(2015). DHMO.org. Retrieved from http://dhmo.

org/
This website is used primarily to show students what a fake website looks like.
After reviewing the aspects of a non-reliable website that were learned at home the
night before, the process of website evaluation will be modeled using this website.
Although it seems quite obvious that the websites material is not accurate,
students may at first think it is because of the professional look of the site. After
modeling the process with DHMO, students will be able to practice critical
information literacy on their own and in groups.

Deborah White. (2015). Pros & Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research. About News.
Retrieved from
http://usliberals.about.com/od/stemcellresearch/i/StemCell1.htm
The purpose of this site is to allow students to independently practice Critical
Information Literacy in class. After students have been taught what Critical
Information Literacy is, walked through the process of website evaluation, and
exposed to several videos guiding them through the process, they will implement
their knowledge to evaluate a website about Stem Cell Research. This is the perfect
segway from identifying a completely unreliable website to evaluating a website
that will inform them about a controversial topic. This will lead them into the
following days group activity, evaluating a website and preparing information for a
controversial debate.
The website begins by providing history on stem cell research beginning as far back
as 2005. The history is much unbiased and provides information without any sort of
tone behind it. It also provides good background on what exactly stem cell research
means, which will allow the reader to become knowledgeable about the topic while
using their knowledge of Critical Information Literacy. Next, the website breaks into
both the pros and cons of this type of research. This would enable readers to take all
of the information given and decide upon their own opinion of the topic. If students
were using this website as a debate (such as the debate they will do on global
warming), this would be the perfect website to begin their assignment.
The US Liberals site does provide an author for the article. Although there is no
biography about her on the same page, the website does have a biography about
her if you search for her name. It was updated in 2015 so the information and
website is recent. The bold headings make it easy to read and navigate through,
and external videos, links, and blogs are neatly arranged along the side of the
information.

(2015). Global Warming and Climate Change Facts. Weather Underground.

Retrieved from http://www.wunderground.com/climate/facts.asp_3
This website will also be incorporated into the group project as one of two used to
support the pro side of global warming. While some of the article provides general

facts about global warming and the effects it has on human kind and the planet,
there are still sections in which give support to humans causing global warming and
disproving that the sun and other natural factors are the causes. There are various
scientific studies referenced and explained throughout.
The website approaches the dispute by displaying skeptic arguments and
answering them from the pro point of view. It is arranged in question form and
each of the topics are ranked by their level of explanation. There are charts and
graphs that are easy to view and reference, and organizations such as NASA and
NOAA are cited when providing various statistics.
Students on the pro side of the debate will find this website very helpful. Because
of the way the website is laid out, students will be able to answer any skeptical
questions that the con side may deliver. They will be capable of providing various
statistics with specific sources and times of declaration. For example, there is a
graph that displays the studies relating to the decreasing ice mass in the Antarctic
Ice Sheet. The information was derived from a study called The Copenhagen
Diagnosis and provides the various years in which scientists measured the ice mass
(2006-2009).

(2015). Is Human Activity Primarily Responsible for Global Climate Change?

ProCon.org. Retrieved from
http://climatechange.procon.org/
This article will be weaved into the group work in which students will be required to
evaluate websites in order to gather information to participate in a debate. They
must use their knowledge of Critical Information Literacy to determine if ProCon.org
supplies a trusted site to use in the argument, Is global climate change caused by
humans? The reason that we used five different websites is that students will be
examining two pro websites, two con websites, and one website that examines and
provides facts about both sides of global warming. ProCon.org offers viewpoints
from both the pro and con side of this controversial issue.
The various points for each side are neatly arranged in two columns next to each
other so that students may be prepared for all aspects of the debate. When
debating, students will need to be prepared for any counter-points that the opposing
side may offer. This website allows them to be well-informed about a wide variety of
ideas surrounding the issue. For example, on the pro side it is explained that
Overwhelming scientific consensus says human activity is primarily responsible for
global climate change. The con side, found directly across from the pro point is
that More than one thousand scientists disagree that human activity is primarily
responsible for global climate change.
Finally, the website gives a history of the controversy surrounding global warming.
Students will be able to see how the debate over global warming has progressed
and the leaders and motions from either side. It is organized in paragraph form with
several headings and has graphs and charts included for reference.

