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E9 E - Source-check a current English-language claim

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E9 E - Source-check a current English-language claim

Mini-description: Check a current English claim with several suitable sources. Focus on date, source, evidence, context and uncertainty. Document what you find so that another person can follow your reasoning.

Target group: English as a first foreign language, Year 9, E-level, Baden-Württemberg.

Working rule: English first → understand → respond → ask → hint → improve → use again. You do not need a full German translation.

Your mission

You see this current English-language claim:

“July 2026 was the warmest July on record globally.”

Your job is not to believe or reject it quickly. Your job is to source-check it.

At the end, you should be able to write a short, careful result such as:

According to NOAA, July 2026 tied with 2024 for the warmest July in its dataset. Copernicus ranks July 2026 as joint second, behind July 2023. The claim therefore needs a source label and context.

Research date for this course example: 1 October 2026.

I-can goals

I can ...	Check
identify the date and publisher of an English source.	□
find evidence that directly supports or challenges a claim.	□
compare at least three suitable sources.	□
explain missing context and uncertainty.	□
use cautious language such as according to, suggests, while and may.	□
present a transparent source-check in clear English.	□

Before you start: activate what you know

Quick question	Your short answer
What makes a source useful for a current claim?	...
Why can two reliable sources report different numbers?	...
What is the difference between a claim and evidence?	...

Hint: A reliable-looking page is not enough. Check who is behind it, when it was published and what evidence it uses.

Listening and viewing

Watch the short explainer on lateral reading. Do not translate every word. Listen for the main strategy.

First viewing: What is the main advice?

Second viewing: Note three actions a fact-checker takes.

Useful listening words: source – claim – website – evidence – check – behind – compare – reliable.

Challenge: Explain the strategy in 30–45 seconds without reading a script.

The five-part source check

Step	Key question	Short English prompt
Date	Is the information current enough?	When was this published or updated?
Source	Who is responsible for the information?	Who is behind this source?
Evidence	What data, document or observation supports the claim?	What evidence is given?
Context	What important information changes how we understand the claim?	What is missing around the claim?
Uncertainty	What is not fully certain or may depend on method or dataset?	How sure can we be?

Reading: three sources, one claim

Read for the information you need. Do not translate the full pages.

Source A – NOAA / National Centers for Environmental Information

Assessing the Global Temperature and Precipitation in July 2026

NOAA reports that July 2026 tied with July 2024 as the warmest July in its global record. It gives a global surface temperature anomaly of 1.18 °C above the twentieth-century average.

Reading task: Find the publication date, the ranking and one number used as evidence.

Source B – Copernicus Climate Change Service

Surface air temperature for July 2026

Copernicus reports an average global surface air temperature of 16.90 °C. It ranks July 2026 as joint second with July 2024, 0.01 °C cooler than July 2024 and behind July 2023.

Reading task: Find the ranking, the 0.01 °C comparison and the reference period used for the anomaly.

Source C – World Meteorological Organization

Record-breaking heat and extreme weather continue

WMO brings the two reports together. It notes that NOAA and Copernicus use different datasets and methods. It also explains that the exact monthly rank matters less than the long-term warming trend.

Reading task: Find the sentence that explains why the rankings can differ.

Source-check result: transparent documentation

Criterion	What we found	What it means
Date	NOAA, Copernicus and WMO published their July 2026 assessments in August 2026.	The sources are current for the claim.
Source	NOAA NCEI, Copernicus C3S/ECMWF and WMO are public scientific institutions or intergovernmental climate bodies.	They are suitable sources for global temperature data.
Evidence	NOAA ranks July 2026 joint warmest with 2024. Copernicus ranks it joint second with 2024, behind 2023.	The unqualified claim is not supported by every major dataset.
Context	The organisations use different datasets, methods and reference baselines.	A ranking should name the dataset or organisation.
Uncertainty	Very small temperature differences can affect rankings. Copernicus reports a difference of only 0.01 °C between July 2026 and July 2024.	Avoid presenting one ranking as the only possible ranking.

Best short conclusion:

The claim needs context. According to NOAA, July 2026 tied for the warmest July on record. Copernicus ranks it joint second, behind July 2023. Different datasets and methods can produce slightly different rankings.

This is stronger than writing only true or false because it shows the evidence and the limit of the claim.

Media check: a climate visual is also a source

The following Wikimedia Commons animation was produced from NASA climate data for 2025. Use it to practise reading a visual source before you use it as evidence.

Datei:Record Temperature Years- 2025, 2024, and 2023 (SVS5607 - English).webm

Ask:

Date: When was the visual produced?
Source: Who created it?
Evidence: What data is visualised?
Context: Which years and baseline are shown?
Uncertainty: Does the visual alone answer our July 2026 claim?

