Welcome to Charter Vision Teacher Resources! Charter Vision is a statewide newspaper written
by students of charter schools for charter schools and the surrounding community. Charter
Vision began in 2003 at ARTech Charter School in Northfield, Minnesota. The school received
a private foundation grant to spread information in their community about charter schools. The
newspaper grew out of that idea, and an advisory group was formed to discuss how to turn this
ARTech project into a statewide initiative. During the first year of Charter Vision, The
Minnesota Association of Charter Schools (MACS) provided funds for printing and distribution
to charter schools around the state and other “friends” of the charter school movement. Since
then advertising has been sold to fund these activities. This curriculum has been developed as
part of collaborative grant from the State of Minnesota.
While this curriculum was being developed, we took into consideration the diversity of charter
schools and their students. We have designed lessons that can be adapted to the ages and
abilities of the students in your classroom. The lessons have been connected the Minnesota State
Academic Standards and are listed for your convenience. It is our hope that you can use these
lessons in your classroom and that they will benefit your students.
There are many benefits to using the Charter Vision Teacher Resources. One of the benefits is to
allow Charter Vision to be part of your classroom and part of the charter school movement.
Students can read this paper for enjoyment and teachers can use the articles as examples of
student writing. Another benefit is that the lesson ideas generate student writing that can be
submitted for the print or on-line version of the Charter Vision newspaper.
Our goals for this Charter Vision curriculum are that the newspaper will become a teaching tool
in charter schools throughout Minnesota. Students will develop communication skills by writing
and sharing their ideas with their peers in the community. By having their work published in the
on-line or print version of the newspaper, students will develop a joy of writing that will improve
their confidence and abilities. Teachers will be able to use this resource easily in addition to
their current curriculum.
We understand that schools and teachers assess their students in different ways. Some use letter
grades or assign a numerical value to the student’s work. Others use rubrics or self-evaluations
to assess student learning. We encourage you to create your own assessment to meet the needs
of your school and students.
Thank you for using the Charter Vision Teacher Resources. We look forward to reading student
work in upcoming Charter Vision issues!
Sincerely,
Leslie Wedel
Rachel Hortsch
Language Arts Teacher, Grades 9-12
Grade 5 Teacher
Liberty High Charter School
Sojourner Truth Academy
Adult Facilitator
Adult Facilitator
Charter Vision
Charter Vision
205 N Orchard Street
205 N Orchard Street
Northfield, MN 55057
Northfield, MN 55057
(507) 469-0595
(507) 469-0595
leslie@mnchartervision.org
Rachel@mnchartervision.org
Facilitator Manual
Table of Contents
Page Number(s)
Twenty-Five Great Ideas for Teaching Current Events ………………………………..... 3-6
K-6 Lessons
How to Read a Newspaper …………………………………………………………….… 7
Minnesota Map Search ……………………………………………………………….….. 8
Sequence Search ………………………………………………………………………..... 9
Five W’s and an H’s ……………………………………………………………………. 10
Alphabetize It …………………………………………………………………………… 11
What the Heck Does That Mean? ………………………………………………… …… 12
Novel Newspaper ………………………………………………………………… ……. 13
Your Inner Poet …………………………………………………………………… …… 14
Descriptive Writing ………………………………………………………………… ….. 15
Informative Writing ………………………………………………………………… ….. 16
Persuasive Writing …………………………………………………………………… … 17
Friendly Letters ………………………………………………………………………… . 18
Narrative Writing ……………………………………………………………………….. 19-20
Riddles ………………………………………………………………………………….. 21
Plagiarism ……………………………………………………………………………….. 22-23
Catchy Captions ………………………………………………………………………......24-25
7-12 Lessons
Report on a Reporter …………………………………………………………………….. 26
Headline News …………………………………………………………………..………. 27
Classified Ads of the Future …………………………………………………….………. 28
Front Page News …………………………………………………………………..…….. 29
Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press ………………………………………..……. 30-31
Editorial Cartoons …………………………………………………………………..…… 32
Preparing Students as Sales Professionals: Steps for Selling Advertising Space……..…. 33-35
Coping With Bias ……………………………………………………………………..…. 36-37
Caption Writing Activity ……………………………………………………………….... 38
Should I Spend My Money? A Guide to Analyzing Reviews …………………………... 39-40
An Introduction to Newspaper Design ……………………………………………..……. 41-43
Incorporating Diversity Into the School Newspaper ………………………………..…… 44-47
Understanding and Covering Diversity in Your Own School ………………………...…. 48-50
How Can We Craft Persuasive Editorials to Make Our Voices Heard? ………………..... 51-53
Writing Meaningful Editorials ………………………………………………………….... 54-55
Finding a Voice ……………………………………………………………………….….. 56-59
Careers in Journalism …………………………………………………………………….. 60-61
The Basics of Features and Interviewing ………………………………………………… 62-63
Making Photo Essays Easy …………………………………………………………….… 64-66
Basic Interviewing and Reporting ……………………………………………………….. 67-68
Balancing Journalism in Wartime ………………………………………………………... 69-72
Transition from Essay to Features, News, and Editorials …………………………………73-74
Why Read Newspapers? …………………………………………………………………. 75-77
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Twenty-Five Great Ideas for Teaching Current Events!
