Lesson plan

J. R. Simplot

John Richard Simplot ( ; January 4, 1909 – May 25, 2008) was an American entrepreneur and businessman best known as the founder of the J. R. Simplot Company, a Boise, Idaho–based agricultural supplier specializing in potato products. In 2007, he was estimated to be the 89th-richest person in the United States, at $3.6 billion. At the time of his death at age 99 in May 2008, he was the oldest billionaire on the Forbes 400.

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Article summary

John Richard Simplot ( ; January 4, 1909 – May 25, 2008) was an American entrepreneur and businessman best known as the founder of the J. R. Simplot Company, a Boise, Idaho–based agricultural supplier specializing in potato products. In 2007, he was estimated to be the 89th-richest person in the United States, at $3.6 billion. At the time of his death at age 99 in May 2008, he was the oldest billionaire on the Forbes 400.

Key claims

  1. date of birth: 1934 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. date of death: 2008-05-25 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. date of death: 1993 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of birth is "1934". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the date of death is "2008-05-25". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the date of death is "1993". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377114188

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.