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E9 E - Create an evidence-based English explainer

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E9 E - Create an evidence-based English explainer

Mini-description: Create a short English explainer from several reliable sources. Give facts, context and different perspectives. Mark uncertainty clearly. Your aim is not to sound “perfect”; your aim is to be clear, fair and checkable.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Year 9, Baden-Württemberg, E level. You work quite independently with authentic, age-appropriate media, compare perspectives, check sources and revise your own text.

Media start: Watch the TED-Ed video once. Do not try to understand every word. Ask: What makes information worth checking before you use or share it?

I can ...

I can check a source by asking who is behind it, what evidence it gives and what other sources say.
I can separate claim and evidence and notice when evidence does not really support a claim.
I can add context so that numbers and quotations are not misleading.
I can compare perspectives without pretending that every view has the same evidence.
I can mark uncertainty with phrases such as the evidence suggests, may, it is unclear and sources disagree.
I can write, discuss and present a short coherent explainer, answer spontaneous questions and revise my own wording.

Prior knowledge: quick start

Look at a news post, video title or information card that you already know. Use no private social-media data.

What is the main claim?
Who created the information?
What would count as useful evidence?
What would you check somewhere else?

Quick hint: A confident tone is not evidence.

Input: Build an evidence-based explainer

The core idea

An evidence-based explainer answers a focused question with information that can be checked. It does more than collect facts. It explains how the facts fit together and where the limits are.

A strong short explainer usually contains four parts:

Facts: What can reliable evidence support?
Context: What background does the reader need?
Perspectives: Which relevant viewpoints or explanations differ?
Uncertainty: What is not fully known, not directly measured or still debated?

This is part of media literacy, source criticism and argumentation.

A research-backed source check

The Digital Inquiry Group teaches three central questions used in civic online reasoning:

Check	Ask yourself	Action
Who is behind the information?	Who created, funded or published it?	Leave the page and look up the organisation or author.
What is the evidence?	Are there data, documents, named experts or links to original research?	Follow the evidence, not only the headline.
What do other sources say?	Do independent sources confirm, challenge or add context?	Compare before you conclude.

This way of checking outside the original page is called lateral reading.

Viewing task: After watching, explain lateral reading in two sentences without using the words good website or bad website.

Source reliability is claim-specific

A source is not automatically reliable for every question. A museum may be strong for information about its own collection, but not necessarily for a medical claim. A company can be the best source for its own product specification, while an independent test may be better for comparing performance.

Ask: Reliable for which claim, for which purpose, at which date?

Evidence: Does it really support the claim?

Evidence can be relevant without being strong enough for a conclusion. One personal story may show that something happened once, but it usually cannot prove how common it is. A graph can look scientific but still hide missing context.

While viewing: Note one example of weak evidence and one question that would improve the check.

Useful test: If the evidence disappeared, would the claim still be only an opinion or guess?

Context: Make facts meaningful

Context answers questions such as:

Who or what was studied?
Where and when?
How large was the sample?
Compared with what?
Does the result show a link, or does it show a cause?

A number without context can mislead even when the number itself is correct.

Different perspectives without false balance

A perspective is a way of interpreting or prioritising information. Different people may focus on different effects, values, costs or experiences.

Important: Comparing perspectives does not mean that every claim has equal evidence. Your explainer should show both the perspective and the quality of the support behind it.

Useful sentence frame:

Source A focuses on ..., while Source B adds ... . Both agree that ..., but they differ on ... .

Mark uncertainty clearly

Use language that matches the strength of the evidence.

Meaning	Useful English
Strong support from several sources	The evidence shows ... / Several independent sources report ...
Reasonable but not certain	The evidence suggests ... / This may mean ...
Important limit	The study did not measure ... / This evidence only covers ...
Open question	It is not yet clear whether ...
Genuine disagreement	Sources disagree about ...

Do not hide uncertainty, but do not exaggerate it either.

Mini model: Why are teenagers often tired in the morning?

