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50 min
Student Lesson
Lesson 29: Choosing Sources That Matter
Content
Students will evaluate sources for usefulness and credibility in relation to their overarching inquiry question.
Language
Students will explain their evaluation decisions using cause-and-effect reasoning, transition words, and evaluative vocabulary.
How do different disciplines and traditions, including scientific inquiry and cultural knowledge, help us understand our relationship to the natural world?
Knowledge-Building:
Students continue to learn about the research process by evaluating source usefulness and honing in on one specific research question that will guide the rest of their research.
Enduring Understanding:
Research becomes stronger when sources are selected carefully and respectfully across different worldviews.
Future Lessons:
In Lessons 30 and 31, students will use their final source list to take notes, compare perspectives, and synthesize across sources.
Unit Performance Task:
Students are building a set of credible and relevant sources for their Reciprocity in Action research and presentation.
| Lesson Flow | Purpose of Learning Experience |
|---|---|
Launch5 Minutes | Students determine the overarching inquiry question that will guide the rest of their research. |
Literacy Lab: Evaluating Source Usefulness10 Minutes | Students learn how to evaluate source usefulness through specific criteria. |
Learning in Action30 Minutes | Part A: Source Evaluation (RI.8.7, W.8.8) Students review their gathered sources and determine which are the most useful and credible for their final source list. Part B: Deep Evaluation of One Source (W.8.7, W.8.8) Students write a short explanation of one chosen source to explain why it is useful to their future research. |
Material List
Unit 3 Lesson 29 Student Edition
Teacher-selected research sources aligned to the model research topic (different mediums of sources that present similar information about the topic)
Routines
Think-Pair-Share
Quick Write
Place students in pairs. Have them take out their source chart in their individual journals from Lesson 28.
Say these Directions: Turn to your partner and share your overarching inquiry question. Then explain whether your sources help answer that question or only give a general background.
Display the following question to guide students’ discussions.
Ask: What is your overarching inquiry question for your research now that you have reviewed some potential sources?
(Student responses may vary.) My overarching inquiry question is: How do Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science differ and align in their understanding and use of controlled burns to restore California woodlands?
Say: Now that you have your overarching inquiry question to guide the rest of your research, you are ready to evaluate which sources directly help answer that question and which sources should be removed.
Keep students in pairs for a short discussion. Then shift to whole-class modeling using your selected teacher model topic for this part of the unit.
Say these Directions: Consider how you decide whether a source is worth keeping for further exploration. With your partner, discuss the following:
Ask: How do you evaluate the usefulness of a source as related to your research inquiry question?
I check if the source directly answers my inquiry question, gives specific evidence, and comes from a trustworthy author or organization. If it is credible but only gives a general background about my research inquiry question, it may not be useful enough.
Display a two-column chart with the headings “Useful Source” and “Useless Source.” Engage students in a discussion to name the criteria for a useful source as opposed to a useless source.
Useful Source | Useless Source |
|---|---|
directly answers the inquiry question | off-topic or too general |
gives specific evidence or examples | repeats basic information |
adds a needed perspective | does not add new understanding |
is clear enough to use | difficult to understand |
is credible and accurate | lacks clear authorship or evidence |
Teacher Tip |
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Remind students that a source can be credible but not useful to their research. |
Then extend the discussion by having students consider how the medium of a source can make it more or less useful. Display and discuss the following examples of medium-specific advantages and disadvantages.
Say: In Unit 1 and this unit, we discussed how different types of source mediums can have advantages and disadvantages when presenting information about a particular topic. When evaluating a source’s usefulness, consider how the information is presented and whether the medium is the best possible source. For example, a video can contain helpful information, but the disadvantage is that it can be more difficult to assess its credibility.
Medium | Possible Advantage | Possible Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
print or digital text |
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video |
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multimedia |
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Using the chart and the model article from the previous lesson, model how to evaluate a source for its usefulness. Then briefly compare that source to a second source in a different medium that addresses the same or a similar topic.
Say these Directions: Listen and watch as I ask myself these questions about my source and its usefulness to my overarching research question.
Does this source answer or address my research inquiry question?
Does this source provide specific evidence or examples?
