Hoax Hunters Slides Case File #001
Hoax Hunters
Identifying Fact, Opinion, and Misinformation in the Digital Age
Exhibit A: The Tree Octopus
Initial Investigation
"The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus is an endangered species of cephalopod found in the Olympic National Forest."
Professional Layout
Scientific Names
Is it REAL or a HOAX?
Imagine a professional website with photos of an octopus in a tree.
[Discuss: What makes this look believable?]
Know Your Terms
Fact
Something that can be proven true or false with evidence .
Example:
"Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit."
Opinion
A personal belief or feeling. It cannot be proven true for everyone.
Example:
"Winter is the best season of the year."
Misinformation
False or inaccurate information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to deceive.
The "Hoax"
Purposely created to trick people for fun or money.
The "Mistake"
Someone shares something they believe is true, but it's not.
The "Prank"
Satire or jokes that people take seriously.
Spot the Red Flags
Extreme Emotion
Headline uses words like "SHOCKING" or "UNCELIEVABLE!"
Missing Author
No name, no "About Us" page, or fake-looking bio.
Strange URL
Ends in .co.lo or looks like a real site but slightly off.
Detective Tip
"If it sounds too wild to be true, it probably is. Your job is to prove it before you use it!"
The Case of the Lucky Leprechaun Coins
A website claims that finding a "special copper coin" in Ireland will double your height overnight. It has 5,000 positive reviews and a "doctor's" signature.
Hoax?
Fact?
Opinion?
Hoax Hunters Worksheet CASE FILE #001
Detective Log: Hoax Hunters
Lead Investigator:
Date of Entry:
1
The Sorting Room: Fact or Opinion?
Label each statement as FACT (can be proven) or OPINION (a personal belief).
Label: _____
"The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface."
Label: _____
"Video games are the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon."
Label: _____
"Bees help plants grow by carrying pollen from flower to flower."
Label: _____
"Spiders are the scariest creatures on the planet."
2
Evidence Analysis: Spotting Red Flags
Scene Description:
You find a website called NEWS-NOW-QUICK.CO.LO. The headline says: "DOGS ABLE TO TALK? SHOCKING NEW DISCOVERY WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING!!!". There is no author listed, and every second word is in ALL CAPS.
Identify 2 "Red Flags" you see in the description above:
Is this Fact, Opinion, or Misinformation? Explain why:
3
Detective's Intuition: The Truth Test
In your own words, why is it dangerous to believe Misinformation when preparing for a debate?
Verified Investigator
Hoax Hunters Teacher Guide Facilitator Briefing
Lesson 1: Hoax Hunters
Internal Use Only
Ref ID: HH-GUIDE-01
Mission Objective
To equip students with the ability to distinguish between verifiable facts, subjective opinions, and intentional or accidental misinformation. Students will recognize "digital red flags" that indicate a source may be untrustworthy.
Required Gear
Projector for Slides
Detective Log Worksheets
Writing Utensils
Instructional Script & Prompts
The Hook: Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
"Before we start, look at this site. What looks 'professional' about it?"
Note: Most students will point to the photos and the scientific-sounding names. Use this to explain that visual design does not equal truth.
Defining Terms
"If I say 'Blueberries are delicious,' is that a fact?"
Guide students to realize that because someone else might hate blueberries, it is a personal belief (Opinion), even if many people agree.
The Danger of the Hoax
"Why would someone make a fake website on purpose?"
Potential answers: Money (ads), jokes (satire), or trying to change people's minds (propaganda).
Worksheet Answer Key
Part 1: The Sorting Room
1. FACT - Can be measured/proven by scientists.
2. OPINION - "Best" is a value judgment.
3. FACT - This is a biological process that can be observed.
4. OPINION - Fear is a feeling; some people like spiders.
Part 2: Evidence Analysis
Red Flags:
Strange URL (.co.lo)
Extreme emotion ("SHOCKING")
Excessive punctuation (!!!)
ALL CAPS text
Missing author
Conclusion:
"Misinformation. It uses emotional 'clickbait' language and strange formatting to trick readers into believing an impossible claim (talking dogs)."
Closing Investigation
"Before you leave, find one fact and one opinion in your science or history textbook. How do you know which is which?"
Credibility Codes Slides Credibility Codes
The 5 W's of Digital Investigation
Decryption in Progress
The Investigation Protocol
The 5 W's of Web Credibility
WHO
Who wrote this? Are they an expert or just a random person?
WHAT
What is the goal? To teach, to sell, or to persuade?
WHEN
When was it written? Is the info up-to-date or ancient history?
WHERE
Where does it come from? Look at the URL (.edu, .gov, .org, .com).
WHY
Why should I trust this? Does it provide evidence and links?
Who is the Source?
Not all authors are created equal. In a debate, we need Authority .