Model explainer:

Teenagers often need more sleep than they get. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 13- to 18-year-olds are generally advised to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours. Sleep experts also describe a biological shift during adolescence that can make many teenagers feel sleepy later in the evening. However, biology is not the only factor. Daily routines, homework, light exposure and device use may also affect sleep. These sources therefore suggest that morning tiredness can have several causes. They do not explain one individual student's tiredness with certainty, and results from U.S. sources should not automatically be treated as data about every country or every teenager.

Notice the structure: fact → context → added perspective → uncertainty.

Source bank for the mini model

CDC: Sleep and Health – public-health overview, updated 2026.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine: School Start Times – sleep-science context on adolescent sleep timing.
American Academy of Pediatrics: School Start Times for Adolescents – medical policy statement with evidence and limitations.

Source note: These sources are mainly about the United States. That geographical context matters.

Listening and Viewing

First viewing: understand the message

Watch the TED-Ed video at the top again.

Write a six-word summary.
Note two ways information can be incomplete or misleading.
Write one question you would ask before sharing a surprising story.

Hint: Listen for the main idea first. Details come on the second viewing.

Second viewing: check media evidence

After viewing, choose one still image from a teacher-provided or copyright-safe source. Check:

Where did it first appear?
Is the date and place known?
Is the image cropped?
Does another reliable source show the same event or object?

Do not use private photos or personal social-media accounts.

Optional extension: click restraint

Before clicking the first search result, scan the results page. Which source looks most useful for your exact question, and why?

Reading

Read like an explainer writer

Take two short sources on the same topic. In each source, mark:

one claim,
one piece of evidence,
one important piece of context,
one possible limitation.

Then compare. Do the sources actually disagree, or do they answer different questions?

Claim–evidence grid

Claim	Evidence	Context	Confidence wording
What exactly is being said?	What supports it?	Who, where, when, how?	shows / suggests / may / unclear

Use this grid before you start writing.

Context vocabulary

Key words

Word	Simple meaning	Useful phrase
claim	a statement that can be checked	make a claim
evidence	information that supports or challenges a claim	evidence from several sources
source	where information comes from	an independent source
context	background needed to understand information	in this context
perspective	a viewpoint or focus	from another perspective
uncertainty	what is not fully known	there is still uncertainty about ...
reliable	dependable for a specific purpose	reliable for this claim
verify	check whether something is correct	verify a quotation
limitation	a boundary or weakness in evidence	a limitation of the study
revise	improve your own text	revise for clarity

Use again: Try to use at least six of these words in your final explainer or discussion.

Pronunciation and fluency

Stress and speaking chunks

Practise these words in short chunks:

EVI-dence – per-SPEC-tive – un-CER-tain – re-LI-a-ble – CON-text

Then read these chunks aloud:

According to the source ... The evidence suggests ... However, this does not prove ... A limitation is ... Another perspective is ...

Aim for clear word stress, pauses and understandable rhythm. Being understood matters more than sounding like a native speaker.

Recording is optional. Keep recordings private unless you freely choose to share them in the classroom. Do not upload them to an external service without clear permission.

Speaking

60-second explainer

Choose a safe, non-private topic. Speak for about one minute:

State the question.
Give one checked fact.
Add context.
Compare one other perspective or explanation.
Mark one uncertainty.

Your partner then asks one spontaneous follow-up question.

Response stems: The strongest evidence I found was ... / I would need another source to answer that. / I am not sure yet because ...

Mini discussion

Discuss: When should you stop researching and start writing?

Give reasons, respond to another speaker and ask at least one follow-up question. There is no need to agree.

Writing

Your evidence-based explainer

Write about 180–250 words. Use at least three suitable sources when possible.

Suggested structure:

Question + short answer
Fact 1 + source + context
Fact 2 + comparison
Different perspective
Uncertainty or limitation
Careful conclusion

Do not copy source sentences. Keep your own first draft so that your revision remains visible.

Functional grammar

Function	Form	Example
Report evidence	according to / reports / states	According to the report, ...
Show caution	may / might / appears to / suggests	The result may depend on age.
Contrast	however / while / whereas	Source A focuses on cost, while Source B focuses on time.
Add a limit	only / mainly / does not measure	The survey only includes one age group.
Avoid false causation	is linked with / is associated with	The data show a link, not necessarily a cause.

