Fake news vs real news

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4,5

Fake news vs real news

Students can identify differences between real and fake news articles.

Students can explain how language and structure influence credibility.

How often do you think you see fake news on social media?

1. Never
2. Sometimes
3. Often
4. No idea

In classroom

Step 1: Choose one article to read

✅ Reliable source: e.g. BBC News or NOS

❗ Unreliable source: e.g. clickbait site or AI-generated fake article (provided by your teacher)

Step 2: Answer these questions (write in the text box):

What is the topic of the article?

What is fact, and what is opinion?

What are signals of fake news?

(Think about: source, language, style, fact-checking…)

Would you believe this article? Why or why not?

Step 3: Discuss with a classmate (or in pairs):

What stood out to you?

Which article seemed more trustworthy? Why?

Did you and your partner choose the same article?

Assignment:

Answer the questions below. Be specific and use examples from both texts.

What is the main message of each article?

What are three differences in tone or word choice between the two?

What clues in the fake article suggest it is less trustworthy?

Find two fake names, institutions, or quotes in the fake article.

If you saw the fake article on social media, would you believe it? Why or why not?

Which of these names appears in the fake article but not in the real one?

1. Emily Houghton
2. Dana Summers
3. Dr. Helena Krüger
4. Kevin Rawlinson

What tactic does the fake article use to appear real?

1. It uses casual language
2. It includes made-up expert quotes and statistics
3. It links to memes
4. It criticizes the EU harshly

Which of the following would make an article more trustworthy?

1. Overly positive language
2. Exaggerated praise
3. Anonymous statements
4. References to real events and sources