Lesson Blueprints
Title of Project: Evaluating Web Sites
School District: Poland Central School District
School: Poland Central School
Standard: Mathematics, Science and Technology
Class: Computer Applications
Teacher: Peter Eramo
Library Media Specialist: Helen Zyma
Project Length: 1.5 - 2 hours or 1-2 academic blocks (may take 2 days)
I. Issues for the Teacher
A. What NYS Standard are you working towards in this project?
Standard Mathematics, Sciences and Technology #2: Access, generate, process and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Key Idea Read, write, listen and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
B. What skill (C-DOS/Information Literacy, etc.) do you want your students to develop as they work on this project?
C-DOS Standard 3a: Foundation Skills: Students will demonstrate mastery of the foundation skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace.
C. Describe in some detail what you want your students to do and/or produce in this project that will demonstrate that they are moving toward the standard and developing their skill.

After a demonstration by the LMS and teacher on how to use Kathy Schrock's Guide to Critical Evaluation (http://www.discoverschool.com/schrockguide/eval.html) students will be required to research the topic Evaluating Web Sites. They must create a short research paper on this topic using a word processor.

They will be responsible for citing sources of information found online.Students will then be responsible for creating a Critical Evaluation Survey of their own.
II. Issues for the Library Media Specialist
A. What instructional strategies will you use to move students toward the standard(s) and skill(s) above?
The Library Media Specialist will demonstrate how to use Kathy Schrock's Guide to Critical Evaluation. The LMS will then go live on the Internet and provide a step-by-step lesson on how to evaluate a web site using her criteria.
B. What material/technical support will you provide for the project?
A video projector or a scan converter will be used with a computer in the Library Media Center so that the LMS can do a group presentation. Computer access for the students will be provided as well.
III. Issues for the Teacher and Library Media Specialist
A. What is the question driving the project?
What makes a web site reliable for research?
B. The Challenge for Students (What product do you want students to create that will provide evidence they're learning the standard and skill?)
Students need to devise a method or checklist for evaluating the quality (accuracy) of sites on the web, because not all web sites are created equal -- and it is important for students of all ages to be critical of any information they may find especially on the Internet.
C. Product Criteria (What criteria for a product of "good" quality?)

  • Students must cite at least 9-10 sites they visited
  • Their product has structure and clear focus.
  • Their product is original.
  • The students must create the final product independently.
  • Students will be assessed using a grading rubric.
D. Standards Criteria (What evidence is needed to determine that the desired standard is being achieved?)
A student will be able to accurately explain the criteria one would use in evaluating web sites.
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