Warm-Up: Your Online Habits

Take a moment to think about how you get information online. Where do you usually find news, fun facts, or information for school projects? Circle all that apply or add your own!

• Social Media (TikTok, Instagram, X, etc.)
• YouTube
• News Websites (CNN, BBC, local news, etc.)
• Wikipedia
• Blogs or Personal Websites
• Online Forums (Reddit, Discord, etc.)
• Family/Friends sharing links
• Other: _____________________________
  
  
  

Quick Share: Turn to a partner and discuss: How do you know if the information you find online is true or trustworthy? What makes you trust one source more than another?

Fact or Fiction Challenge!

Instructions: Read each scenario below. As a Digital Detective, use the S.O.A.P.S. method (Stop, Origin, Author, Purpose, Support) to determine if the information is likely Fact or Fiction. Explain your reasoning in the space provided.

Scenario 1: The 'Miracle Berry' Post

You see a post on social media (from an influencer you follow) claiming that a new "miracle berry" can cure all illnesses, from the common cold to serious diseases. The post includes a dramatic video testimonial and a link to buy the berries from an unknown website with a very long, strange URL.

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop:
  
  
  
• Origin:
  
  
  
• Author:
  
  
  
• Purpose:
  
  
  
• Support:
  
  
  

Is it Fact or Fiction?

Reasoning:

Scenario 2: News Alert About Your School

Your friend texts you a screenshot of a news article that says your school will be closed for the next two weeks due to an unexpected, rare bird migration causing traffic disruptions. The article looks like it's from a local news site, but the logo seems slightly off, and there are several typos. The article is dated for tomorrow.

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop:
  
  
  
• Origin:
  
  
  
• Author:
  
  
  
• Purpose:
  
  
  
• Support:
  
  
  

Is it Fact or Fiction?

Reasoning:

Scenario 3: Amazing Historical Photo

While scrolling through an educational history page on social media, you see a black-and-white photo of Abraham Lincoln riding a dinosaur. The caption says, "Little-known fact: Lincoln was an avid dinosaur rider!" The page usually posts accurate historical facts and photos, but this one seems unbelievable.

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop:
  
  
  
• Origin:
  
  
  
• Author:
  
  
  
• Purpose:
  
  
  
• Support:
  
  
  

Is it Fact or Fiction?

Reasoning:

Fact or Fiction Challenge Answer Key

Instructions: This answer key provides suggested responses and reasoning for each scenario. Students' answers may vary but should demonstrate critical thinking using the S.O.A.P.S. method.

Scenario 1: The 'Miracle Berry' Post

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop: The claim is extraordinary ("cure all illnesses"). Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Always pause before believing or sharing such content.
• Origin: The information comes from a social media influencer and an unknown website with a suspicious URL. Reputable health information usually comes from established medical institutions, government health organizations, or peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Author: The author is a social media influencer (not a medical professional or scientist) and the website is unknown. There's no clear, verifiable expertise.
• Purpose: The purpose seems to be to sell a product ("buy the berries") and potentially gain followers/attention. This creates a strong financial incentive, which can bias information.
• Support: There is only a dramatic video testimonial, which is anecdotal and not scientific evidence. There are no links to scientific studies, medical reports, or other credible sources.

Is it Fact or Fiction? FICTION

Reasoning: This is highly likely to be fiction or, at best, misleading information. The claims are too broad and lack scientific backing from credible sources. The origin (influencer, unknown website) and purpose (selling a product) are red flags.

Scenario 2: News Alert About Your School

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop: A sudden school closure due to a bizarre reason (bird migration) should make you pause. This is unusual and warrants verification.
• Origin: It's a screenshot shared by a friend, and the article is from a local news site, but the logo seems slightly off, and there are several typos. Screenshots are easily faked, and typos are a sign of unprofessionalism, often found in fake news sites. Always go to the direct source if possible (the school's official website or main local news site).
• Author: The specific author is not mentioned, and the credibility of the 'news site' is questionable due to visual inconsistencies and typos. Official school announcements come directly from the school or district, not usually through a strange news article.
• Purpose: The purpose could be a prank or an attempt to cause disruption. It might also be clickbait if the article is designed to generate traffic to a fake news site.
• Support: There is no supporting evidence from official school channels, other reputable news sources, or the school's website. If such a major event were happening, multiple credible sources would report it.

Is it Fact or Fiction? FICTION

Reasoning: This is almost certainly fiction. The unusual claim, suspicious source indicators (screenshot, off-logo, typos), lack of official confirmation, and potential for disruption all point to it being false information.

