Inquiry on the Internet: Evaluating Web Pages for a Class Collection

In this lesson plan, students explore a class inquiry project, collecting Web-based resources that can be used for further study during the course of the class or for more in-depth projects. Students begin by brainstorming a list of kinds of information they will need to know. They then help set criteria for the lesson by thinking about characteristics of effective Web resources. Next, students use an online tool to evaluate three Websites and then locate and evaluate Websites based on the criteria they defined earlier. Finally, students discuss whether their predictions about the characteristics that would describe useful resources were effective, and revise the list as needed. This lesson can be completed individually or in groups. For demonstration purposes, this lesson plan focuses on researching a specific country or several countries; however, this activity can be completed with any inquiry topic in the classroom.

Featured Resources

Website Evaluation Process: Using this online tool, students evaluate three Websites to determine if they would be useful resources for a class project.

Website Evaluation Form: Using this online tool, students evaluate whether up to three Websites they have found would be useful resources for a class project.

From Theory to Practice

In "Inquiring Minds Use Technology!" Jeff Wilhelm explains that "From the literature teacher who uses inquiry to ponder big questions like ‘What is courage?' to the science teacher who asks, ‘What is the connection between land development and ecology?' inquiry allows students not only to consider thoughtful questions, but to use Web quests and electronic scrapbooks as they research their topic" (45). One of the most important steps in any inquiry project that uses Web resources is determining whether the resources and information one finds not only address the inquiry topic but also provide high-quality information. Nancy Patterson tells us, "When research took place down the school hall, under the watchful eye of the librarian, we had the illusion, at least, that the information students were reading was reliable. Now, suddenly, it seems, we have a huge buffet of information available at the click of a mouse." As a result, Patterson urges us to help our students "become literate in the ways of the Web" by analyzing and evaluating each Web page closely, using techniques such as those explored in this lesson plan, before including it as a resource in any project.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.