Does this source add a needed perspective that I haven’t come across yet?
Is this source clear enough for me to read and use?
Is this source accurate and credible? How do I know?
What is one advantage of this medium for my research question?
What is one disadvantage of this medium for my research question?
Say: Now you will apply the same criteria to your own sources. By the end of the lesson, you will have a final list of sources you can explore further based on your overarching research inquiry question.
Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.
Reflection |
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Reflect on your ability to determine whether or not a source is useful for your research using the Reflection routine.
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Students evaluate their sources for usefulness to their overarching research inquiry question.
Say these Directions: Review each source you gathered in Lesson 28. Select 5–6 sources that are most useful for answering your overarching inquiry question. As you review them, also note what medium each source uses and whether that medium has an advantage or disadvantage for your research.
Instruct students to copy the following table into their journals for them to record their final list of sources.
Source | Medium | Credibility | Usefulness | Explanation | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Say these Directions: As you review your sources, ask yourself:
Does this source directly help answer my inquiry question?
Does it provide specific evidence or examples?
Does it add a perspective I need?
What advantage does that medium give me for this research question?
What disadvantage should I keep in mind as I use it?
Provide time for students to review and select their strongest sources. Remind students to try to select 5–6 sources and that they may have to find additional sources if they do not have enough sources for their final list.
Source | Medium | Credibility | Usefulness | Explanation | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reviving Cultural Fire Practices | Digital text | Yes | Yes | Directly explains the Karuk fire practices and their ecological purpose; the digital text makes it easy to reread and quote from | Keep |
Video of an Indigenous fire keeper demonstrating traditional burning | Video | Maybe yes, depending on the source information | Maybe | Shows practice clearly, which is an advantage, but may need more explanation for comparison research | Check source details before keeping |
General wildfire safety brochure | Print text | Yes | No | Explains safety but is not specific enough to my research question, even though the text is easy to scan | Cut |
Teacher Tip |
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As students evaluate their sources, confer with students about their research process. Consider using the following instructional moves if necessary.
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Students choose one source and explain how it supports their research in a Quick Write response.
Display a model of a written explanation of source evaluation.
Source Evaluation Model
One source I will keep is “Reviving Cultural Fire Practices” by the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, an article published on a tribal organization website. This source is credible because it comes from a specific tribal department connected to land stewardship and fire management. It is also accurate because it explains authentic burning practices in California oak woodlands.
This source is useful because my inquiry question asks how Indigenous knowledge is restoring land using controlled burning, and this article provides clear evidence about the Indigenous knowledge perspective. As a result, I can use this source to explain how fire management is part of reciprocity between people and the environment to restore forest lands.
Say: Notice how the writer names the source, explains why it is credible, and connects it directly to the inquiry question to show why it is useful.
Say these Directions: Choose one source from your selected list. Write a short explanation that answers:
What is this source?
Why is it credible?
How does it help answer your inquiry question?
Use at least one connector, such as because, although, or as a result.
Teacher Tip |
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Provide the following scaffolds to support students’ writing if necessary.
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After students finish their Quick Writes, transition them into partners.
Say these Directions: Share your source explanation with your partner. Then ask: What made you decide this source is useful? Listen for whether your partner explains both credibility and usefulness.
I decided this source is useful because it gives clear evidence that connects directly to my inquiry question. It helps me explain one perspective I need for my research, not just general information.
Transition students into reflecting on their learning from the lesson by completing a Quick Write response.
Students complete a Quick Write, reflecting on the research process.
Say these Directions: Reflect on your research progress. Identify a gap in your research and one source or piece of information you still need. Answer the following question:
What is one source or piece of information you still need, and where might you look?
One source I still need is one that explains the Western science perspective on controlled burns because most of my sources focus on Indigenous knowledge. I will look for a university or government study to balance my research.
Instruct students to review their source list in their Journal and select 4–5 sources they will continue to use for their research.
For each source, write a brief note explaining:
Why the source is credible
How it helps answer the inquiry question
Review and finalize your source list. Select 4–5 sources you will continue to read and analyze. For each source, be ready to explain why it is credible and how it helps answer your inquiry question. Ask yourself: Does each source directly help me answer my overarching research question?