Skip to main content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.
SITE MENU
University of San Francisco - University of San Francisco - Gleeson Library and Geschke Center University of San Francisco - Gleeson Library and Geschke Center logo
Site Search

Law & Order: Special Website Unit - Environmental Edition

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/g5ap5z/exceptional_ecosystems_oldgrowth_forests_ancient/
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge

 

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/blog/2019/08/marylands-old-growth-forests
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.akrdc.org/forestry
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/10/why-does-famous-protector-trees-now-want-cut-some-down
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2019/02/25/challenges-to-roadless-rule-threaten-millions-of-acres-of-forest
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge

Object: Convince your group’s judge to choose your card. Be persuasive and back up your claims.

  1. Select a member of your group to be the “judge” 
  2. Investigate this webpage: https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-11-10-self-induced-disaster-california-fires-the-direct-result-of-shortsighted-environmentalist-policies.html
  3. Group members (other than the judge): choose the card that you think best describes this webpage.
  4. One-by-one, make your case to the judge, explaining why you think your card is the best fit.
  5. After hearing group members’ testimony, the judge will announce the winning card and report this ruling to the full class when we regroup.

Consider the following questions when you evaluate the website and explain your findings to the judge when making your case.

Context

  • This webpage is part of what website? What can you learn about the whole website?
  • Who is responsible for the website? Possible answers include an individual, an organization, a company, a newspaper, a government agency, etc.

Purpose

  • Why does this webpage exist? Possible reasons include: to share information, to persuade you to feel a certain way, to encourage you to purchase something, to spread misinformation, etc.
  • How would you characterize the content on the webpage? Editorial/opinion-based, fact-based, misinformation?
  • For editorial/opinion-based: whose opinion is expressed?
  • For fact-based: do you think editors or fact-checkers reviewed the material? Are there citations to sources of information?

Authorship/Voice

What is the relationship between the webpage’s author and the topic? Possible answers include: a scholar who research this topic, someone with a personal experience related to the topic, a journalist that investigates this topic, a non-profit organization that advocates for a position on this issue, a business that sells a product or service related to the topic, someone with no apparent connection to the topic, etc.

Choose a card and present it to the Judge