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Home > Resource Library > What URLs Do and Don't Tell Us
Lesson Plan
Media and Influence

What URLs Do and Don't Tell Us

6-8
9-12
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Learning Objectives

  • Describe what URLs do and don’t tell us about the quality of a website
  • Practice lateral reading about websites with different URLs
  • Consider the strengths and limitations of different types of sources
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Overview

Appearances can be deceiving, especially online, and our notions about URLs are often unfounded. In this lesson, students learn the truth about what URLs can and cannot tell them about a website. Students then use lateral reading to evaluate the credibility of a range of .edu, .com, and .gov websites.

This lesson plan is part of the Civic Digital Literacy Project from iCivics and the Digital Inquiry Group. Civic Digital Literacy equips students with evidence-based strategies to discern online information, find trustworthy sources, and be better-informed citizens within the rapidly changing online environment. 

Explore the full collection of Civic Digital Literacy resources.

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