Bogus or hoax websites are a wonderful resource to use with students to develop their critical evaluation skills.
However, many are only suitable for more mature students and it is essential that students have a good understanding of the topic before they are asked to pick the deliberate falsehoods and exaggerations.
For example, the Dihydrogen Monoxide site is only useful when students have an understanding of chemical formulas. |
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- Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie
Shield your brain from mind control.
- California's Velcro Crop Under Challenge
Ken Umbach's obvious but amusing satirical piece of writing for students in Early to Late Adolescence.
- GenoChoice
Create your own genetically healthy child online.
- Dihydrogen Monoxide
Tom Way's scientific terminology demonises a substance we can't live without. The whole site is worth investigation. This site originated from a 14-year-old secondary school student's science project.
- Feline Reactions to Bearded Men
Even the web address indicates the status of this piece of scientific research. Check their Classics and Whatnot page for lots of other improbable science.
- Haggis Hunt
This funny site adamantly proclaims that a Haggis is a wild animal.
- Kick started by a dung beetle
Peter Macinnis shows how to make a simple story convincing. His Giant Dung Beetle in Cootaburra on the Corella River has appeared in news stories around the world.
- MoonBeam Enterprise
How to buy your piece of the Moon.
- Ova Prima Foundation
Investigates which came first - the chicken or the egg.
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Mankato - Which is the real city website?
The real city of Mankato is not impressed by the bogus site run from a local university.
- McWhortle Enterprises, Inc.
This hoax site was set up by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to teach people how to watch out for scams. The site looks and ‘feels’ real to the people searching the Internet for investment opportunities and is great to use with older secondary students.
Similar site: Parsons Heritage Offshore Opportunities Ltd.
- The Onion
Onion, Inc
This site is for selective use with Late Adolescence students only. The Onion is not intended for readers under 18 years of age.
This amusing satirical newspaper often makes headlines in the regular press because its tongue-in-cheek articles are taken literally. For example, a piece from the site about the US capital being moved was reported as fact in a Chinese newspaper.
- RYT Hospital - Dwayne Medical Center
Aclaimed as providing 'all the miracles of modern medicine'.
- Sellafield Zoo
Where the wildlife has a half-life!
- Uncyclopedia
A satirical look at Wikipedia, including some very funny feature articles.
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