Looking for ways to work news into your classroom curriculum? Check out these great
ideas for connecting current events to all subjects!
THE ACTIVITIES!
This first activity won't make better or more interested newsreaders of your students -- but it was
too interesting not to include in our list! Taken from an ERIC document, Twenty Ideas for
Teaching Science Using the Newspaper, the first activity provides a recipe for keeping old
newspaper clippings from turning yellow. Try it!
Preserving the news! Dissolve a milk of magnesia tablet in a quart of water, and let it stand
overnight. Pour the mixture into a flat baking pan large enough to hold the news clippings that
you want to preserve. Place the clippings in the solution so they're completely covered by the
liquid. Let them soak for an hour. Then take them out and pat them dry. They'll be crisp and new
for a long time to come! (This works because the magnesium carbide in the solution neutralizes
the acid in the paper; it is the acid that makes the newspaper yellow.)
Listening for details. Students can do this activity individually or in small groups. Ask students
to listen carefully as you read aloud a story from the day's newspaper. (Story length will vary by
grade level.) Then hand out to students a sheet with questions about details from the story. The
higher the grade, the harder (more detailed) questions you can ask. Invite students or groups to
respond to the questions. Who caught the most details?
News-mapping. Post a map (a community, state, U.S., or world map, depending on the focus of
your current events curriculum) on a bulletin board. Post stories around the map and string yarn
from each story to the location on the map where the story takes place.
More news-mapping. Take a look at the front page of the local newspaper each day. Plot on the
map the location of each of the news stories on that page. Invite students to use the scale of miles
on the map to figure out how far each place in the news is from your community. If longitude
and latitude is a skill your students are expected to master, students might plot each location's
longitude and latitude to the nearest degree.
News scavenger hunts. Provide students with a list of things to find on the front page of today's
newspaper. Students might hunt in the paper for math-related words and terms (a percent, a
measurement of distance, a cost, an address, and a fraction) or grammar-related terms (a present-
tense verb, a past-tense verb, a proper noun, an abbreviation, a colon, and a list separated by
commas). Or students might scavenge the main sports page for a list of sports-related terms. Or
you might let students work in small groups to hunt for as many nouns (or proper nouns, or
verbs) they can find in a story or on the front page. The group that finds the most is the winner!
A to Z adjectives. Each student writes the letters from A to Z on a sheet of paper. Challenge
students to search the day's front page (or the entire newspaper, if your students are older) for an
adjective that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Students cut the adjectives from the
newspaper and paste them on their list.
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Graphing the news. Pull facts from the news that lend themselves to graphing (e.g., the cost of
a postage stamp, the population of your community, the number of barrels of oil imported).
Provide students with the information needed and invite them to create a bar, line, or picture
graph to depict that information.
Scanning the page. Provide a copy of a news story for this activity that teaches the skill of
"skimming for information," or let all students work with their own copy of the front page of the
same daily paper. Provide a list of words from the story/front page and invite students to skim
the page to find as many of those words as they can. Set a time limit. Who finds the most words
before time runs out?