Scientists, University Professors, Government Experts
Anonymous Bloggers, Social Media Influencers, "Some Guy"
Detective Checklist:
Is there an "About Us" page?
Can you find the author's credentials?
Is the organization well-known?
Does it Pass the Expiration Date?
In some topics (like technology or medicine), info from 5 years ago is ancient history.
Fast Moving
Space exploration, COVID-19 info, newest iPhone features.
Slow Moving
Ancient Egypt history, math rules, biographies of people from the past.
Cracking the URL Code
.gov Government (High Trust)
.edu Educational (High Trust)
.org Organization (Check Bias)
.com Commercial (Sell/Profit)
"Just because it ends in .org doesn't mean it's neutral. Always check who runs the organization!"
MISSION: Find the "About" page every single time.
Case: A Tale of Two Sites
Site A
"NASA.gov - Why Mars Matters"
Author: Lead Research Scientist
CREDIBLE?
Site B
"MarsFactsBlog.com - The Secret Aliens"
Author: SpaceFan99
CREDIBLE?
Source Scrutiny Scorecard Source Scrutiny Scorecard
Official Investigation Report
Investigator:
Date:
Phase 1: Source Identification
Website Title / Headline:
URL (Ending: .gov, .edu, .org, .com):
Phase 2: The 5 W's Analysis
Criteria Key Questions Score (1-3) Notes WHO (Authority) Is there an author? Are they an expert or a reputable group? /3
|
|
| WHAT (Purpose) | Is the goal to teach, to sell a product, or to make you angry? |
/3
|
|
| WHEN (Currency) | When was this posted? Does the date matter for this topic? |
/3
|
|
| WHERE (Reliability) | Does the URL look official? Are there links to evidence? |
/3
|
|
| WHY (Reason) | Why should we trust this source over others? |
/3
|
|
Phase 3: Final Verdict
Total Score: (15 possible points)
_______ / 15
12-15: Expert Witness (Highly Trustworthy)
Would you use this in a debate? Explain:
Source Detective Agency // Protocol V.2 // Scrutiny Dept
Credibility Codes Teacher Guide Credibility Coach Guide
Lesson 2: Protocol Instruction
The Mission
Students often look at a website and decide its truth based on "how it looks." This lesson forces them to look at functional credibility—who is behind the curtain and why they are there.
Key Framework
The 5 W's Protocol:
Who (Authority)
What (Purpose)
When (Currency)
Where (Reliability)
Why (Reasoning)
Coaching Steps
01
Define Authority
Explain that a scientist is an authority on biology, but not necessarily on car repair. Help students understand that Expertise is specific.
02
The ".gov" Gold Standard
Highlight that URLs ending in .gov and .edu are highly regulated. It's much harder to get these domains than a .com or .org.
03
Scrutiny Simulation
Hand out the scorecards. Use the Case Files below to guide a group practice before having students research their own.
Case Files for Scoring
CASE: HIGH TRUST
Source: The Smithsonian Institution
URL: smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/...
Who: Written by a science journalist; reviewed by curators.
What: Educational article about solar flares.
When: Published January 2024.
Why: Provides citations to NASA and peer-reviewed journals.
Score Recommendation: 14/15
CASE: LOW TRUST
Source: HealthyLivingBlog (The All-Natural Life)
URL: natural-life-blog.com/buy-now
Who: "Coach Sarah" (No bio or medical credentials).
What: Selling "Magic Energy Dust" supplements.
When: No date visible on post.
Why: Claims are based on "a friend's experience."
Score Recommendation: 3/15
Debate Connection
Remind students: "If you cite a source with a score of 5 in your debate, your opponent can easily destroy your argument by pointing out that your source isn't an expert. High scores make for strong arguments."
Sideeye Searches Slides ● LIVE INVESTIGATION
Sideeye Searches
Mastering the Art of Lateral Reading and Corroboration
Don't Look At. Look Across.
Protocol LR-01
Vertical Reading (Weak)
Staying on one page, reading top to bottom, and trusting what the page says about itself.
Lateral Reading (Strong)
Opening new tabs to find out what the rest of the web says about that source.
The "Three Tabs" Rule
TAB 01
Search the Author
Search: "[Name] credentials" or "[Name] bias"
TAB 02
Search the Org
Search: "Who funds [Organization]?"
TAB 03
Corroborate
Find another independent source saying the same thing.
Corroboration
Confirming or supporting a claim with additional evidence from different sources.
"One source is a rumor. Two sources is a lead. Three sources is a FACT."
MISSION ALERT
The Fact-Checker Race
You have 5 minutes. A blog claims that "Eating apples prevents gravity from affecting you." Use lateral reading to find out:
Task 1
Who is the author of this claim?
