Information Literacy - Classes 4 & 5

The Situation :

We see students in Grades 4 and 5 are developing stronger critical thinking skills and a more nuanced understanding of social dynamics. At home, you may notice them exploring different digital tools and conducting online research for school projects with growing independence and confidence.

The Problem :

Children are often exposed to questionable information (from social media feeds and news headlines to viral videos and AI-generated search results) that look convincingly like credible facts. Without the right skills, it can be difficult to tell the difference.

The need :

Students need strong information literacy, media literacy, and news literacy skills to distinguish fact from fiction and make sense of the content they encounter every day.

The Solution :

Workshop to introduce Grade 4–5 students to the SIFT method — a practical 4-step strategy for separating online “information gold” from “fool’s gold.” The workshop was designed to help students develop the critical thinking skills needed to confidently navigate online sources with discernment and make informed decisions about what to believe and what to share.

Workshop Objectives :

By the end of the workshop, students were able to:

• Understand the difference between fact and fiction
• Practice finding facts and spotting fiction in the media
• Identify credible sources of information using the SIFT method
• Spot AI-generated content by noticing visual clues like text errors, odd details, and using their prior knowledge.
• Think critically about digital images and learn to verify what’s authentic vs. altered.
• Explain their reasoning through discussion, practicing both quick decisions and thoughtful analysis.

SIFT :

The SIFT method is an evaluation strategy developed by digital literacy expert, Mike Caulfield, to help determine whether online content can be trusted for credible or reliable sources of information. All SIFT information on this page is adapted from his materials with a CC BY 4.0 license.

Determining if resources are credible is challenging. Use the SIFT method to help you analyze information, especially news or other online media.