How it works
Some things online are real, and some are made up.
People make videos and change pictures, so a picture is not always true.
Made up is fine. We just need to know which is which.
Not sure? Ask a grown-up.
Worked examples
The singing fish
- Nia saw a fish sing in a video.
- Her goldfish only blows bubbles, and real fish do not sing.
- Papa said the video was made up, just for fun.
A picture can change
- A dog can get wings if someone changes the picture.
- People can make anything in a picture or a video.
- So a picture is not always true.
Ask a grown-up
- Omar said a dog drives a car.
- Nia thought, real or made up?
- She said, let's ask a grown-up.
A taste of the worksheets
These are some of the questions on the sets. The printable sheets have more and an answer key.
- Who can help you find out what is true? 🐱 A cartoon cat / 🕵️ A stranger online / 🧑🏫 Your teacher
- True or false? Is a video always true?
- Which one is made up? 🧜 a mermaid / 😸 a cat that purrs / 🌳 a tree
- Who can help you find out what is true? 🕵️ a stranger online / 🐱 a cartoon cat / 📚 a librarian
- Which one is not a good thing to do? 🔎 look it up with a grown-up / 🤷 believe it at once / 🙋 ask a grown-up
Words to know
- real
- Something that is true and can be met.
- made up
- Something that lives in stories.
- look it up
- Find out with a grown-up.
Watch out for
- Someone online might say a thing that is not true, so we check.
- Do not believe it at once, and do not pass it on until you know.
- A cartoon cat or a game character is made up and cannot tell you what is true.
- You are never in trouble for asking. Asking is smart.
Try it
Is a unicorn real or made up?
Made up. It lives in stories.
Is a rabbit real or made up?
Real. A rabbit hops.
A video shows a cat that talks. Is it real?
No, it is made up. A real cat cannot talk.
Who can help you find out what is true?
A grown-up, a teacher or a librarian. They can help you look it up.
For grown-ups
Ask a grown-up: can we find one true thing about an animal and look it up together?
Find one true thing about an animal together and look it up, then draw an animal that is made up and talk about the difference.