Important: A useful visual can still be too old or too broad for a specific current claim.

Context vocabulary

Word or phrase	Meaning in this task	Example
claim	a statement that needs checking	The claim sounds clear, but we need evidence.
evidence	information that supports or challenges a claim	The dataset is evidence.
source	where information comes from	NOAA is one source.
dataset	an organised collection of data	The datasets are not identical.
baseline	a reference period used for comparison	The anomaly depends on the chosen baseline.
context	information needed to understand a claim correctly	The ranking needs context.
uncertainty	the part that is not completely certain	Small differences create uncertainty in the rank.
to rank	to place something in an order	Copernicus ranks July 2026 joint second.
according to	used to name the source of information	According to NOAA, ...
however	introduces a contrast	NOAA says joint first; however, Copernicus says joint second.

Pronunciation and fluency

Practise these chunks as whole phrases:

according to NOAA
the evidence suggests
joint second on record
the sources do not fully agree
this claim needs context
there is some uncertainty

For fluency, stress the information words: SOURCE, EVIDENCE, CONTEXT, UNCERTAINTY.

Goal: Be easy to understand. Accent-free speech is not the goal.

You may record yourself only if you want to. Keep recordings private or local unless your teacher gives another clear instruction. No upload is required.

Functional grammar: report carefully

Use reporting language to separate your own voice from the source.

Function	Useful form
Name a source	According to NOAA, ...
Report information	NOAA reports that ...
Compare	While NOAA ranks it ..., Copernicus ranks it ...
Add caution	The evidence suggests that ...
Show uncertainty	The ranking may depend on the dataset.
Correct an overstrong claim	A more precise version would be ...

Avoid: Everybody knows ..., This proves everything ..., The source is official, so it must be right.

Speaking

Work with a partner.

Round 1 – respond: Give your 30-second result.

Round 2 – ask: Your partner asks one spontaneous question, for example: Why do the rankings differ? or Which source would you quote?

Round 3 – improve: Answer again and add one source phrase plus one uncertainty phrase.

Round 4 – use again: Apply the same structure to a different current claim.

Writing

Write 120–160 words in English.

Task: Source-check the July 2026 claim for a school website. Include:

the exact claim,
at least three named sources,
one piece of evidence from NOAA,
one piece of evidence from Copernicus,
the WMO context,
one clear sentence about uncertainty,
a precise final reformulation of the claim.

Keep your own first draft. If you use digital feedback or AI feedback, check every factual suggestion and every source yourself. Do not replace your own text with an unchecked generated text.

Optional mediation

A younger German-speaking student asks: Was stimmt denn jetzt?

Explain the result in four or five short German sentences for that student. Do not translate the English sources line by line. Select the information the student needs: the two rankings, the reason for the difference and the careful conclusion.

Help levels

Level	Help
Hint 1	Start with: According to NOAA, ... However, Copernicus ...
Hint 2	Use the five labels: date – source – evidence – context – uncertainty.
Hint 3	Use this frame: The claim says ... Source A reports ... Source B reports ... WMO explains ... Therefore, a more precise claim is ...

Feedback and revision

Use this short feedback ladder.

Check	Feedback question
Clear	Can I identify the exact claim?
Supported	Does each important statement have a source or evidence?
Compared	Have I shown where sources agree and differ?
Careful	Have I shown context and uncertainty?
Improved	Did I revise at least one sentence after feedback?

Error analysis

Find and improve the problem in each sentence.

Weak sentence	Problem to notice
NOAA proves July 2026 was definitely the hottest July ever.	Too absolute; one dataset is treated as universal.
Copernicus is wrong because it gives a different rank.	Different methods can produce different rankings.
The article is from a famous website, so I trust it.	Reputation alone is not evidence.
The number is recent, so the claim is true.	A current number still needs source, evidence and context.
AI said the source exists, so I used it.	Sources and links must be checked directly.

Transfer

Choose one new, age-appropriate English-language claim from a public source such as a science agency, public broadcaster, museum, university or international organisation.

Do not use private profiles, private messages or personal social-media data.

Create a five-part source check with date, source, evidence, context and uncertainty. Use at least three suitable sources and keep a short record of the links you checked.

Can-do check

Statement	Not yet	Almost	Yes
I can separate a claim from its evidence.	□	□	□
I can check the date and publisher.	□	□	□
I can compare several sources without forcing them to agree.	□	□	□
I can explain uncertainty in simple, precise English.	□	□	□
I can revise an overstrong claim into a careful source-based sentence.	□	□	□

One more viewing: fact-checking language

While watching, collect three phrases for talking about sources and evidence. Use one of them in your next source-check.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What should you check first when a claim is about a current event? (The date of the source) (!The colour of the website) (!The number of pictures) (!The length of the headline)

Which sentence names a source clearly? (According to NOAA, July 2026 tied for the warmest July in its dataset.) (!July 2026 was warm.) (!Everybody says July was hot.) (!This must be true.)