Scenario 3: Amazing Historical Photo

Your Digital Detective Work (S.O.A.P.S. Analysis):

• Stop: While the page usually posts accurate content, Abraham Lincoln riding a dinosaur is an extremely improbable and fantastical claim that should make anyone stop and question immediately. Even if it's from a seemingly credible source, the content itself is a huge red flag.
• Origin: The image is from an educational history page on social media. While generally reliable, even reputable sources can sometimes post satirical or edited content.
• Author: The specific creator of the image is not mentioned. The caption directly states a "little-known fact," which can be a tactic to make unbelievable claims seem real. A professional historian would not present this as fact.
• Purpose: The purpose is likely humor or satire, given the absurd nature of the image. The page might be trying to engage its audience with something unexpected, or it could be an example of digitally manipulated content.
• Support: There is absolutely no historical evidence to support Abraham Lincoln riding a dinosaur. Dinosaurs were extinct millions of years before humans existed. A quick fact-check would confirm this.

Is it Fact or Fiction? FICTION

Reasoning: This is clearly fiction. The image is a blatant historical impossibility, almost certainly a digital fabrication or a humorous post. No credible historical source would ever present this as a fact.

Cool Down: Your Digital Detective Pledge

Now that you've learned about being a Digital Detective, what one fact-checking strategy will you commit to using every time you see something online?

Think about what stood out to you most today or what you think is the most important step to remember.

Complete the pledge below:

"I, _____________________________, pledge to ___________________________________________ when I see information online. I understand that being a Digital Detective helps me make smarter choices and stay safe in the digital world."

Quick Share (Optional): Turn to a partner or share with the class one specific situation where you think this strategy will be most helpful.

Treaty Medals Introduction Script

Warm-Up: What is a Promise? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really important: promises. Can anyone tell me, in your own words, what is a promise?"

Teacher: "That's right! A promise is when you tell someone you will do something or not do something. Why do you think it's important to keep a promise?"

Teacher: "Excellent answers! Keeping promises helps build trust and good relationships. Today, we're going to learn about very special promises made a long, long time ago, and how we still remember them today."

Introduction to Treaty Medals (10 minutes) - Slide Deck: Treaty Medals & Our Heritage

Teacher: (Transition to Slide 1) "Welcome! What's a Promise? We just talked about promises, and that's a perfect start for our lesson."

Teacher: (Transition to Slide 2) "Promises Long Ago: Treaties. Long, long ago, in this very land we live on, people made special, big promises to each other. These weren't just everyday promises; they were called Treaties. Can you say 'Treaty'?"

Teacher: "A Treaty was a big agreement, like a super important promise, between different groups of people. For example, Indigenous peoples, who were the first people here, and newcomers who arrived, made these treaties. These agreements were about how they would share the land, live together peacefully, and help each other."

Teacher: (Transition to Slide 3) "What's a Treaty Medal? To help everyone remember these very important promises, special gifts were sometimes exchanged. One of these gifts was a Treaty Medal. Imagine getting a special medal to remember a huge promise! These medals were given to leaders to mark the treaty being made."

Teacher: (Transition to Slide 4) "Look Closely! What do you see? If you look at these old Treaty Medals, you'll see special pictures, or symbols, on them. These symbols helped people remember the promise without even needing to read words.

• One common symbol is two hands shaking. What do you think two hands shaking could mean?"
  
  
  

Teacher: "Yes, it means friendship and agreement! It's like saying, 'We agree to be friends and work together.'

• Another symbol you might see is a peace pipe. What do you think that might represent?"
  
  
  

Teacher: "Right! A peace pipe is a very important symbol for peace and understanding in many Indigenous cultures. It showed that people wanted to live without fighting.

• Sometimes, there were symbols like the sun, or images of the land. What might those tell us about the promise?"
  
  
  

Teacher: "Exactly! It meant the promise was meant to last a very, very long time, as long as the sun shines and the land exists."

Teacher: (Transition to Slide 5) "Our Shared Heritage. These treaties, and the medals that helped remember them, are part of something we call Our Shared Heritage. Can you say 'Shared Heritage'?"

Teacher: "'Shared Heritage' means these promises and stories connect all of us today, no matter who we are or where our families come from. We all live on lands that have these historical agreements. It means we all share the responsibility to learn about them, remember them, and respect them."

Reading & Discussion (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Now, I'm going to read you a short story about Treaty Medals. Listen carefully for why they were so special."

(Read Reading: The Story of Treaty Medals)

Teacher: "Based on the story and what we've talked about, why do you think these treaties and Treaty Medals are still important for us to learn about today?" (Refer to Discussion Guide: Why Treaties Matter for more prompts if needed)

Activity: My Treaty Medal Design (5 minutes)

Teacher: "That was a wonderful discussion! Now, it's your turn to be a designer. We're going to create our very own Treaty Medals. Think about our classroom, our school, or even our community. What kind of promises or agreements do we want to make to each other? What symbols would show friendship, peace, and shared responsibility in our community?"

Teacher: "On your Worksheet: My Treaty Medal Design, you'll find a circle. This is where you will design your own Treaty Medal. Think about what symbols you would use to represent a promise of good relationships and shared understanding in your own life or community. You can draw, color, and be as creative as you like!"

(Distribute worksheets and allow students to begin.)