Abbreviation/acronym search. The names of many common organizations are shortened to
their acronym form when used in news stories. For example, the American Broadcasting
Corporation becomes ABC, the National Organization for Women becomes NOW, and the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration becomes NASA. Also, abbreviations are
commonly used for state names and some titles, such as Tex. (for Texas) or Sen. (for Senator).
Invite students to work in groups to find and create a list of acronyms and abbreviations they find
in the daily newspaper. (Note: You might include the classified ad section in your students'
search. Many abbreviations can be found there.)
Local, national, or international? To develop your students' understanding of a news story's
"place," create a bulletin board divided into three sections. Invite students to bring in from home
news stories that might fit into each of the three sections. News of the community or state will be
posted in the "Local" section. News of interest around the country will fit in the "National"
section. And world news will be posted in the "International" section.
Headline match. Collect ten news stories and separate the story text from the headline. Number
each headline from 1 to 10. Assign a letter, from A to J, to each story text. Invite students to
match each headline to the correct text.
The five Ws. Introduce students to the 5Ws found in most news stories. Often, the five Ws are
introduced in a story's opening paragraph. Create an overhead transparency of a major news
story. Invite students to talk about the who , where , when , what , and why of the story. Circle or
highlight and label the areas of the story that tell each of the five Ws. Then provide each student
or group of students with a news story and ask them to report to the class the who , where , when ,
what , and why of the story. Students might underline each of the five Ws with a different colored
crayon.
A five W variation. Provide each student with a news story. The student lists on a separate
sheet of paper the who , where , when , what , and why of the story. Then the students' papers are
collected and redistributed so no student has his or her own sheet. Each student takes a look at
his/her five W list and writes the opening paragraph of a news story based on that information.
At the end of the activity, students share their stories and the original stories to see how they
compare. How accurate were the students' stories?
Sequencing the facts. Select a news story that includes a clear sequence of events. Write each
of the facts of the story on a separate strip of paper. Invite students to order the sentence strips to
tell the story in its correct sequence. (Option: Once you've done this activity, you might invite
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students to do the same thing. They can retell the events of a story in five simple sentences, each
written on a separate strip of paper. Then each student shares the activity he/she created and a
copy of the original story with another student, who gets to try the activity.)
Why is it news? Each day, newspaper editors around the world must make decisions about
which stories they will publish. Stories make it into newspapers for many different reasons.
Invite students to look at the stories that have made the front page of a local newspaper during
the last few days and to talk about why each of those stories made headlines. Among the reasons
students might come up with are these:
Timeliness -- News that is happening right now, news of interest to readers right now.
Relevance -- The story happened nearby or is about a concern of local interest.
Magnitude -- The story is great in size or number; for example, a tornado that destroys a
couple houses might not make the news but a story about a tornado that devastates a
community would be very newsworthy.
Unexpectedness -- Something unusual, or something that occurs without warning.
Impact -- News that will affect a large number of readers.
Reference to someone famous or important -- News about a prominent person or personality.
Oddity -- A unique or unusual situation.
Conflict -- A major struggle in the news.
Reference to something negative -- Bad news often "sells" better than good news.
Continuity -- A follow-up or continuation to a story that has been in the news or is familiar.
Emotions -- Emotions (such as fear, jealousy, love, or hate) increase interest in a story.
Progress -- News of new hope, new achievement, new improvements.
In the days ahead, study each front-page story and talk about why editors decided to put the
story on page one. Which reason(s) on the students' list would explain the newsworthiness of the
story?
Voice your opinion. Set up a tape recorder in a convenient location in the classroom. Pose to
students an opinion question and let them think about it for a few days. When students are ready,
they can take turns expressing their opinions to the recorder. This can be a little less threatening
for some students than talking in front of a class would be. Later in the week, once all students
have had a chance to express their opinions, you might begin a class discussion of the question
by playing back the tape or by sharing select opinions that you cull from it.
Charting the weather. The weather page in the newspaper can be the starting point for many
great classroom activities. The class might follow the local weather for a week or a month and
create charts and graphs to show the ups and downs of temperatures. Or each student might
follow the weather of a different city in the United States (or the world) for a set period. Students
can use the collected information to compare weather (high and low temperatures, total
precipitation, sky conditions, etc.) in different places.
