Fact or Fiction – Recognizing the Difference 

To be an ambassador of the Benergy message, to tell the truth about energy sources and usage, you first have to be able to distinguish between scientific facts and motivated fiction. Much of what is reported in media and throughout social media is based on false narratives that are not derived from peer reviewed research. People regularly fall for these misconceptions. They even often fall for outright fabrications of the proven truth. 

You, however, are fortunate. You learned physics backed facts from the first four Benergy modules. You know the real deal. But, to share these truths with others requires the employment of methods that allow you to diffuse falsehoods, understand how energy myths are created and spread, then become the teacher of fact.  Your final Benergy task is to go to work spreading the good word of truth. Let’s start by learning to detect the difference between fact and fiction. 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will:

• Understand that most journalists and news outlets intend to be truthful but can still mislead unintentionally through framing, bias, or incomplete context. 
• Learn behavioral influence techniques to detect persuasion in media. 
• Practice critical empathy — questioning media narratives without hostility or cynicism. 
• Engage family members in a follow-up discussion that builds media literacy across generations.  

Part 1: Why The Truth Is So Elusive 

Think

Consider the following scenario: 

Have you ever seen a headline online, got angry, shared it… and then found out later it wasn’t quite true? Happens to adults every day, too. Today we’ll look at why that happens — and why most of the time, it’s not because someone’s lying, but because humans communicate in imperfect ways. 

Watch

Write

In your notebook, give a short, considered answer to the following questions: 

1. Why do we believe first impressions so strongly? 
2. Who benefits when a story spreads before the full truth is known? 

Discuss

With your parent/teacher, a family member or a classmate, discuss how truth was possibly misrepresented during one of the following scenarios:

Scenario 1:  Early COVID Reporting

Early 2020 reports said “masks don’t help.” Later, “everyone should wear a mask.”

Consider:  Journalists rely on experts — but when knowledge changes, the story must too.

Questions to discuss: Was that lying? Or evolving science? 

Scenario 2: Misleading Headlines

Compare the following headlines that each identify the same event:

HEADLINE 1: MASSIVE PIPELINE LEAK SPILLS CRUDE OIL

HEADLINE 2: PIPELINE SPILL QUICKLY CONTAINED – MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT  

Questions to discuss:

• Which headline makes you feel more emotional? 
• What details are missing in each? 

Understand

Both headlines use authority and emotion triggers  that manipulate perception through tone and omission. Social media often uses these same triggers to alter perception by controlling what you see and by controlling what elements are emphasized. 

Activity

HEADLINE DETECTIVES

Directions:

1. Ask your parent/teacher to supply 3 real headlines (mix serious and funny ones). 
2. Rate each on a 1–5 “Truth Intent Scale”: 1 = “Clearly manipulative,” 5 = “Clearly trying to be fair.” 
3. Discuss how word choice changes perception. 
4. Highlight how power words trigger emotional responses (“chaos,” “crisis,” “hero,” “toxic,” etc.). 

GOAL: Learn to separate facts from emotionally charged material 

Part 2: Family Follow-up

Activity

THE FAMILY NEWS CHECK

Directions:

1. As a family, watch one evening news story or read one online article together. 
2. Each family member writes one paragraph: 
3. What do I think happened? 
4. What evidence was shown? 
5. What do I not know yet? 
6. Then compare answers — usually they differ!

Parent/Teacher prompts: 

• Why do you think two people can watch the same thing and walk away with different impressions?
• What can you do to double-check before reacting or sharing? 
• Does bias always mean dishonesty?
• Reinforce – that even well-meaning media and smart people interpret through their filters. 

Part 3: The News Isn’t Always Right—Know How to See the Whole Picture 

WATCH

Watch the following video explains how news media can get it wrong even if the intention is to get it right. 

Pre-view Questions – Use these questions to activate your curiosity and gauge your baseline understanding 

Post-Viewing Questions – Use these questions to assess your understanding of the video’s key points and  to help reinforce your understanding of the main messages. 

Part 4: Why the News Can Miss the Target—The Climate Change Debate

WATCH: The Climate of Alarm

Pre-view Questions – Use these questions to activate your curiosity and gauge your baseline understanding 

Post-Viewing Questions – Use these questions to assess your understanding of the video’s key points and  to help reinforce your understanding of the main messages.