Wrap-Up & Cool Down (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright, artists! Let's see some of your amazing Treaty Medal designs! Who would like to share their medal and tell us what symbols they used and what promise their medal represents?" (Allow 2-3 students to share if time permits)

Teacher: "Wonderful ideas, everyone! To finish up, I want you to think about one big idea you learned today about Treaty Medals or treaties. We're going to do a quick cool-down activity called Cool Down: One Big Idea."

Teacher: "Before we go, I want to let you know there are more fun activities we can do if you want to learn even more, like making a Activity: Treaty Belt Wampum Craft or playing a Game: Treaty Trivia Challenge! And we can even work on a Project: Our Class Treaty together to make our own big promise for our classroom!"

Teacher: "Thank you for a great lesson today! Remember, promises and agreements, like treaties, help us live together respectfully and peacefully."

Warm Up: What is a Promise?

Instructions: Think about a promise. It could be a promise you made to a friend, or a promise someone made to you.

1. What is a promise in your own words?
   
   
   
2. Why do you think it is important to keep promises?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Can you think of a time when keeping a promise made things better? Or a time when breaking a promise made things harder?
   
   
   
   
   
   

The Story of Treaty Medals

Long, long ago, the land we live on was home to many different groups of people. Some were Indigenous peoples, who had lived here for thousands of years. Then, people from far away, called newcomers, started to arrive.

Everyone needed to figure out how to live together and share the land. So, the leaders of different groups decided to make special agreements. These agreements were like very, very important promises, and they were called Treaties.

To make these promises extra special and easy to remember, the leaders would sometimes exchange gifts. One of the most important gifts was a Treaty Medal.

Imagine a shiny, round medal with beautiful pictures on it. These pictures were symbols that told a story. One side might show two hands shaking, one Indigenous and one non-Indigenous. This meant, "We agree to be friends and work together!" Another symbol might be a pipe, which in many Indigenous cultures, meant peace and good talks. Sometimes, you would even see the sun or the land, showing that the promise was meant to last forever, for as long as the sun shines and the rivers flow.

These Treaty Medals were very special because they helped everyone remember the big promises made. They were a sign of respect and a promise to share and care for the land together.

Even today, these treaties are still important. They remind us that we all share this land and that we have a responsibility to keep those promises of friendship, peace, and sharing. Learning about Treaty Medals helps us understand our history and how we can all be good neighbors and friends to one another, just like the people who made those first treaties.

Discussion Guide: Why Treaties Matter

Instructions: After reading "The Story of Treaty Medals," use these prompts to facilitate a class discussion.

Discussion Prompts:

1. In the story, why did different groups of people decide to make treaties?
   
   
   
2. What was a Treaty Medal, and what was its special job?
   
   
   
3. Can you remember any of the symbols on the Treaty Medals and what they meant? (e.g., two hands shaking, peace pipe, sun/land)
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The story says treaties are still important today. Why do you think that is? How do they connect to us now?
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. How is keeping a treaty like keeping a promise to a friend or family member?
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. What does "shared heritage" mean to you after learning about treaties and Treaty Medals?
   
   
   
   
   
   

My Treaty Medal Design

Instructions: Imagine you are making a special promise or agreement with your classmates or community. Design your own Treaty Medal below! Think about what symbols would represent friendship, peace, and working together.

Draw your Treaty Medal in the circle below:

## My Symbols and Their Meaning:

What symbols did you use on your Treaty Medal? What do they mean?

1. Symbol 1:
   
   
   
   What it means:
   
   
   

2. Symbol 2:
   
   
   
   What it means:
   
   
   

3. Symbol 3:
   
   
   
   What it means:
   
   
   

Cool Down: One Big Idea

Instructions: What is ONE BIG IDEA you learned today about Treaty Medals or treaties?

Write or draw your one big idea here:

The Story of Treaty Medals

Long, long ago, the land we live on was home to many different groups of people. Some were Indigenous peoples, who had lived here for thousands of years. Then, people from far away, called newcomers, started to arrive.

Everyone needed to figure out how to live together and share the land. So, the leaders of different groups decided to make special agreements. These agreements were like very, very important promises, and they were called Treaties.

To make these promises extra special and easy to remember, the leaders would sometimes exchange gifts. One of the most important gifts was a Treaty Medal.

Imagine a shiny, round medal with beautiful pictures on it. These pictures were symbols that told a story. One side might show two hands shaking, one Indigenous and one non-Indigenous. This meant, "We agree to be friends and work together!" Another symbol might be a pipe, which in many Indigenous cultures, meant peace and good talks. Sometimes, you would even see the sun or the land, showing that the promise was meant to last forever, for as long as the sun shines and the rivers flow.

These Treaty Medals were very special because they helped everyone remember the big promises made. They were a sign of respect and a promise to share and care for the land together.

Even today, these treaties are still important. They remind us that we all share this land and that we have a responsibility to keep those promises of friendship, peace, and sharing. Learning about Treaty Medals helps us understand our history and how we can all be good neighbors and friends to one another, just like the people who made those first treaties.