icon-background-square
New
New
Year 8

Should we believe everything we see in the media?

I can explain how to tell if a media source is trustworthy and how to find reliable information.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 8

Should we believe everything we see in the media?

I can explain how to tell if a media source is trustworthy and how to find reliable information.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Some media outlets are trustworthy because they verify facts and do investigative journalism, but not all are reliable.
  2. Be aware of disinformation, misinformation and malinformation when interpreting media content.
  3. The REVIEW model helps spot misinformation: Reputation, Evidence, Verify, Intent, Emotions and Weigh it up.
  4. Always question the purpose, evidence and trustworthiness of the information you see.
  5. Evaluate all aspects of the media content before deciding if it’s accurate and reliable.

Keywords

  • Media - forms of communication like radio, television, newspapers, magazines and the internet, that reach or influence people

  • Trustworthy - something or someone who is able to be relied upon as honest and truthful

  • Reliable information - knowledge communicated about a particular fact or subject, often presented to us in the media, that can be trusted, believed and verified with external sources

Common misconception

We can't trust anything we see in the media.

We can make sure we know how to get access to reliable and accurate information which will be more trustworthy.

You could ask your School Librarian to come and speak to pupils about how they make sure the media presented in the Library is reliable and accurate. This will offer an insight into how tools to spot misinformation are used in everyday life and in different careers.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
To make sure those in power are responsible for their actions and decisions, what do the media need to hold leaders to?
silence
obedience
Correct answer: account
Q2.
Match the technique with its purpose.
Correct Answer:front page headlines,grab the audience's attention
tick

grab the audience's attention

Correct Answer:investigative journalism,researches and works out big stories
tick

researches and works out big stories

Correct Answer:in-depth interviews,question those in power
tick

question those in power

Q3.
The UK is a so the Government must act fairly and deliver on their promises.
Correct Answer: democracy
Q4.
If you have control or authority over someone or something, you have over them.
Correct Answer: power, influence
Q5.
What was the MPs' scandal about in 2009?
work
Correct answer: expenses
computers
Q6.
What does the media help to raise about issues that concern the public?
Correct Answer: awareness

6 Questions

Q1.
When you believe someone can be trusted, you can call them ...
Correct Answer: trustworthy
Q2.
Some media outlets can be trusted because ...
Correct answer: they verify facts
they do not check their facts
the opinions given are one-sided
Correct answer: they employ investigative journalists
Q3.
Match the word with its definition.
Correct Answer:disinformation,information which is deliberately created to harm a person or group
tick

information which is deliberately created to harm a person or group

Correct Answer:misinformation,information shared without knowing it is false; no intention of harm
tick

information shared without knowing it is false; no intention of harm

Correct Answer:malinformation,truthful information which is shared to deliberately harm someone
tick

truthful information which is shared to deliberately harm someone

Q4.
Order the steps of the Association of Citizenship Teaching's model to check if information is reliable.
1 - Reputation
2 - Evidence
3 - Verify
4 - Intent
5 - Emotions
6 - Weigh it up
Q5.
You often need to know this to see if you are being advertised to or consuming inaccurate information.
Correct answer: the purpose
Correct answer: the author
the price
the cover
Q6.
What skill could you use to investigate all aspects of the media content before deciding if it’s accurate and reliable?
assumption
advocacy
Correct answer: evaluation
guesswork