When evaluating this website we expect that students will find this to be a trusted
source to use during the debate. Although there is no technical author biography
there is a short excerpt giving data about the use of ProCon.org in schools. Also, the
websites tone does not seem to be biased as both sides of the argument are very
equally presented. The site was last updated on May 15, 2015 which is recent. This
page proves to be extremely beneficial for students as they prepare to enter the
debate educated about all sides involved. It is primarily only linked to other pages
within the site, but there is website linked that deals with issues in education.

James Taylor. Record Cold and Snow Destroy Global Warming Claims. Forbes.
Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2015/06/05/we-arethe-world-global-warming-ends-african-drought-catastrophe/
James provides several articles surrounding the global warming theory. He is on the
con side of the argument. Students would need to read through each of the
articles pertaining to global warming and pull the information that they need for the
debate. First that would be beneficial would be the Record Cold and Snow Destroy
Global Warming Claims. This article references several publications that connect
the cold, snowy winter to the opinion that global warming cannot exist due to
humans. Another interesting article for students to read on this page is We Are the
World: Global Warming Ends African Drought Catastrophe. This article claims global
warming to be a hero that saved people from an African drought, which is a point
dealing with global warming that is more out-of-the-box. Finally, there is a
segment called 10 Global Warming Lies That May Shock You. This piece focuses
on 10 assertions and using statistics and publications to prove them wrong.
Students will find that this site may take more filtering (since there are a few
articles and not all of them are about global warming), however, the articles that
are about global warming provide quite a few points with supports. There are
several links to stories, blogs, and videos about related topics for students who want
to gain more information outside of this resource. The page is laid out nicely (there
is a table of contents that pops out from his name). It is easier for students to click
on one article at a time, as the internet browsers tend to freeze when loading them
all at the same time. The recent articles were written in early 2015, so the students
points would be current. There are plenty of links to learn more about the author
and the organization hosting the pieces.

Scientific Consensus on Global Warming. Union of Concerned Scientists.

Retrieved from
http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/scientificconsensus-on.html#.VXhYm43wuUl
This is the final website for the pro side of global warming. It will be used to site
various statistics and studies that have been conducted proving that global warming
has been and will be continuing to occur. The site is arranged into sources such as

American Meteorological Society, the Geological Society of America, and the U.S.
National Academy of Sciences. Each reference includes a quote and date of
information that each organization brings to the table. They also included a list of
Sign-on Statements which were various documents sent to organizations such as
Congress signed by various scientists providing reasoning for global warming.
This source will prove to be valuable in this project as it compiles a list of a wide
variety of sources on the topics. This numerous organizations range throughout the
countries as well as throughout the world. When students compile their list of
arguments, they will have plenty of scientific establishments backing them up.
There are many links to the various documents and publications references so that
groups may continue their research past this website.
UCUSA provides plenty of information about their purpose, research they have
conducted, accomplishments, and leaders in their organization. Students will be
able to learn much about the source in which they are gaining information. It
includes easy-to-read information and links to related articles about global warming.
The website links to GeoEngineering watch
(http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/category/geoengineering/results-of/), a site
which follows global warming and government procedures from an engineers
perspective.

T. Dan Tolleson. (2015). Exposing the Con Game of Man-made Climate Change. The
New American.
Retrieved from http://www.thenewamerican.com/reviews/books/item/14398exposing-the-con-game-of-man-made-climate-change
This source will be one used for the con side of the debate. It describes that there
is not enough evidence out there proving that there is man-created climate change
happening throughout the world. The author breaks down the hypothesis of
Climatism: the idea that man-made CO2 dangerously influences the climate and
supplies support against it. He explains that the Earth naturally produces enough
CO2 to cause the climate change on its own, without man-created greenhouse
gases being an impact (mans totals Mans CO2 output per year is less than three
percent of the totals released by the combination of all natural forces and man).
The New American provides several discussion points for the con side of the
climate change debate. Students will not only be able to use the information
provided in the article, but there are also links to affiliates that also talk about
issues such as these. Therefore, if students wish they are able to read on through
other websites just for general knowledge about the topic. There are not as many
charts and graphs in this article as we found in the others we chose for the
assignment, but the students should find the one provided helpful.
There are several ways that students will find this to be a trusted site. First, the site
is recent (updated in 2015). There are several links to external sources in which
readers can obtain more information about the topic. There is a place for comments

at the bottom, however, no one has posted any comments yet. There are places
that readers can learn more about The New American as well as the staff that writes
for the organization.