Task 2
Can you find a scientist who says it's false?
Always Use Your Sideeye
If you only read the page you're on, you're letting the author control the story. Break free—open a new tab.
New Tab
The Corroboration Connection Worksheet https://investigation.detective-agency.net/case\_files/lateral\_reading\_log
The Corroboration Connection
Lateral Reading Tab Tracker
Fact-Checker:
Mission Date:
CLAIM UNDER INVESTIGATION
What is the claim you are checking?
Original Source Website:
Original Author:
Sideeye Search Protocol (Open New Tabs)
TAB 01: AUTHOR
Search for the author's name. What else have they written? Are they an expert?
TAB 02: ORG
Search for the organization. Who funds them? Do they have a specific bias or goal?
TAB 03: MATCH
Find an independent source (like a news site or university). Do they agree?
The Verdict
Does the evidence from other sites support the original claim?
YES (Corroborated)
NO (Contradicted)
Explain your findings:
Sideeye Searches Teacher Guide Lead Fact-Checker Manual
Lesson 3: Sideeye Searches
SECURE PROTOCOL LR-003
The Lateral Strategy
The biggest mistake students make is trusting a website because it tells them it's trustworthy. Lateral reading is about distrusting the source until it can be verified by others.
The "About Us" Trap
"Don't spend 20 minutes reading the 'About Us' page. A fake site can write a fake bio. Instead, spend 2 minutes Googling the author's name."
Search Term Secrets
Teach students to use these specific strings in their "new tabs":
"[Name of site] funding"
"[Name of author] bio"
"[Organization] controversy"
"Is [claim] true?"
Activity Setup: The Fact-Checker Race
Goal: Verify or debunk a "weird" claim in 5 minutes.
Recommended Claims to Provide:
"The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space." (FALSE)
"A bolt of lightning contains enough energy to toast 100,000 slices of bread." (TRUE)
"Wombat poop is shaped like cubes." (TRUE)
Observation Checklist:
Are they opening new tabs?
Are they checking at least two different organizations?
Are they using neutral search terms? (Avoid: "Why [X] is true")
Debrief Questions
"What happens if two websites disagree?"
Guide: Look for the 'expert' site. A university (.edu) usually beats a personal blog (.com) or an anonymous tweet.
"Why do we need THREE tabs? Isn't two enough?"
Guide: Some sites copy-paste from each other. Finding three truly independent sources is the gold standard for truth.
Mission 3 // Sideeye Search Complete
Note Ninja Slides Note Ninja Skills
Mastering the Art of Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Evidence Extraction
Stealth Research
The Plagiarism Trap
What is Plagiarism?
Taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as your own. It's the ultimate "Ninja Fail."
Why it's bad for Debate:
● You lose credibility.
● You don't actually understand the facts.
● You could be disqualified.
Copy-Paste is NOT Research.
"True ninjas take the essence of the message and make it their own."
Paraphrasing Protocol
1
READ & DIGEST
Read the passage twice until you can explain it to a 5-year-old.
2
LOOK AWAY
Close the book or tab. Don't peek!
3
WRITE YOUR OWN
Write down the main idea in your own words.
Original Quote:
"The utilization of renewable energy resources is paramount to the mitigation of global climate change."
Ninja Paraphrase:
"Using clean energy like solar and wind is the best way to stop the earth from getting too hot."
Bullet-Point Mastery
In a debate, you don't have time to read paragraphs. You need fast facts.
SHARP
One idea per bullet. No extra fluff.
SIMPLE
Use words you can pronounce easily.
SUPPORTED
Include the source (who said it).
The Telephone Trap
When we don't take precise notes, information gets garbled.
"A small error in your notes can turn a winning argument into a losing one. Check your facts, then check them again."
Let's Practice
Paraphrase Power Worksheet Paraphrase Power
Training Level: Note Ninja
Student:
Sensei:
A true Note Ninja doesn't copy-paste. They extract the essence of the text and rewrite it in their own words. Translate the "Complex Scrolls" below into "Ninja Bullet Points."
01
The Solar Scroll
"The implementation of photovoltaic arrays across residential rooftops significantly diminishes the dependence on non-renewable fossil fuel energy grids."
Ninja Translation:
02
The Ocean Scroll
"Marine biologists have observed a precipitous decline in coral reef biodiversity due to the escalating thermal metrics of oceanic environments."
Ninja Translation:
03
Final Challenge: The Summary Strike
Read the short paragraph below and summarize it into exactly three bullet points.
"Recycling is a helpful practice, but reducing waste is even more important. When we recycle, we use energy to turn old materials into new things. However, when we simply use less stuff, we save energy and resources from the start. Composting food scraps is another great way to help the planet by keeping waste out of landfills and creating healthy soil for gardens."
