A. Literacy Connections and Applications / C. Comprehension: Understanding and Responding to Texts · Understanding and Responding to TextsSmart Research and Digital Citizenship
A2.1 A2.2 A2.3 A2.6 A2.7 A1.1 A1.2 A3.1About 45 minutes
Learning goals- I can gather information and check it for accuracy, credibility (can I trust the creator?) and multiple perspectives.
- I can tell facts from opinions and ads, and say where my information came from.
- I can explain my rights and responsibilities online and make choices that build a positive digital identity.
- I can protect my privacy and personal data, and ask permission before sharing.
- I can communicate respectfully and inclusively with diverse communities online.
- I can use digital tools and the design process to solve a real problem.
Words to know
credible
Believable and trustworthy, because the creator is an expert or a reliable organization.
accurate
Correct and true, with facts that can be checked in other reliable sources.
valid
Based on good evidence and reasoning.
personal data
Information about you: your name, address, birthday, school, photos, passwords and location.
digital identity
How you appear online: everything you post, share, like and comment on.
permission
Saying yes. You need a grown-up's permission to go online, and other people's permission to share their photos.
design process
Steps for solving a problem: understand it, brainstorm, plan, make, test, improve.
Remember from Grade 3
In Grade 3 you gathered information from more than one source, told information from ads, took notes in your own words, kept private information safe, and used the design process.
In Grade 4 you will check sources for accuracy, credibility and validity, look for multiple perspectives, explain your rights and responsibilities online, protect your personal data, and show cultural awareness when you communicate online.
Hook: Biscuit's paws
Amira's dog, Biscuit, keeps licking his paws after winter walks. Amira wonders: Can road salt hurt a dog's paws? How can I help? With her dad, she finds four sources.
Road salt on a winter sidewalk, like the salt on Biscuit’s walks. A good research question starts with something you notice and wonder about. AI-generated imageSource 1: A web page from a veterinary clinic (animal doctors). It says road salt can dry out and irritate dogs' paws, and suggests wiping paws with a damp cloth after walks.
Source 2: A page from a pet store website. It says: Salt is TERRIBLE for paws! Protect your pup with PawShield Wax, only $19.99. Buy now!
Source 3: A post on a forum from someone called DogFan2000: Salt burns paws off!!! My dog's feet fell apart. No other information.
Source 4: A library book, Caring for Your Dog, written by a veterinarian. It suggests booties or wiping paws after walks on salted sidewalks.
Worked exampleLet's evaluate the sources
Which sources are credible, accurate and valid? Which should Amira use?
- Ask: Who made it? (credibility) Source 1: animal doctors. Source 4: a veterinarian. Both are experts. Source 3: an unknown person we can't check. Source 2: a store that wants to sell something.
- Ask: Is it a fact, an opinion or an ad? (validity) Source 2 is an ad: it uses capitals, TERRIBLE and Buy now! Source 3 is an opinion with exaggeration (feet fell apart) and no evidence.
- Ask: Does it match other sources? (accuracy) Sources 1 and 4 agree: salt can irritate paws; wipe paws or use booties. Two reliable sources agreeing makes it more likely to be accurate.
- Ask: Are there other perspectives? Amira could also ask a real vet or a neighbour who walks dogs every day.
- Decision: Use Sources 1 and 4. Be careful with Source 2 (it's selling something) and don't trust Source 3.
Sources 1 and 4 are credible, agree with each other and give useful advice: road salt can irritate paws, so wipe them after walks or use booties.
Amira's sources placed on a trust line. Experts who agree with each other are the most trustworthy; an ad and an unknown poster are not.Notes in my own words, with sources
Amira writes:
- Salt can dry out and irritate dog paws. (Vet clinic website; Caring for Your Dog)
- Wipe paws with a damp cloth after walks. (Vet clinic website)
- Dog booties protect paws. (Caring for Your Dog)
She writes in her own words and says where each fact came from. Giving credit to creators is part of being responsible.