Create historical newspapers. Challenge students to create a newspaper about a period of time
they are studying. If students are studying U.S. history, they might include stories such as
"Pilgrims and Indians Gather for Feast" and "Lincoln Wins Election." The stories relate the facts
as students have researched them. Students should include each of the five Ws in their first
paragraphs.
Plan a healthful menu. After a study of nutrition, invite students to plan a healthful menu for a
day. Provide three paper plates for each student; each plate represents a different meal --
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breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Invite students to find and cut out from newspapers, magazines,
store ads, etc., pictures of foods and to arrange them into healthful meals on the three plates.
Invite students to share the results, which will make a colorful and attractive bulletin board!
You be the editor. Rewrite a news story to include ten errors of punctuation, capitalization, or
grammar. (Emphasize skills your students are working on in class wherever possible.) Invite
students to "edit" your story free of errors!
THERE'S PLENTY OF MATH IN THE NEWS TOO!
Figuring an average. Students might collect classified "Homes for Sale" ads for ten homes in a
given area or for homes of a given size (e.g., two-bedroom homes). Invite students to figure from
those ads the average cost for a home. (Or students might figure the average rent for homes of
similar characteristics from the "Apartments for Rent" section of the newspaper.)
More ad math. Invite each student to choose a job ad from the newspaper classifieds; the ad
must include a yearly salary figure. (Teach students that the term "40K" often seen in job ads is
short for $40,000.) Invite students to figure from that salary figure the average monthly, weekly,
daily (based on a 5-day week), and hourly (based on an 8-hour day) salary for that job.
Ad math #3. Provide a group of five ads from a local newspaper and the section of the paper
that describes how much it costs to place an ad. Invite students to use the per-word or per-line
cost information to figure out how much it cost to run each of the five ads.
Guess-timating! Provide each student with the copy of a news story. (Story length will vary
depending on grade level.) Invite students to count the number of words in each of the first five
lines of the story and to guess-timate, based on that figure, how many words long the whole story
is. Older students might average the number of words in the first five lines and consider half-
lines and other elements of a story to come up with a more accurate figure. Let students share
their estimates and how they arrived at them. Then inform students of the exact number of words
in the story (which you have pre-counted). A prize goes to the winner!
Furnish a home! Invite students to use store ads to figure the cost of furnishing a home. You
might provide a list of items for each of four rooms, including a living room, a kitchen, a dining
room, and a bedroom. For example, living room furniture might include a couch and side chair, a
coffee table, a television, and an air conditioner. Older students might also need to figure the cost
of carpeting the living room! (Options: Provide students with a budget for furnishing a four-room
home and let them set priorities for the furnishings they'll select. For older students, state and
local sales taxes might be figured as part of the total cost.)
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How to Read a Newspaper
Subject: Reading
Standard:
Strand: Speaking, Listening and Viewing
Sub-Strand: Viewing
Standard: The student will become familiar with structure of printed material
Benchmark: 1. Follow print (words and text) from left to right and top to bottom. 2. Turn pages
sequentially from front to back.
Grade Level: K-2
Purpose: To teach students the correct way to read a newspaper.
Objectives: To learn how to read a newspaper correctly.
Materials: Charter Vision Newspaper for each student.
Essential Questions: 1. Using your finger, point to an article and show me how to read it. 2.
Show me how you turn the pages in a newspaper.
Lesson: Have the students sit down and explain to them that a newspaper is a way to get
information to a lot of people. Explain that Charter Vision is a newspaper that people all over the
state of Minnesota can read. It is written by students at charter schools for charter school
students, families and their communities. Ask the students if they have seen a newspaper before
and where. Continue on that a newspaper is different than a book because there are a lot of
different stories on the same page. Therefore, there is a special way to read it. Pick an article and
teach away!
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Minnesota Map Search
Subject: Geography
Standard:
Strand: Geography
Sub-Strand: 1.Concepts of Location 2. Maps and Globes
Standard: 1.Students will demonstrate working knowledge of the cardinal directions. 2. The
student will use and create maps and globes to locate people, places and things.