Grammar check: Does your verb make the evidence sound stronger than it is?

Mediation

For a German-speaking audience

A German classmate asks what an English source says. Do not translate everything.

Give a short German summary that fits the purpose:

What is the key point?
Which fact matters for the classmate's question?
Which uncertainty must not be lost?

Then return to English and explain why you selected those points.

Help levels

Hint 1: start

Use this frame:

My question is ... . Source A reports ... . This matters because ... . Source B adds ... . However, it is unclear whether ... .

Hint 2: improve

Check every paragraph:

claim → evidence → context → link

If one part is missing, add it.

Hint 3: challenge

Replace general phrases such as experts say or studies prove with a named source and a more accurate reporting verb.

Feedback and revision

Peer feedback

Do not rewrite your partner's text. Ask useful questions.

Check	Feedback question
Facts	Which sentence is best supported?
Context	Where do I still need who, where, when or compared with what?
Perspectives	Is the difference between the sources clear?
Uncertainty	Does the language match the strength of the evidence?
Coherence	Can I follow the explanation from question to conclusion?

Error analysis

Choose two real problems from your own draft.

Copy the original sentence.
Name the problem: source, logic, grammar, vocabulary, cohesion or uncertainty.
Improve the sentence.
Explain what changed.

Keep both versions. Revision is part of the learning evidence.

Responsible use of AI

AI tools can produce incorrect facts, invented references or overconfident feedback. Check important claims against the original sources.

Use AI, if permitted, to ask questions about your draft, not to erase your authorship. Keep your original version and your revision. Never send private social-media data, real application data or other people's personal information to an external AI service. Fictitious profiles and invented data are safer for practice.

Transfer

Use the method again

Apply the same four-part structure to a new subject: science, sport, media, everyday technology or culture.

Ask:

What can I support? What context matters? Which perspectives matter? What remains uncertain?

Can-do check

I can ...	Not yet	With help	Independently
identify a clear claim	□	□	□
check who is behind a source	□	□	□
compare evidence across sources	□	□	□
add context and limitations	□	□	□
mark uncertainty accurately	□	□	□
answer a spontaneous follow-up question	□	□	□
revise my own explainer	□	□	□

Follow-up course

Continue with E9 E - Compare perspectives in English sources: compare framing, evidence and omissions across two or more authentic sources and write a source-based discussion.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the best first step when you see a surprising online claim? (Identify the exact claim and check the source) (!Share it and check later) (!Trust it if the design looks professional) (!Reject it because it is surprising)

What does lateral reading mean? (Leaving a page to check the source and claim elsewhere) (!Reading the same page from top to bottom twice) (!Only reading the comments below an article) (!Using one source very carefully)

Which sentence marks uncertainty clearly? (The evidence suggests that several factors may be involved) (!This definitely proves the only cause) (!Everybody knows this is true) (!There is no need for more context)

What is context? (Background information needed to understand a fact or claim) (!A personal reaction to a headline) (!A decorative image next to a text) (!A list of difficult words)

Why should you compare independent sources? (To see whether a claim is confirmed, challenged or given more context) (!To make every source sound equally reliable) (!To avoid reading original evidence) (!To find the source with the strongest opinion)

What is a limitation? (A boundary or weakness in what evidence can show) (!A spelling mistake in a source title) (!A reason to ignore all evidence) (!A personal dislike of a topic)

Which wording is careful when data show a relationship but not a proven cause? (The two factors are associated) (!One factor definitely causes the other) (!The graph proves everything) (!No other explanation is possible)

What should an explainer do with different perspectives? (Compare relevant perspectives and the evidence behind them) (!Treat every viewpoint as equally supported) (!Choose the loudest perspective) (!Remove all disagreement)

What is a useful revision question? (Does my language sound stronger than my evidence) (!Did I use the longest possible words) (!Did I remove every uncertainty phrase) (!Did I copy the source exactly)

What is a responsible way to use AI feedback? (Check factual suggestions against the original sources and keep your own draft) (!Assume every AI citation exists) (!Upload private data for better feedback) (!Replace your full draft without reviewing it)

Memory

Claim	A statement that can be checked
Evidence	Information that supports or challenges a statement
Context	Background needed for understanding
Perspective	A viewpoint or focus
Uncertainty	What is not fully known
Lateral reading	Checking beyond the original page

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Claim	What exactly is being said?
Evidence	What supports the statement?
Context	Who, where, when and compared with what?
Perspective	Which viewpoint or focus is represented?
Uncertainty	What remains unclear or limited?