Rights and responsibilities online
Your rights:
- To be safe and treated with respect.
- To privacy: to keep your personal information private.
- To find information and share your ideas (with a grown-up's permission).
Your responsibilities:
- Ask permission from a grown-up before going online, downloading or signing up for anything.
- Ask permission before posting a photo or video of someone else.
- Give credit when you use someone else's words, pictures or music.
- Be kind: don't post anything you wouldn't say face to face.
- Tell a trusted adult if something online makes you feel uncomfortable.
Protecting your personal data
Many apps and games collect information about you, like your name, birthday, location, and what you click. Protect your personal data:
- Don't share your full name, address, phone number, school, birthday or passwords.
- Use a nickname that doesn't give away who you are.
- Ask a grown-up to check location and privacy settings.
- Before you post, think: Who could see this? Could it be shared? Will I be happy it's online in five years?
Your digital identity is built from everything you post, like and comment. Make it something you're proud of.
Worked exampleLet's decide what to do
Read each situation. What is the responsible choice?
- A game asks for your birthday, address and school to unlock a bonus level.
- Your friend looks silly in a photo from the class party. Another kid says, Post it, it's funny!
- A player in an online game makes fun of another player's language.
- 1. Don't enter it. Stop and ask a grown-up. A game doesn't need your address or school. This is personal data.
- 2. Don't post it without your friend's permission. It could hurt your friend and become part of their digital identity. Ask first, and respect a no.
- 3. Don't join in. If it's safe, say something kind (Hey, that's not cool), block or report the player, and tell a trusted adult. Everyone deserves respect, whatever language they speak.
1: Protect personal data and ask a grown-up. 2: Ask permission before posting others' photos. 3: Stand up for respect and tell an adult.
Cultural awareness online
Online, you might connect with people from many cultures, languages and communities. To be inclusive and respectful:
- Don't mock accents, languages, names, foods or traditions.
- Learn from others' perspectives. Ask polite questions.
- Remember that some cultural items, songs or ceremonies are not meant to be recorded or shared. For example, some First Nations, Métis and Inuit ceremonies are not photographed or filmed. Always ask before sharing.
- Use kind words and emojis carefully. Jokes can be misunderstood when people can't see your face.
The design process with digital tools
Amira's class noticed many families didn't know road salt can bother dog paws. They used the design process:
- Understand the problem: Dog owners in our neighbourhood don't know about salt and paws.
- Brainstorm: a poster? a video? a slideshow for the school website?
- Plan: a short slideshow with photos (taken with permission) and tips from credible sources.
- Make it using a class tablet.
- Test: show it to another class and ask for feedback.
- Improve: the other class said the text was too small, so they made it bigger.
They used transferable skills: collaboration (working as a team), communication, critical thinking (checking sources) and creativity. They also used science (what salt does) and media skills. That's literacy helping in other subjects!
Stop, think, ask
Before you click, post, download or share: Stop. Think: Is it safe? Is it kind? Is it true? Do I have permission? Ask a trusted grown-up if you're not sure.
Just for funRiddle: What is a dog's favourite kind of website?
One with lots of links... sausage links! (Even then, check who made the site.)
Hands-on activityMini research and design project
You need: a grown-up, a library book or two, and a device with internet (used together).
- Choose a question about a real problem, like How can we keep birds from hitting our windows? or How can we waste less food at lunch?
- Find three sources together. For each one, write: Who made it? Is it fact, opinion or ad? Does it agree with the others?
- Take notes in your own words and write the source beside each note.
- Use the design process to make something that helps: a poster, a short slideshow or a how-to card.
- Test it with a family member and improve one thing.
- Reflect: Which skill did I use most: collaboration, communication, critical thinking or creativity? What's my next step?
Your turn
1Which two sources about Biscuit's paws are most credible? Why?
Source 1 (vet clinic) and Source 4 (library book by a vet). They're made by experts, and they agree with each other.
2Why should Amira be careful with Source 2?