Benchmark: 1. Students will use cardinal and intermediate directions to locate places. 2. Students
will locate places by using simple maps, and understand that maps are drawings of locations and
places as viewed from above.
Grade Level: K-6
Purpose: To locate cities and towns on a map of Minnesota
Objectives: 1. Use a map and locate cities and towns. 2. Find the location of other charter schools
in Minnesota.
Materials: Charter Vision Newspapers or mnchartervision.org website, map of Minnesota with
cities and towns
Essential Questions: How many charter schools are there in Minnesota? Describe the locations of
these schools (using cardinal directions or regions of Minnesota)
Lesson: Using a Charter Vision Newspaper or mnchartervision.org to find the names and
locations of Minnesota charter schools, have students work alone, in pairs or groups to find the
locations of these schools on a Minnesota map. Have them locate as many as they can and
describe them in location to their school.
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Sequence Search
Subject: Reading
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Comprehension
Sub-Strand: Literature
Standard: The student will actively engage in the reading process and read, understand, respond
to, analyze, interpret, evaluate and appreciate a wide variety of fiction, poetic and nonfiction
texts.
Benchmark: Identify, describe and respond to literary elements of characterization, plot, setting
and theme.
Grade Level: 2-6
Purpose: To realize that there is an organization to pieces of writing, and that there is a
beginning, middle and end to writing.
Objectives: Students will figure out the correct sequence of the information.
Materials: articles from Charter Vision that are academically appropriate, envelopes
Essential Questions: Explain what a sequence is. Explain the sequence of a familiar story you
know to your teacher (Ex. Three Little Pigs).
Lesson:
Take some articles from Charter Vision newspaper or print them off of chartervision.org. Cut the
articles into strips and place each article in an envelope. Have students put the articles in the
correct order by reading them and figuring out the proper sequence.
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5 W‘s and an H
Subject: Reading
Standard:
Strand: Reading and Literature
Sub-Strand: Comprehension
Standard: The student will actively engage in the reading process and use a variety of
comprehension strategies to understand the meaning of texts that have been read or listened to.
Benchmark: Demonstrate literal and inferential comprehension by asking and answering
questions about narrative and informational text.
Grade Level: 1-6
Purpose: To answer questions about who, what, when, where, why and how.
Objectives: Read an article and understand the main points of what was read.
Materials: Charter Vision Newspapers
Essential Questions: Who is involved in this story? What is the story about? When did the major
action happen? Where did it happen? Why did it happen?
Lesson: Give each student an article to read from the Charter Vision Newspaper that is reading
level appropriate. Ask the students to look for answers to these questions: Who is involved in
this story? What is the story about? When did the major action happen? Where did it happen?
Why did it happen? Invite the students to share what they read with a partner, small group, or the
class OR by writing the answers on paper.
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Alphabetize It!
Subject: Reading and Literature
Standard:
Strand: Reading and Literature
Sub-Strand: Research
Standard: The student will locate and use information in reference materials
Benchmark: Alphabetize by first letter.
Grade Level: 1-6
Purpose: To practice alphabetizing
Objectives: Using words from or headlines in the Charter School newspaper, put the words in
alphabetical order.
Materials: Charter Vision newspaper headlines, envelopes
Essential Questions: How do we alphabetize words? How do we alphabetize words that start
with the same letter? What are some strategies you use to help alphabetize? Why do we
alphabetize?
Lesson: Depending on the age and experience of your students with alphabetizing, review with
students what it means to put things in ABC order and why we do this. After the necessary
review, give the students envelopes with words of headlines from the Charter Vision newspaper.
Have students put them in correct ABC order. Then have the teacher or another students
check/correct them. After students have practiced, have a race with students who want to
compete. Then review essential questions.
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What the Heck Does That Mean?
Subject: Reading and Literature
Standard:
Strand: Reading and Literature
Sub-Strand: Vocabulary Expansion
Standard: The student will use a variety of strategies to expand reading, listening and speaking
vocabularies.
Benchmark: Use of dictionaries and glossaries to understand the meaning of new words.
Grade Level: 2-6
Purpose: For students to use a dictionary to look up words they don’t know while reading to
expand comprehension and vocabulary.
