It is imperative to teach our students beginning with their first experience online to  "read" the web discriminately. Students need to understand that just because something is posted on the Internet, it isn't necessarily true.

Teachers should practice the skill of web site evaluation before instructing students. The Yahooligans Teacher's Guide: Evaluating Web Sites   gives a good overall synopsis of web evaluation while the Cyber Bee's WWW.CyberGuides rubrics clarify the issues of both content and design. Tammy Barcalow has somegreat suggestions  to consider when first introducing website evaluation. Check them out!

There are also many alternatives for teaching students how to critically evaluate websites and several links are included below. Kathy Shrock's Criteria Evaluation Survey: Elementary Level is an excellent choice to use with upper primary students. The Schrock criteria are simply stated and appropriate for students starting in about fourth grade. However, the form is bit long and may overwhelm some kids. Since we need to consider the reading level of lower primary students, I have created two checklists specifically for younger children. These alternatives require minimum reading and writing while introducing website evaluation. There is one version for kindergarten and first graders and another for second and third graders . Another good option for our students is this Web Evaluation for Primary Grades.

Regardless of the specific tool you use, site evaluation should include judgement about the following areas: navigation and usability, authorship and content validity.

Other Teacher Options

Blue Web'n site Evaluation Rubric

Web Page Evaluation Worksheet

Teaching Students to Evaluate Internet Sites

Lessons Learned:Exemplary Practices in Teaching Web Evaluation

Good Sites: A Rubric For Evaluating Student Sites

Other Student Options