It's an ad from a store that wants to sell PawShield Wax. It uses capitals and Buy now!
3Why shouldn't Amira trust Source 3?
We don't know who wrote it, it exaggerates (feet fell apart) and gives no evidence.
4Name three kinds of personal data you shouldn't share online.
Any three: full name, address, phone number, school, birthday, passwords, location, photos of yourself.
5What should you do before posting a photo of a friend?
Ask your friend's permission (and a grown-up's).
6Name one right and one responsibility you have online.
Right: to be safe, treated with respect, privacy, or to find information. Responsibility: ask permission, give credit, be kind, protect privacy, or tell an adult about problems.
7Put the design process in order: test, brainstorm, understand the problem, improve, make, plan.
Understand the problem → brainstorm → plan → make → test → improve.
More practice: warm-up
Trustworthy, because the creator is an expert or reliable.
2Who should you tell if something online makes you uncomfortable?
3Is Buy now! a sign of information or an ad?
4Should you use your real full name as a game username?
No. Use a nickname that doesn't give away who you are.
5What is a digital identity?
How you appear online: everything you post, share, like and comment on.
More practice: on your own
1How can you check if a fact is accurate?
See if other reliable sources say the same thing, and check who made each source.
2Why does Amira write the source beside each note?
To give credit to the creators and so she (or others) can check where the facts came from.
3A classmate wants to film a ceremony at a community event to post online. What should they think about?
Some ceremonies are not meant to be recorded or shared. They should ask permission from the people leading it, and respect a no.
4Why might a joke online be misunderstood?
People can't see your face or hear your voice, so they may not know you're joking. It could hurt someone.
5How did Amira's class use skills from other subjects in their project?
Science (what salt does to paws), media literacy (making a slideshow), reading and research (checking sources), and communication (presenting to another class).
Challenge
1Source 2 says salt is TERRIBLE for paws, and the vet clinic says salt can irritate paws. They partly agree. Can you use the fact from Source 2? Explain.
You can trust the fact that salt can bother paws because credible sources (1 and 4) confirm it. But Source 2's exaggeration and sales pitch aren't reliable, so use the credible sources for your notes, not the ad.
2Explain how one post today could affect your digital identity in the future.
Posts can be saved, copied and shared, even after you delete them. A mean or embarrassing post could be seen years later by teachers, coaches or friends. A kind, thoughtful post builds a positive digital identity.
3Plan a design-process project to solve a problem at your school using a digital tool. Name each step briefly.
Example: Problem: the lost-and-found is overflowing. Brainstorm: posters, announcements, a photo slideshow. Plan: a weekly slideshow of found items (no faces). Make: take photos with a class tablet. Test: show it at an assembly. Improve: add the room number where items can be picked up.
Quiz
1. Which source is most credible for dog health?
2. How can you check accuracy?
3. Which is personal data you should keep private?
4. Before posting a photo of a friend, you should...
5. Which shows cultural awareness online?
6. Which step comes right after make in the design process?
What this lesson teaches: Grade 4 students explain their rights and responsibilities online and build a positive digital identity (A2.1); use online spaces safely and manage privacy and personal data, with permission (A2.2); gather and evaluate information for validity, credibility, accuracy and multiple perspectives (A2.3); use digital tools in the design process (A2.6); and communicate respectfully with cultural awareness (A2.7). They apply transferable skills (A1.1), reflect on next steps (A1.2), and see how literacy supports other subjects (A3.1).
Fact used: Veterinary sources commonly advise that de-icing salt can irritate dogs' paw pads and recommend wiping paws after walks or using booties.
How to help at home:
- Research together: for each website, ask "Who made this? How do they know? Are they selling something?"
- Review privacy and location settings on your child's devices and games together.
- Set a family rule: ask before posting any photo that includes someone else.
Common difficulties:
- Trusting the first search result. Practise checking a second source.
- Copying instead of note-taking. Read, close the book, then write.
- Oversharing in games. Talk through what personal data looks like (usernames that include a real name or birth year).