Social media has made it easy to share information with others, but unfortunately not all of that information is true. To help combat this challenge, middle and high school science educators should check out this free one-week curriculum designed to help students learn how to identify and resist misleading "scientific" claims. This classroom-tested curriculum was created by STEM educators Penny Noyce of Tumblehome Books and Andy Zucker, a retired senior research scientist at the Concord Consortium, along with support from the staff of PBS's NOVA at WGBH in Boston. It consists of four standards-aligned, 45-minute lessons (with an optional fifth lesson) that aim to teach students how to evaluate advertising claims and misleading arguments, how to ask the right questions about dubious claims, and how researchers and scientific organizations use the scientific process to develop well-supported claims and synthesize scientific information. Created with grades 6-12 in mind, these lessons include multiple student activities as well as homework. The curriculum includes four downloadable video files, a thorough teacher guide with links to additional resources, and a one-page informational flyer.
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