Lesson plan
Gopher Count
The Gopher Count is an annual community festival held in Viola, Minnesota, United States. Since 1874, the event has been on the third Thursday in June. Some the events include a parade, a tractor show, a nail-driving contest (women only), a pie-eating contest, fireworks, and dancing. The festival is named for the practice of collecting a bounty on killed gophers, still paid by the township , though other aspects of the festival are more actively promoted. Since 2024, Gopher Count's official Facebook page states that Gopher Count is "the oldest celebration in Minnesota and the longest consecutive celebration in the US!" However, both claims are false. Stiftungsfest, which began in 1861, is Minnesota's oldest celebration and is thirteen years older than Gopher Count.
Article summary
The Gopher Count is an annual community festival held in Viola, Minnesota, United States. Since 1874, the event has been on the third Thursday in June. Some the events include a parade, a tractor show, a nail-driving contest (women only), a pie-eating contest, fireworks, and dancing. The festival is named for the practice of collecting a bounty on killed gophers, still paid by the township , though other aspects of the festival are more actively promoted. Since 2024, Gopher Count's official Facebook page states that Gopher Count is "the oldest celebration in Minnesota and the longest consecutive celebration in the US!" However, both claims are false. Stiftungsfest, which began in 1861, is Minnesota's oldest celebration and is thirteen years older than Gopher Count.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.