Published on AASL Learning4Life Lesson Plan Database (http://aasl.jesandco.org)

Two Truths and a Lie

Created by: 
Jean Wolf Kirschenman
Title/Role: 
School Librarian
Organization/School Name: 
Brookings High School Library
Location: 
South Dakota
Grade Level: 
11, 12
Type of Lesson: 
Stand-alone lesson
Type of Schedule: 
Combination
Collaboration Continuum: 
Moderate
Content Area: 
Language Arts
Social studies
Content Topic: 
Reading and Research

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s): 
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, and point of view or bias.
2.1.3 Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge to curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.
2.1.5 Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions, and solve problems.
Dispositions Indicator(s): 
1.2.4 Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information.
3.2.2 Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions.
4.2.3 Maintain openness to new ideas by considering divergent opinions, changing opinions or conclusions when evidence supports the change, and seeking information about new ideas encountered through academic or personal experiences.
Responsibilities Indicator(s): 
1.3.4 Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly.
Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s): 
1.4.2 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide own inquiry process.
Scenario: 
Students will research a topic and create "two truths and a lie" from an internet resource. The lesson can be as structured (a specific website or even a specific article) or open (any website on a given topic) as the teacher wishes. The students will write these 3 items with the answers and citations on a separate page/file. Other students will then research to find the answer: which two are true and which is a lie. They will also provide citations for where they find the information. For even more structure (and more prep) a teacher can provide the sets of sentences for the students to research. This would also be a good way to adapt this lesson for a lower grade level. A teacher could offer extra credit/bonus points for students finding discrepancies between sources.This is a good follow-up lesson to bibliography work.Students should know how to create a Works Cited or Bibliography before this lesson.
Overview: 
"Two Truths and a Lie" is an ice-breaker game where people tell 3 things about themselves and the people listening guess which is the lie. This research lesson provides a more in-depth take on the game so students can learn content, develop research skills, and evaluate accuracy of web information and find discrepencies in sources. Speaking and writing skills can be incorporated. Essential Question: What makes an Internet site valid and reliable?
Final Product: 
The final product has two parts: Part 1) Three statements(2 are true, 1 is not) with the answers and citations in a separate place (paper or computer file). Part 2) The students' results of their research: identifying which statement is a lie, along with their citations. Students can complete as many of Part 2 as the teacher decides/time allows.
Library Lesson: 
Students will improve research skills and learn to evaluate sources for accuracy. They will also become more familiar with subject area content with this lesson. They will review creating a bibliography. This could also include teaching technology skills, such as e-mail, shared files, blogging, etc.
Estimated Lesson Time: 
90 minutes

Assessment

Product: 
1)three statements related to the content: 2 are true, 1 is not true 2) completed assignment with the "lie" identified and the citations listed. Extra credit for finding discrepencies on websites.
Process: 
After completing Step 1, the students will check that they have 3 statements (2 facts and 1 "lie") to share with other students. Teachers or librarians can check that they have the answers and citations in another place. They are then ready to complete Step 2, where they will research other students' work to find the one inaccuracy. After this is completed, students will discuss or present their findings. Before, during, or after this lesson would be a good time for the librarian to do an in-depth lesson on citations, bibliographies, etc, with separate assignments and activities.
Student self-questioning: 
What did I learn about reliability of internet sources? Did my classmates find the same results and information? How did my citations look, compared to the model? What should be my next step when two sources provide differing facts?

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use: 
Interactive Resource (i.e. webpages, multimedia learning objects, chat services)
Interactive Resource URL: 
http://
Resources instructor will use: 
Projector
Laptop

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction: 
The librarian and teacher can explain the lesson and model the assignment. The two of them could each have one set prepared, then trade and work through the entire process. The librarian could review citations with the class and recommend websites for citation builders. Some databases, such as ProQuest or InfoTrac, have built-in "Cite This" mechanisms. Learning specific content should not be a goal of this lesson since the lie could be confusing, like finding a misspelled word in a list can make students spell the word wrong.
Modeling and guided practice: 
To explain the process, teachers or librarians could demonstrate writing "Two Truths and a Lie" with content that everyone knows (from a past unit or even a fairy tale) or from a simple website article on the projector. This should not be the first introduction to citing sources, but proper citations should be modeled or provided on student handouts.
Independent practice: 
Students can complete as many sets of "Two Truths and a Lie" as time allows. This can be organized, such as passing to the right, to maintain organization and fairness.
Have you taught this lesson before: 
Yes
Strategies for differentiation: 
This can go as high or low-tech, or as simple or in-depth, as a teacher wishes. One article could be printed out for all to use or a textbook, library book, or magazine could be used. Students could use a variety of material with different reading levels at the same time. Teachers decide the structure ahead of time and can provide step 1 (Writing the two truths and a lie). This lesson could really be done at any age level and any content area to fit the circumstances. It could be an intro to a unit, a review, or a follow-up to bibliography work.

AASL/Common Core State Standards Crosswalk

English Language Arts: 

CC.11-12.W.7 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS8 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 8. Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.9 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.7 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.2 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.8 » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » 8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.1.a » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.1 » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » 1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon- one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.1.c » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS1e » Writing Standards » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.f » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS2e » Writing Standards » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.5 » English Language Arts » Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas » 5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.6 » English Language Arts » Production and Distribution of Writing » 6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information. (11,12)

CC11-12WH/SS/S/TS1b » Writing Standards » b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS2 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS5 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 5. Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the information or ideas. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS6 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 6. Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS7 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS6 » Reading Standards for History » 6. Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS7 » Reading Standards for History » 7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS8 » Reading Standards for History » 8. Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.e » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.6 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 6. Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.b » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2.e » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (11,12)

CC11-12RS/TS9 » Reading Standards for Literacy in Sci Tech » 9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS1 » Reading Standards for History » 1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS2 » Reading Standards for History » 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas. (11,12)

CC11-12RH/SS3 » Reading Standards for History » 3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.2 » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.L.1 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.4 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10). (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.5 » English Language Arts » Craft and Structure » 5. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging. (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.I.8 » English Language Arts » Integration of Knowledge and Ideas » 8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses). (11,12)

CC.11-12.R.L.2 » English Language Arts » Key Ideas and Details » 2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.1.a » English Language Arts » Text Types and Purposes » a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. (11,12)

CC.11-12.W.9.b » English Language Arts » Research to Build and Present Knowledge » b. Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy [e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]"). (11,12)

CC.11-12.SL.1.b » English Language Arts » Comprehension and Collaboration » b. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed. (11,12)

Source URL: http://aasl.jesandco.org/content/two-truths-and-lie