [Source B] confirms that..."
When sources disagree:
"In contrast, [Source B] argues that..."
Paraphrasing Starters
"According to the text..."
"The researchers discovered that..."
"In other words, the main point is..."
"To put it simply, the author suggests..."
"The evidence presented shows that..."
The "Master Mix" Tips
Synonym Swap: Change nouns and verbs. (e.g., Change "people" to "citizens" or "individuals").Structure Flip: Change the order of the sentence. (e.g., Move the end to the beginning).Keep the Meaning: Don't change the facts, just the costume! Credit Creator Slides Credit Creator
Mastering the art of MLA Citations.
Whose Idea is it?
If you painted a beautiful picture and someone else took it and said, "I painted this!" — how would you feel?
Intellectual Property
Words and ideas are just as valuable as physical art. Citations are how we "sign" the author's work when we use it.
- The Creator
The Citation Ingredients
Author
"Who created it?"
Title
"What is it called?"
Publisher
"Who shared it?"
Date
"When was it made?"
The MLA Formula
Standard Website Citation:
Last, First. "Article Title." Website Name, Day Month Year.
Real Example:
Smith, John. "Life on Mars." Science Daily, 15 Jan. 2024.
Punctuation is Key!
.
Periods
Go after the Author and the Date.
" "
Quotes
Go around the Article Title.
I
Italics
Used for the Title of the Website or Book.
Mission Complete
You are now a certified Source Sleuth . Time to create your first Works Cited page!
MLA Map Worksheet
MLA Map Worksheet MLA Map
Final Skill Assessment: Citations
Researcher
____________________
1
Anatomy of a Source
Below is a drawing of a website header. Draw lines to match the labels to the correct information.
National Wildlife Magazine Search 🔍
Secrets of the Amazon Rainforest
By Maria Hernandez | Published October 12, 2023
Author
Article Title
Publisher
Date
2
Scrambled Citation
Arrange the pieces below into a perfectly formatted MLA citation .
12 May 2024.
"Saving the Oceans."
Brown, Sarah.
Eco-World Online,
Your Final Result:
____________________________________________________________________
3
The Ultimate Sleuth
Choose one source you found today. Create its citation below:
Author (Last, First)
Article Title (In Quotes)
Publisher / Website (Italics)
Date (Day Month Year)
Full MLA Citation:
Citation Challenge Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Lesson 05: Citation Mastery
Identify the ONE mistake in the following citation:
Miller, Sarah, "The Deep Sea." Oceanographic News, 12 Oct. 2022.
The author's name should be First, Last.
There should be a period after the author's name, not a comma.
The article title should be in italics.
Match the bibliographic element to its description:
Description
Who created the work?
When was it published?
Where was it published?
Term
Publisher
Author
Date
Why is it important to include the "Date" in a citation?
Agent: __________________ Total: ______ / 10