Objectives: 1. The student will learn and practice a reading strategy to improve comprehension
of material. 2. The student will practice dictionary skills. 3. When might someone need to use a
dictionary to help when reading?
Materials: Charter Vision Newspapers, dictionaries, notecards, pencils
Essential Questions: 1. What do you do when you come to a word you don’t know while
reading? 2. Explain a process for figuring out words you don’t know when reading.
Lesson: Ask students if they read. Have them tell you where and when and what types of
material they read. Ask them about any problems they may run into while reading. See if they
come up with, or else talk to them about coming to words you don’t know when reading. Explain
that it is something that happens to the best of us. Talk about strategies people can use when they
don’t know a word. Some ideas may be using the context, asking someone if they know, using a
dictionary, etc. Tell them that you are going to practice using the dictionary when coming to
unfamiliar words. Explain that this is important because it is a skill that you will use besides just
in the _____th grade. It may be important when reading directions, in high school or college, etc.
Model to the students using a charter vision newspaper. Read a short article out loud and have
students think if there are words that they don’t know. When someone finds a word they don’t
know, look it up in the dictionary, explaining how you find words. Your explanation will depend
on the exposure your students have had. Follow this routine: 1. Read the sentence. 2. Look up the
word you don’t know and the definition that matches. 3. Read the sentence again, substituting the
new definition for the word. 4. Continue reading.
Have students pick an article to read and underline words they are unsure of. Give the students a
notecard to write down the word(s) and definitions. If students do not find a word they don’t
know in an article, have them read another article until they do!
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Novel Newspaper
Subject: Reading and Writing
Standard:
Strand: Reading and Literature
Sub-Strand: Comprehension
Standard: The student will actively engage in the reading process and use a variety of
comprehension strategies to understand the meaning of texts that have been read or listened to.
Benchmark: Retell, restate or summarize information orally, in writing, and through graphic
organizers.
Grade Level: 1-6
Purpose: To get students to write a newspaper after reading a class novel.
Objectives: 1. Read and understand a novel. 2. Write a news story on a specific aspect of the
novel.
Materials: Class novel, paper and pencils or word processor(s)
Essential Questions: Describe the major and minor characters in the story. Describe the setting(s)
of the story. Explain the beginning, middle and end of the story. What were the problems in the
story? What were the solutions in the story?
Lesson: After students read a novel, have the class create a newspaper that summarizes it. A
news story could tell about the plot advances, problems and solutions in the story, or what
happened in the beginning, middle or end of the story. Feature stories could focus on characters
and their relationships (either during or after the story), travel articles focused on the settings,
editorial columns, entertainment reviews or advertisements. Pictures could be drawn to match the
articles.
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Your Inner Poet
Subject: Writing
Standard:
Strand: Speaking, Listening and Viewing
Sub-Strand: Speaking and Listening
Standard: The student will demonstrate understanding and communicate effectively through
listening and speaking.
Benchmark: Explain and clarify needs, feelings and ideas to peers and adults in complete
sentences.
Grade Level: K-6
Purpose: To express needs, feelings and ideas to others in a safe environment.
Objectives: 1. Express needs, feelings and ideas to others in a safe environment. 2. Put thoughts
into writing/poetry.
Materials: pencil and paper
Essential Questions: How do you feel when you are telling someone how you feel? When you
talk about ideas with others first, how does this affect your writing?
Lesson: Facilitate a conversation based on something in the news, an issue at school, a current
unit you are teaching, a book, etc. Have students put themselves into the position of others or
themselves and discuss either what they need, think or feel about something. For example:
Friendship ~ I feel wanted when a friend asks me to play. I feel devastated when someone makes
fun of me. I feel…. Then have the students write what they expressed into a simple poem called
I feel… or I need… or I think… or a combination. Then submit to Charter Vision newspaper!
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Descriptive Writing
Subject: Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing.
Benchmark: Write in a variety of modes to express meaning, including: descriptive.
Grade Level: 2-6
Purpose: To produce writing that helps the reader imagine they are there through the use of
descriptive words, not just “being told”.
Objectives: 1. Produce a descriptive piece of writing using the writing process. 2. Use descriptive
words to produce an image in the readers mind.