Kreuzworträtsel

Evidence	What supports or challenges a claim?
Context	What gives a fact its necessary background?
Source	Where does information come from?
Perspective	What word means a particular viewpoint or focus?
Uncertainty	What word describes something that is not fully known?
Revision	What do you call improving your own draft after feedback?

LearningApps

Lückentext

An evidence-based explainer begins with a clear

that can be checked. Useful information that supports or challenges the statement is called

. Before trusting a page, you should check the

and look at what other sources say. Facts need

so that the reader understands who, where and when they apply. A relevant viewpoint can be described as a

. If the evidence is incomplete, your language should mark

. Opening other pages to investigate a website or claim is called

. During

you improve your own text without hiding the original draft.

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Claim spotting: Find three checkable claims in a teacher-provided article or video description. Rewrite each claim as a clear question.
Source identity: Choose one public source and create a short source card: author or organisation, purpose, date and topic.
Uncertainty language: Rewrite five overconfident statements with may, suggests, appears to or it is unclear where appropriate.
One-minute explainer: Give a private or live 60-second spoken explainer using one fact, one context sentence and one uncertainty sentence.

Standard

Lateral reading challenge: Check one unfamiliar public website by opening other sources. Record which outside information changed your first impression.
Evidence match: Take four claims and decide which piece of evidence really supports each one. Explain one mismatch in English.
Perspective comparison: Compare two sources on the same non-private topic. Identify one shared fact, one different focus and one limitation.
Explainer draft: Write a 180–250 word explainer based on at least three suitable sources and revise it after peer questions.

Schwer

Source trail: Follow a statistic from a secondary article back to its original report or dataset. Describe where information changed or lost context.
Media verification: Check the origin and context of a copyright-safe image or short public video. Present your verification steps.
Live Q and A: Present a two-minute explainer and answer three spontaneous follow-up questions. Say clearly when a question needs more research.
Explainer portfolio: Produce draft, source grid, revised explainer and short reflection. Show which sentence changed most after source checking and why.

Lernkontrolle

Evidence transfer: You receive a new claim and three short sources. Decide which source is useful for which part of the claim and justify your choice.
Missing context: Analyse a statistic without date, location or sample information. Explain what you need before using it in an explainer.
Perspective and evidence: Compare two interpretations of the same evidence. Explain where they agree and where the reasoning differs.
Uncertainty repair: Improve an overconfident paragraph so that its wording matches the evidence without making the text vague.
Source-based response: Write a short answer to a new question using at least two sources, one context sentence and one explicit limitation.
Follow-up defence: Present your answer orally and respond to a challenge such as How do you know? or What would change your conclusion?

Lernnachweis

For a strong learning record, show:

a focused research question,
notes from several suitable sources,
a clear distinction between claim and evidence,
relevant context,
a fair comparison of perspectives,
accurately marked uncertainty,
your own first draft and revised version,
source-aware speaking or writing,
a short reflection on one error or weak assumption you corrected,
responsible handling of media, copyright, privacy and AI feedback.

No public upload is required. Audio or video recording is voluntary and can stay private.

OERs zum Thema

Further reliable resources

Digital Inquiry Group – Civic Online Reasoning: research-based questions for checking online information.
Bildungsplan Baden-Württemberg – Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klassen 7–9: text and media competence, including independent source use and reliability checking at E level.
TED-Ed – How to choose your news: short viewing material on facts, opinions and verification.
Crash Course – Navigating Digital Information: video series on lateral reading, evidence, images and online source checking.

Verknüpfte Lernbereiche

E9 E - Create an evidence-based English explainer

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