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Real, fake or satire?
A quick review

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by Michael Johnson

Jeopardy-style game activity

Following the How to Spot Fake News lesson or Satire’s role in Current Events lesson (or perhaps even on its own or before the lesson), urge students to download the Jeopardy-style game to see how they really do in identifying fake news.

There are three predominant types of news in our world today – real, fake and satirical.

What is the difference? Can you tell the difference?

  • In the format of “Jeopardy,” you will choose from five categories that contain information from various news sources.
  • Your answers will be in the form of three possible questions: “What is real news?” “What is fake news” and “What is satire?”
  • Students will be divided into three groups. Difficulty of questions determined by point total (10 points are easier than 50 points)
  • Group with the most points wins.

The game

 

Michael Johnson bio:

Michael Johnson, editor of the White Mountain Independent in Show Low, Arizona, has a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Ohio University, a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication from New Mexico State University, and is nearing completion of his Master of Arts in Journalism and Communication, with a concentration in Reporting/Editing-Journalism Education, at Kent State University.

Johnson has won numerous awards for his news reporting, feature and editorial writing, and photography during his 29-year career.

Johnson said he discussed with the students the introduction to the activity, but the PowerPoint really got them interested.

The students told Johnson they now better understand how difficult it can be to tell the difference — what’s real, what’s fake and what’s satirical in nature. The said they could not always tell the difference, but now that it was explained and presented to them, they are better able to detect real from fake from satire.

Resources used in the Jeopardy-style game

Beavers, O. (2017, April 23). Pelosi: ‘Of course’ Dems can be against abortion. Retrieved from The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/330136-pelosi-of-course-democrats-can-be-against-abortion

Helin, K. (2012, May 7). Ten years ago today, Allen Iverson ranted about practice. Retrieved from NBCSports.com: http://nba.nbcsports.com/2012/05/07/ten-years-ago-today-allen-iverson-ranted-about-practice/

Holan, A. D. (2016, December 13). 2016 Lie of the Year: Fake News. Retrieved from PolitiFact: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/dec/13/2016-lie-year-fake-news/

Hooper, B. (2017, April 21). Pennsylvania hockey team bans cowbells after rowdy celebration. Retrieved from United Press International: http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2017/04/21/Pennsylvania-hockey-team-bans-cowbells-after-rowdy-celebration/1851492788987/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=15

LiteraryDevices.net. (2017, April 23). Satire Definition. Retrieved from Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms: https://literarydevices.net/satire/

Martin, J. (2017, April 22). Photos of the Week. Retrieved from Reuters: http://in.reuters.com/news/picture/photos-of-the-week?articleId=INRTS13DRU

Moreno, N. (2017, April 9). Police: Son dead, father wounded after shooting each other in fight over dog. Retrieved from Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-two-men-shot-in-burnside-20170409-story.html

NRAI School of Mass Communication. (2016, January 7). Television Journalism 205. Retrieved from NRAI School of Mass Communication: http://delhimasscommunication.com/wp-content/uploads/…/Television-Jornalism-205.docx

On The Media. (2016, November 18). Breaking News Consumer Handbook: Fake News Edition. Retrieved from WNYC.org: http://www.wnyc.org/story/breaking-news-consumer-handbook-fake-news-edition/

Rosenberg, E. (2017, April 22). American Airlines Suspends Flight Attendant After Altercation Over Stroller. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/business/american-airlines-video-stroller.html?_r=0

Rustling, J. (2016, December 11). Obama Signs Executive Order Banning The Pledge Of Allegiance In Schools Nationwide. Retrieved from abcnews.com.co: http://abcnews.com.co/obama-executive-order-bans-pledge-of-allegiance-in-schools/

Snell, K. (2017, April 22). Ryan promises to keep government open — and makes no promises on health care. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/ryan-promises-to-keep-government-open–and-makes-no-promises-on-health-care/2017/04/22/2f9aeaea-2769-11e7-b503-9d616bd5a305_story.html?utm_term=.e1f653b3ca1f

