Media influence: How do I decide what is true online?
Downloads can take a few minutes, especially for larger files or slower connections.
Threads
Why this why now
In Year 6, pupils are becoming more critical of the information they encounter online. Building on previous learning about media literacy, this unit focuses on advanced skills for distinguishing truth from misinformation, including AI-generated content. This is timely as misinformation becomes more sophisticated. By learning these concepts now, pupils develop essential abilities to evaluate sources, recognise manipulation, verify content and find reliable information.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Pupils should know from Year 4 and Year 5 what misinformation is, how to identify bias and should understand that people online have different motivations for sharing content.
- Pupils should be familiar with critically evaluating online information from earlier learning including checking sources, looking for evidence and asking trusted adults.
- Pupils should understand from Key Stage 2 how algorithms work and that they influence what content people see online based on their previous activity.
- Pupils may know from Year 5 that content online can be edited, filtered or manipulated and should be able to question the accuracy of what they see.
- Pupils should be familiar with trusted adults and reliable sources who can help them evaluate online information and understand health-related content.
Threads
Why this why now
In Year 6, pupils are becoming more critical of the information they encounter online. Building on previous learning about media literacy, this unit focuses on advanced skills for distinguishing truth from misinformation, including AI-generated content. This is timely as misinformation becomes more sophisticated. By learning these concepts now, pupils develop essential abilities to evaluate sources, recognise manipulation, verify content and find reliable information.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Pupils should know from Year 4 and Year 5 what misinformation is, how to identify bias and should understand that people online have different motivations for sharing content.
- Pupils should be familiar with critically evaluating online information from earlier learning including checking sources, looking for evidence and asking trusted adults.
- Pupils should understand from Key Stage 2 how algorithms work and that they influence what content people see online based on their previous activity.
- Pupils may know from Year 5 that content online can be edited, filtered or manipulated and should be able to question the accuracy of what they see.
- Pupils should be familiar with trusted adults and reliable sources who can help them evaluate online information and understand health-related content.
Media influence: How do I decide what is true online?
This unit focuses on distinguishing truth from misinformation online and developing critical thinking skills. Pupils learn about online motivations and bias, recognising fake and AI-generated images, algorithms and echo chambers, verifying content and finding reliable health information.
5 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the Media influence: How do I decide what is true online? unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our primary rshe (pshe) curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for primary rshe (pshe) programmes.