What counts as evidence in this source-check? (Temperature data and rankings from the published datasets) (!A dramatic headline) (!A popular comment) (!A colourful logo)

Why do NOAA and Copernicus give different rankings for July 2026? (They use different datasets and methods.) (!One source has no data.) (!One source is not in English.) (!The month had different dates.)

What does context do? (It adds information needed to understand a claim correctly.) (!It makes every claim longer.) (!It replaces evidence.) (!It removes the need for sources.)

Which phrase shows uncertainty? (The ranking may depend on the dataset.) (!This is definitely the only answer.) (!No other source matters.) (!The headline proves it.)

What is lateral reading? (Leaving a page to check what other sources say about it.) (!Reading one page from top to bottom only.) (!Reading only the headline.) (!Reading the same sentence many times.)

What is the most precise conclusion for the July 2026 example? (The claim needs a source label because major datasets rank the month differently.) (!The claim is completely false.) (!Every source gives exactly the same rank.) (!Rankings never depend on methods.)

What should you do with an AI-generated source suggestion? (Check the source and link yourself before using it.) (!Use it immediately.) (!Assume the quotation is exact.) (!Delete your own draft.)

What is the aim of a source-check? (To make the reasoning and evidence transparent.) (!To win an argument quickly.) (!To collect the longest list of links.) (!To translate every source into German.)

Memory

Date	When the information was published or updated
Source	Who is responsible for the information
Evidence	Data or information that supports a claim
Context	Information needed for correct understanding
Uncertainty	What is not fully certain
Lateral reading	Checking outside the original page

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Date	When was it published?
Source	Who is behind it?
Evidence	What supports the claim?
Context	What important information is missing?
Uncertainty	What may depend on method or data?

Kreuzworträtsel

Evidence	What word means information that supports or challenges a claim?
Context	What word means information needed to understand a claim correctly?
Source	What word means where information comes from?
Baseline	What word means a reference period used for comparison?
Dataset	What word means an organised collection of data?
Uncertainty	What word describes what is not fully certain?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Claim spotting: Find three factual claims in a short English news or science text and underline the one that can be checked most easily.
Date check: Compare two English webpages about the same topic and explain which one is more current.
Source card: Create a small source card with publisher, date, purpose and evidence for one public webpage.
Careful sentence: Rewrite an overstrong English claim using according to, may or suggests.

Standard

Three-source check: Check one current English claim with three suitable public sources and document date, source and evidence.
Lateral reading demo: Show a partner how you leave the original page and check who is behind it.
Mini-presentation: Give a two-minute English presentation of the July 2026 example and answer one spontaneous question.
Visual evidence: Choose a freely licensed chart or map and explain what it shows, what it does not show and what date it covers.

Schwer

Dataset comparison: Compare how two institutions measure or describe the same phenomenon and explain why results may differ.
Transparent fact-check: Write a 180-word source-check with links, evidence, context, uncertainty and a revised claim.
Mediation for an audience: Explain an English source-check in German for younger learners, selecting only information relevant to them.
Peer review and revision: Exchange source-checks, give evidence-based feedback, revise your own text and mark the sentence that improved most.

Lernkontrolle

Source decision: You have one current government source, one old news article and one anonymous post. Explain which you would use first and what you would still need to check.
Conflicting rankings: Two reliable datasets rank the same month differently. Explain why this does not automatically mean one source is unreliable.
Context repair: Rewrite the claim July 2026 was the warmest July ever so that it reflects the NOAA and Copernicus evidence accurately.
Evidence gap: A webpage names no dataset but gives an exact temperature record. Explain what you would search for next and why.
Transfer check: Apply date, source, evidence, context and uncertainty to a new current English claim and justify your final wording.
AI verification: An AI tool gives you a quotation and a link. Describe the steps you take before you include either in school work.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, you should show that you can:

state the exact English claim you checked,
use at least three suitable and current sources,
record publication or update dates,
select evidence that directly relates to the claim,
compare agreement and disagreement between sources,
explain relevant context and uncertainty,
use careful source-based English,
revise your first draft after feedback,
keep source links transparent,
protect privacy and avoid private social-media data,
check AI-generated factual suggestions and references yourself.

No external media, upload or AI service is required for the learning record.

OERs zum Thema

Wikipedia: Faktencheck

Wikipedia: Informationskompetenz

Free media and source notes

The IFLA graphics used in this course are available on Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons licence. The NASA climate animation is available on Wikimedia Commons as a NASA public-domain work in the United States. Always check the file page and licence information before reusing media outside MOOCwiki.