ALEX Learning Activity

In this learning activity, student will research The American Dream (a relevant 11th-grade concept) using resources to determine if the resource is credible; however, this learning activity can be adjusted as needed. The students will use the linked infographic for reference as they work in groups to research, locate, cite, link, and evaluate five different sources that could be used to support a paper on a provided topic.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

1. Students will evaluate sources and through this evaluation, demonstrate an understanding of purpose, accuracy, authority, relevance, and currency in determining the credibility of relevant sources for potential research.
2. Students will share and discuss their findings with their peers who will provide an informal "peer evaluation" of the assessment.
3. Students will demonstrate that they can locate and cite/link relevant multi-genre sources on a provided topic.
4. Students will present and explain their findings and assessments to their group/class.

1. Optional: Teachers may choose to review the Slide Show on the PAARC Test prior to this activity.
2. Optional: Teachers may choose to print a copy of the Infographic.
3. The teacher will post the Infographic to a classroom forum such as Google Classroom, and/or make a poster of the resource.
4. Teachers will put students in groups of five (this can be modified as needed), and teachers will assign each student a source type to research. (Sources could be randomly drawn as well.)
5. Students will use Chromebooks, laptops, or personal devices to research a source relating to the theme of The American Dream. One student will have to find a journal article or essay, one a web page, one a professional or trade publication, one a news article, and one a video clip.
6. After the students have located their sources, they will work collaboratively on the Google Doc. where they will link and evaluate their sources. (All students will use the "Share" feature of Google Docs in order to work on the same document at the same time.)
7. After all students have found and evaluated their sources, they will take turns sharing their sources and explaining their process and choices in determining credibility to their team.
8. Team members will ask PAARC questions of their teammates regarding the sources that have been chosen and evaluated. Guidance can be noted digitally with each member of the team's assigned color used to designate comments on the Google Doc.
9. Students will come to a consensus regarding the credibility of the linked sources. Some may NOT be credible. This is absolutely fine as it teaches students that not all sources are usable.
10. Students will write their recommendations on the graphic organizer.
11. Groups may share their sources and their evaluations with the class.
12. The completed graphic organizers will be submitted to the teacher for evaluation.

Teachers will need to move about the room and offer support and guidance during the duration of the group activity. This guidance will also entail monitoring conversations and keeping groups on task. Students will present their findings to their group as well as the class. Completed graphic organizers will be assessed in terms of student understanding of what details a credible or not credible source. The completed graphic organizers will be submitted to the teacher for evaluation.

1. The teacher needs to plan to either share the infographic digitally or in print. If in print, copies need to be made.
2. The teacher will need to predetermine groups of 5 students prior to the activity.
3. The teacher needs to be prepared to use Chromebooks or computers.
4. The teacher needs to share the Google Doc and instruct students on how to use a Google Doc collaboratively, or the teacher will need to make copies of the graphic organizer.

The students could be required to complete the Graphic Organizer independently as a component for a research project or paper.

1. While this activity is centered on the topic of The American Dream, it can be completed with any topic. The American Dream was chosen as it is a relevant topic to eleventh-grade literature.
2. Students can be paired up in different numbers or even work alone.
3. The Google Doc can be modified to change, eliminate, or add more genres for evaluation of credibility.
4. The Graphic Organizer can be printed and copied; it is not necessary to complete this digitally.

Corresponding activities can be found here--

Before Activity: A Walk in the PAARC: Evaluating Source Credibility

After Activity: A Final Trip to the PAARC