1
2
3
Mission Level: Master Ninja
Note Ninja Teacher Guide The Sensei's Scroll
Lesson 4: Note Ninja Skills
Classified // Master Level
The Ninja Philosophy
Research is not about gathering words; it's about gathering meaning. Students often fall into the trap of "patch-writing" (changing just one or two words). Our goal is to move them toward Conceptual Translation .
The Golden Rule
"If you can't explain it without looking at the page, you don't understand it yet."
The Paraphrase Protocol
The "Look Away" Technique
Force students to read a sentence, then close their eyes or turn the paper over before they write their version. This breaks the habit of copying word-for-word.
The "Explain to a Peer" Method
Before writing anything down, have students tell a partner what they just read in simple, everyday language. "Tell me like we're at lunch."
Worksheet Key & Examples
01: The Solar Scroll
"Putting solar panels on houses helps us use less oil, coal, and gas for electricity."
Key takeaway: Solar = Less fossil fuels.
02: The Ocean Scroll
"Warmer oceans are causing many types of coral and sea animals to die out."
Key takeaway: Heat = Loss of coral life.
03: Summary Strike (Example Bullets)
Reducing waste is better for the planet than just recycling.
Using fewer things saves energy and resources from being used at all.
Composting helps keep trash out of landfills and makes the soil healthy.
The Red Card Violation
If a student just changes "significantly" to "very," that is still plagiarism. A Note Ninja must change the sentence structure , not just the vocabulary.
Evidence Vault Slides Security Level: Maximum
Evidence Vault
Curation, Justification, and the Final Showdown
Access Granted
Your Final Mission
You will curate a bank of 3 High-Quality Sources for our upcoming debate resolution.
The Debate Resolution:
"Resolved: Schools should replace all physical playgrounds with Virtual Reality fitness labs."
Requirements:
1 Source must be a .gov or .edu
Every fact must be paraphrased
Every source must pass the Scorecard
Justifying Your Evidence
In a debate, it's not enough to have a fact. You must be able to defend why the source is trustworthy.
Good Justification:
"I chose this NASA source because the author is a PhD scientist and the data was updated last month."
Bad Justification:
"I chose this because the website looked cool and I found it on Google."
SOURCE SHOWDOWN
Present your Best Piece of Evidence.
You Present:
1. The paraphrased fact.
2. The source authority.
3. Why we should trust it.
Peers Challenge:
"Who funded that organization?"
"Is that info out of date?"
"Did anyone else corroborate it?"
Open the Vault
You have the tools. You have the skills. Now, build the bank of truth.
Research Phase: START
The Evidence Bank Worksheet The Evidence Bank
Curation File: #2026-B
Vault Access Authorized For:
Assigned Resolution:
"Schools should replace all physical playgrounds with Virtual Reality fitness labs."
EVIDENCE 01
Paraphrased Fact (Ninja Style):
Source Title & URL:
Credibility Justification (Why trust it?):
EVIDENCE 02
Paraphrased Fact (Ninja Style):
Source Title & URL:
Credibility Justification (Why trust it?):
EVIDENCE 03
Paraphrased Fact (Ninja Style):
Source Title & URL:
Credibility Justification (Why trust it?):
Showdown Preparation
"Pick your single strongest piece of evidence from above. Why is this specific source impossible to ignore?"
Source Detective Final Mastery // End of Sequence
Evidence Vault Teacher Guide Vault Administrator Guide
Lesson 5: Evidence Synthesis
Final Protocol // Project Launch
The Mastery Project
This final lesson transitions students from "learning skills" to "applying mastery." They will research a real (or simulated) debate topic and defend their sources in the Source Showdown .
The Goal
"Can the student justify their choice using the vocabulary of the sequence (Authority, Currency, Lateral Reading, Corroboration)?"
Project Parameters
3 Unique Sources (No repeats)
At least one .gov or .edu
Minimum Scorecard total of 30/45
Zero verbatim copying
Activity: The Source Showdown
Step 1: The Pitch
Student shares their strongest fact and names the source. They must explain why they trust it using the 5 W's.
Step 2: The Challenge
Classmates act as "Fact-Checkers." They ask questions like: "Is there a conflict of interest?" or "Is there more recent data?"
"The goal is not to be 'right,' but to show that you have thoroughly vetted your evidence before presenting it."
Mastery Rubric
Criterion Detective Level (3) Recruit Level (1) Source Quality Mix of .gov/.edu and vetted .orgs. Scores 12+ on scorecard. Uses random .com blogs or outdated sites. Justification Clearly cites author credentials and currency. "It looks real" or "it was top result." Paraphrasing Full conceptual translation. No matching phrases. Patch-writing or verbatim copying.
"Now that your students have filled their vaults with truth, they are ready for the public stage. The Source Detectives are officially debaters."
