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Year 4

Understanding bias

I can describe what bias is and explain the impacts of bias.

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New
New
Year 4

Understanding bias

I can describe what bias is and explain the impacts of bias.

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

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. People often make assumptions about those around them.
  2. Assumptions can make people biased without realising it.
  3. People can be biased because of the things they see online.
  4. People sometimes create biased online content to get more likes, followers or money.
  5. Bias can lead to discrimination, which can leave victims feelings sad, lonely, anxious or angry.

Keywords

  • Assumption - a feeling or belief about something or someone which is not based on evidence

  • Bias - a feeling that influences how you respond to a situation or person

  • Unconscious - in this context, a thought or feeling that happens without you realising

Common misconception

Pupils may think that being biased means we are bad people.

Being biased is part of being human. It is only a problem when we don't realise how biased we are and don't treat people fairly.


To help you plan your year 4 rshe (pshe) lesson on: Understanding bias, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Show examples of biased content and discuss the impacts of this content being shared online. Be mindful of the examples you choose and ensure they are appropriate in your class setting.
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
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

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:website,an online place: for example, a news page or gaming site
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an online place: for example, a news page or gaming site

Correct Answer:link,a word or picture that takes you to a new place if you click or tap it
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a word or picture that takes you to a new place if you click or tap it

Correct Answer:app,an application on a phone or tablet
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an application on a phone or tablet

Correct Answer:search bar,a feature you would use to find information on a website
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a feature you would use to find information on a website

Q2.
Adverts on the internet are not always .
Correct Answer: true, honest, truthful, the truth
Q3.
Why do we need to be careful when clicking links on the internet?
They may give us an electric shock.
Correct answer: They may take us to something that we do not like.
They may do nothing.
They may save our work.
Q4.
Inference means ...
when you guess what is happening with no information
when you say only what you know is happening
Correct answer: when you guess using the information that you have
when you think about the options of what may happen next
Q5.
Why do some websites and apps have adverts?
to give away free items
Correct answer: to make money
to tell us how to use them
Q6.
Sometimes we can infer that a link or advert is not safe because ...
Correct answer: the advert shows an offer that is too good to be true
Correct answer: the link is not a familiar website
the advert has a good amount of information
the link is one you have visited before and is safe

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:assumption,a feeling or belief about something or someone, not based on evidence
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a feeling or belief about something or someone, not based on evidence

Correct Answer:bias,a feeling that influences how you respond to a situation or person
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a feeling that influences how you respond to a situation or person

Correct Answer:unconscious,in this context, a thought/feeling that happens without you realising
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in this context, a thought/feeling that happens without you realising

Q2.
People can be biased because of the things they see .
Correct Answer: online, on the internet
Q3.
What might be the impact of bias?
It can help us work faster.
Correct answer: It can change the way we treat other people.
It can make it easier to understand other people.
Correct answer: It can change how much we respect or listen to a person.
Q4.
Who can be biased?
older people
teachers
politicians
children
Correct answer: anyone
Q5.
People sometimes create biased online content to get more likes, or money.
Correct Answer: followers
Q6.
How might someone feel if they experience discrimination?
Correct answer: angry
happy
Correct answer: upset
Correct answer: isolated
included