Media & Information Literacy Grade 5 Evaluating Websites CRAAP Test

Grade 5 Media & Information Literacy Study Guide
Topic: Evaluating Websites – The CRAAP Test

1. The Driving Question

"If you find two websites about dinosaurs—one says T. rex had feathers and the other says it had scales—which one should you trust for your science project, and how do you even decide? Why can’t you just pick the one with the coolest pictures?"

2. The Core Idea – Built, Not Listed

Imagine you’re at the school library, and your teacher says, "Pick any book for your book report." You grab the first one with a shiny cover, but when you open it, the pages are blank. That’s what using a bad website is like—it looks real, but it’s empty (or worse, full of lies).

The CRAAP Test is a tool to check if a website is trustworthy, like a detective’s checklist. It stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Think of it like testing a video game before you buy it: You wouldn’t spend your allowance on a game that crashes every five minutes (Currency), isn’t fun for you (Relevance), was made by someone who’s never played games before (Authority), has glitches everywhere (Accuracy), and was designed to trick you into clicking ads (Purpose). Websites work the same way.

Key Vocabulary:
- Currency: How recent the information is.
Definition: Whether the website has been updated recently enough to be useful.
Example: A website about Mars rovers from 2012 won’t tell you about the Perseverance rover that landed in 2021.
(Note: In high school, you’ll learn to ask: "Recent enough for what?" A 10-year-old article on dinosaurs might still be accurate, but a 10-year-old article on COVID-19 is useless.)

• Authority: Who wrote it and why they’re qualified.
  Definition: The expertise or credentials of the person or organization behind the website.
  Example: A blog post about vaccines written by "Dr. Bob’s Cool Science Stuff" is less trustworthy than one from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
  (Note: In college, you’ll learn to evaluate institutional bias—even experts can have agendas, like a doctor paid by a soda company writing about sugar.)

• Accuracy: Whether the information is correct and supported by evidence.
  Definition: Facts that can be verified by other reliable sources.
  Example: A website claiming "sharks can walk on land" should link to a study or news article from a trusted science organization, not just a random YouTube video.
  (Note: In high school, you’ll learn to spot cherry-picking—when a website only shows data that supports its point and ignores the rest.)

• Purpose: Why the website exists.
  Definition: The reason the website was created—to inform, persuade, sell, or entertain.
  Example: A website with ads for "miracle weight-loss pills" is probably trying to sell you something, not teach you about health.
  (Note: In college, you’ll learn to analyze rhetorical purpose—how a website’s design, language, and tone shape its message.)

3. Assessment Translation (Grade 5 Classroom Focus)

How This Appears in Class:
- Exit Tickets: "You’re researching volcanoes and find two websites. One was last updated in 2010 and has no author listed. The other is from National Geographic, updated in 2023, and cites scientists. Which one should you use for your project? Explain using at least two parts of the CRAAP Test." - Short Constructed Response: "A website about space says, ‘The moon is made of cheese!’ Give two reasons why this website fails the CRAAP Test." - Show-Your-Work Problems: "Your friend says, ‘This website says dogs can live to be 50 years old!’ Use the CRAAP Test to explain why this is probably false."

Proficient vs. Developing Responses:
- Proficient: Names specific parts of the CRAAP Test (e.g., "This fails Accuracy because no other websites say dogs live that long, and Authority because there’s no author listed"). Uses examples from the website.
- Developing: Says "It’s bad" or "It’s fake" without explaining how they know. Might mix up the parts (e.g., "It’s not Relevant because it’s about dogs, not cats").

Model Proficient Response:
"I wouldn’t trust the website that says dogs can live to be 50 because it fails the Accuracy part of the CRAAP Test. No other websites or my vet say dogs live that long, so it’s probably not true. It also fails Authority because there’s no author or organization listed, so I don’t know if the person who wrote it is an expert. A better source would be a website from a vet or animal shelter."

4. Mistake Taxonomy

Mistake 1: "It has pictures, so it must be true!"
- Prompt: "Why is this website about the solar system trustworthy? [Website has colorful planet images but no author or date.]" - Common Wrong Response: "It has cool pictures of planets, so it’s probably right." - Why It Loses Credit: Ignores Authority and Currency. Pictures don’t prove accuracy—anyone can add images to a website.
- Correct Approach: "The website fails Authority because there’s no author or organization listed. It also fails Currency because there’s no date, so I don’t know if the information is up-to-date. I should look for a website from NASA or a science museum instead."

Mistake 2: Confusing "Relevance" with "Accuracy"
- Prompt: "Your little brother wants to know if sharks are mammals. You find a website that says, ‘Sharks are awesome!’ but doesn’t say if they’re mammals. Does this website pass the Relevance part of the CRAAP Test? Explain." - Common Wrong Response: "No, because it’s not accurate—sharks aren’t mammals." - Why It Loses Credit: Misunderstands Relevance. The question isn’t about accuracy—it’s about whether the website answers the question at all.
- Correct Approach: "No, it fails Relevance because it doesn’t answer the question about whether sharks are mammals. It’s just about how cool sharks are. A relevant website would say something like, ‘Sharks are fish, not mammals.’"

Mistake 3: Ignoring "Purpose" for Ads
- Prompt: "A website about homework help has a pop-up that says, ‘CLICK HERE TO WIN A FREE IPAD!’ Should you trust this website? Use the CRAAP Test in your answer." - Common Wrong Response: "Yes, because it’s about homework, so it’s probably helpful." - Why It Loses Credit: Misses Purpose. The pop-up is a red flag that the website is trying to sell something, not teach.
- Correct Approach: "No, it fails Purpose because the pop-up shows it’s trying to get me to click ads or give them my information. A trustworthy homework website wouldn’t have distracting ads like that. I should look for a website from my school or a library instead."

5. Connection Layer

1. Within Media Literacy → Fact-Checking Social Media Posts
   Why it matters: The CRAAP Test works for any information, not just websites. If a TikTok video claims "eating only candy makes you live longer," you can ask: Who made this (Authority)? Is there evidence (Accuracy)? Are they trying to sell me candy (Purpose)?

2. Across Subjects → Science Lab Reports (Accuracy & Authority)
   Why it matters: In science class, you’re told to "cite your sources." The CRAAP Test is just a way to check if those sources are trustworthy. A lab report with sources from Wikipedia or a random blog (low Authority) is like using a blank book for your book report—it doesn’t count.

3. Outside School → Choosing a Doctor or Dentist
   Why it matters: When your parents pick a new dentist, they might look at online reviews. The CRAAP Test helps here too: Is the review recent (Currency)? Is it from a real patient (Authority)? Does the dentist’s website explain their qualifications (Accuracy)? A 5-star review from 2010 isn’t as helpful as one from last month.

6. The Stretch Question

"A website about climate change says, ‘Scientists are lying about global warming to get more money for research.’ How would you use the CRAAP Test to decide if this claim is trustworthy? What’s one piece of evidence you’d look for to prove or disprove it?"

Pointer Toward the Answer:
Start with Authority: Who wrote this? If it’s a scientist, do other scientists agree with them? If it’s a random blog, why should you trust them over thousands of climate scientists? For Accuracy, look for studies or data they cite—do those studies actually say what the website claims? For Purpose, ask: Is this website selling something (like books or products that "protect you from global warming")? That’s a red flag. A trustworthy source would link to peer-reviewed research, not just opinions.