Subscribe

6th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 10 of 14

Check the Source

Credible sources, AI tools and citing

What your child practices

Children practice judging whether a source is credible and accurate, reading laterally, checking text and images made by technology such as chatbots, narrowing research questions and citing sources.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 6.12(A); 6.12(H) · research questions and judging whether a source is credible

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A credible source is written by someone who knows the topic and backs up claims.
  2. Read laterally: leave the page to see what other sources say about it.
  3. Chatbots and other tools can sound sure and still be wrong. Check their facts and cite your sources.

Example: What is lateral reading? Lateral means sideways. You go sideways to other sources to check one. Answer: leaving a page to see what other sources say about it

Check the Source in Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 10 of 14 in 6th grade English Language Arts, after Text Forms & Features and before Media Techniques.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which is the best way to narrow the topic “space”?

    • Planets and stars and more
    • All about the universe
    • Space things
    • How do astronauts exercise in space?

  2. Question 2

    A video says a new drink makes kids smarter. It is posted by the drink company. What is the problem?

    • drinks cannot be sold
    • it is too short
    • the company benefits if you believe it
    • videos are always false

  3. Question 3

    A photo online shows a shark swimming on a flooded highway. What should you do before sharing?

    • add a funny caption
    • check whether reliable news sources confirm it
    • share it quickly
    • assume it is real because it looks real

  4. Question 4

    Which source would be best for current weather warnings?

    • a weather-themed game
    • a national weather service website
    • a post from a stranger
    • a five-year-old blog

  5. Question 5

    A chatbot writes a paragraph for you about volcanoes. What is true about it?

    • it can sound confident and still be wrong
    • it is always correct
    • it is a primary source
    • it never needs checking

  6. Question 6

    Two articles disagree about a fact. Which should you trust more?

    • the one with more ads
    • the one with clear evidence from experts
    • the one with more exclamation marks
    • the longer one

More 6th grade