Sports Pickle. (2016, December 19). Jim Harbaugh to skip Orange Bowl so he can prepare for his next NFL head coaching job. Retrieved from Sports Pickle: https://medium.com/sportspickle/jim-harbaugh-to-skip-orange-bowl-so-he-can-prepare-for-his-next-nfl-head-coaching-job-95ea60b4f20a

Sports Pickle. (2017, January 8). Report: Odell Beckham planning to take chartered flight to New York after game with some friends. Retrieved from Sports Pickle: https://medium.com/sportspickle/report-odell-beckham-planning-to-take-chartered-flight-to-new-york-after-game-with-friends-8cbd19f3cf7a

staff, D. M. (2009, May 6). Signs of a strange world: The bizarre notices that will amuse, enlighten or just bewilder you. Retrieved from The Daily Mail of London: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1178034/Signs-strange-world-The-bizarre-notices-amuse-enlighten-just-bewilder-you.html

Stroud, F. (2017, April 23). Fake News. Retrieved from Webopedia: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/fake-news.html

The New York Evening. (2017, April 10). Breaking: Malia Obama expelled from Harvard. Retrieved from The New York Evening: http://thenewyorkevening.com/2017/04/10/breaking-malia-obama-expelled-harvard/

The Spoof. (2016, October 28). Time Channel is a go. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/business/127145/time-channel-is-a-go

The Spoof. (2016, September 5). Trump Proposes Ideological Purity Test. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/us/126807/trump-proposes-ideological-purity-test

The Spoof. (2016, September 6). Vanna White to run for President of the U.S. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/us/126811/vanna-white-to-run-for-president-of-u-s

The Spoof. (2017, April 5). Cubs Forced Out of Wrigley Field Just After Opening Day. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/sport/128080/cubs-forced-out-of-wrigley-field-just-after-opening-day

The Spoof. (2017, February 25). MLB to blindfold pitchers during intentional walks. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/sport/127890/mlb-to-blindfold-pitchers-during-intentional-walks

The Spoof. (2017, March 6). Portland’s homeless to be offered a hand up, instead of a handout. Retrieved from The Spoof: http://www.thespoof.com/spoof-news/us/127934/portlands-homeless-to-be-offered-a-hand-up-instead-of-a-handout

Thumbpress. (2017, April 23). Oh, the irony! 30 Funny Ironic Pictures. Retrieved from Thumbpress: http://thumbpress.com/oh-the-irony-30-funny-ironic-pictures/

U.S. Department of Defense. (2002, February 12). News Transcript – DoD News Briefing. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Defense: http://archive.defense.gov/Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=2636

Weasel, D. (2015, September 1). Donald Trump promises to deport all immigrants “back to Alaska”. Retrieved from The Valley Report: https://thevalleyreport.com/2015/09/01/donald-trump-promises-to-deport-all-immigrants-back-to-alaska/

Weasel, D. (2015, August 28). Nickelback to release Greatest Hits Album; 19 tracks of silence. Retrieved from The Valley Report: https://thevalleyreport.com/2015/08/28/nickelback-to-release-greatest-hits-album-19-tracks-of-silence/

Weasel, D. (2016, April 25). Woman arrested for defecating on boss’ desk after winning the lottery. Retrieved from The Valley Report: https://thevalleyreport.com/2016/04/25/woman-arrested-for-defecating-on-boss-desk-after-winning-the-lottery/

Webopedia. (2017, April 10). Fake News: Resources for Evaluating Information: Fake News. Retrieved from Ashland University: http://libguides.ashland.edu/fakenews/info

Young, N. (2013). 20 Epic Fake Pictures that Have Fooled the Whole World. Retrieved from Photodoto: http://photodoto.com/epic-fake-pictures-that-have-fooled-the-whole-world/

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