Materials: paper, pencil, imagination
Essential Questions: What are ways you can describe things? Why is important for a writer to be
descriptive?
Lesson:
Model this lesson by having the students compare two pieces of writing about something
important to you, the teacher. Have one sound very descriptive and the other non-descriptive and
boring. Ask the students what one they liked better and why. Facilitate a discussion. Next, have
the students pick a topic that they know a lot about and that is personal to them. This could be a
favorite place they go, a favorite possession, an event that happened to them, something hard that
they struggle with, etc. Have them either make a story web or some sort of prewriting activity.
Have the writer answer some questions such as:
What do you see?
What do you feel?
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
Why is it important to you?
What have you learned from it?
How has it made you change?
Then have the students create a descriptive piece of writing. An idea for editing is to have a peer-
edit session where a partner reads the work and asks any questions about clarification and
proofreads for mistakes. Finally, publish your writing by submitting it to Charter Vision
newspaper!
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Informative Writing
Subject: Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing.
Benchmark: Write in a variety of modes to express meaning, including: informative
Grade Level: K-6
Purpose: To be able to communicate in writing how to do a task.
Objectives: Students will be able to write all the materials and necessary steps to make
something, using both directions as well as sharing helpful hints from experience.
Materials: paper and pencil (If possible, acting out the steps may be helpful in writing them
down)
Essential Questions: Describe writing what it was like thinking of all the steps. When do we use
directions in our life? Why are clear directions important? What happens if directions are not
clear?
Lesson: Ask students what they do if they need to know how to do something. For example,
what to do on a homework assignment. Hopefully someone will say “read the directions.” Ask
students about other times it is helpful to read directions. Some ideas may be cooking,
homework, playing a game, using an appliance or traveling somewhere. Ask them some
questions like “what would happen if some of the steps were missing?”
Then have a student pick something to write directions to, and explain that this kind of writing is
called informative, because you are giving someone information about how to do something. An
example could be: Directions for walking from room 105 to art class. Have the students explain
the steps and write them down. You may even want to have the class follow the steps and see if
they make it there. Try and have students give directions for something that others may not know
how to do, like making a favorite after school snack! Then submit to Charter Vision!
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Persuasive Writing
Subject: Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing Benchmark:
Benchmark: Write in a variety of modes to express meaning, including: persuasive
Grade Level: 4-6
Purpose: To express oneself and ones opinion clearly and to persuade others to think that way.
Objectives: Create a piece of writing on a topic that effects the way others think about the topic.
Materials: copy of Sojourner Truth Class Pet off chartervision.org, paper, pencil
Essential Questions: What is persuasion? Why would you persuade someone? How can you
persuade someone through writing?
Lesson: Discuss with students what they do when they ask for something and their parents say
no, or when they want a friend to do something with them. Most people try to entice others with
the power of persuasion. Go on chartervision.org and find the article Sojourner Truth Class Pet,
or search in the key word “rat” and it should come up. Read this article to the students. Ask them
what the writer’s message is and what the writer wants the reader to think. Talk about
persuasion. Have students write about a topic and persuade the reader to agree with them. This
could be about something being studied in school, why someone should get a certain kind of dog,
go someplace on vacation, etc. Just make sure there are some facts to back it up! Then submit to
Charter Vision!
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Friendly Letters
Subject: Social Studies, Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing.
Benchmark: Write in a variety of styles to express meaning, including: friendly letter
Grade Level: K-6
Purpose: To practice letter writing and creativity.
Objectives: Learn the parts of a letter and be able to write one.
Materials: A friendly letter format visual aid.
Essential Questions: What are letters and why do people write them? What are the parts of the
letter? What kind of information could you include in letters?
Lesson:
If students are researching people in social studies class or learning about real or fictional
characters in books, write them a friendly letter. First explain what letters are and why people
write them. Then discuss the parts of a friendly letter. The letter should have a heading (address
and date), the salutation (greeting), the body (the information you are writing in your letter) and
the closing (Sincerely, Your friend, Love, or Very truly yours are common). The letters may
include a compliment to the individual and questions they want answers to. Some examples may
be to Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington, etc. Then submit to Charter Vision
newspaper!
Subject: Writing
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Narrative Writing
Subject: Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing.
Benchmark: Write in a variety of styles to express meaning, including: narrative.
Grade Level: 2-6
Purpose: To write a personal story that show, not tell, and contains the elements of a story.
Objectives: Write a narrative including elements of a story.
Materials: paper, pencil, imagination.
Essential Questions: What is a narrative? What are the elements of a story?
Lesson:
When you write a narrative essay, you are telling a story. Narrative essays are told from a
defined point of view, often the author's, so there is feeling as well as specific and often sensory
details provided to get the reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story. The verbs
are vivid and precise. The narrative essay makes a point and that point is often defined in the
opening sentence, but can also be found as the last sentence in the opening paragraph. (For test
taking purposes, it can be wise to put if first so that the person grading does not miss it.
Since a narrative relies on personal experiences, it often is in the form of a story. When the writer
uses this technique, he or she must be sure to include all the conventions of storytelling: plot,
character, setting, climax, and ending. It is usually filled with details that are carefully selected to
explain, support, or embellish the story. All of the details relate to the main point the writer is
attempting to make.
To summarize, the narrative essay
*is told from a particular point of view
*makes and supports a point
*is filled with precise detail
*uses vivid verbs and modifiers
*uses conflict and sequence as does any story
*may use dialogue
Remember, your job as a writer is to show, not tell!
Some possible topics are
*Everyone Has Been Scared Sometime
*The Day I felt So Proud
19
*Someone in My Family Deserves an Award
*My favorite Gathering
(From www.geocities.com)
Here is a tip from a teacher on Proteacher.net for writing narratives.
I use a planner called “C-SPACE” to help my third graders learn the components of a good story.
Our state has third graders focus on writing personal or imaginative narratives. I have found this
planner to be wonderful in helping students ensure they have all the proper parts of a story.
C stands for characters. I encourage them to limit their characters to 3. Makes for less confusion.
S stands for setting. Where and When.
P stands for prompt. You can rephrase to mean main idea. What is the story all about?
A stands for action. I tell my kids this is the “meat” of the story, the middle, where lots of
exciting things happen.
C stands for conclusion. The last important even of the story that wraps everything up.
E stands for elaboration. How did you feel about what happened? I encourage them to use strong
feeling statements.
(From proteacher.net ~ Narrative Planner posted by Jennie)
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Riddles
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Types of Writing
Standard: The student will compose various pieces of writing.
Benchmark: Write in a variety of modes to express meaning, including: descriptive.
Grade Level: K-6
Purpose: To work on being a descriptive writer and to see the world through the eyes of others.
Objectives: To write a riddle using descriptive and creative words.
Materials: paper and pencil
Essential Questions: What steps did you use to write your riddle?
Lesson: Writing riddles. Have a riddle ready for the students. Have them use the clues to guess
what you are talking about. Then write a riddle together. First, think of an object. Maybe have a
bag of random things found in the room, home, or outdoors. Next, think of what you would see if
you looked out the “eyes” of the object. Last, describe what you would see. End with “What am
I?” Share with others and submit to Charter Vision newspaper!
Here is an example I once read somewhere. I will try and remember how it goes.
I was walking down a straight path surrounded by tall trees without leaves. All of a sudden it
started to rain. I tried to hang on to one of the trees. Then without warning, a large bird of some
sort flew out of the sky and knocked me away from the tree and I somehow fell off of a cliff. I
landed into a white sea. A current took me away and I feel down a large waterfall and began
swirling around and around and around. What am I?
Answer: a head lice. Get it? The trees are the hair, the rain is the shower, the bird is a hand, and it
fell into the bathtub and down the drain. Gross, but fun!
21
Plagiarism
Subject: Writing
Standard: Reading and Literature
Strand: Writing
Sub-Strand: Research
Standard: The student will locate and use information in reference materials.
Benchmark: Define plagiarism and avoid its use.
Grade Level: 3-6
Purpose: To teach students what plagiarism is and the consequences of it.
Objectives: The student will define plagiarism and avoid its use.
Materials: downloadable worksheets (2) from: “Whose is it, anyway?”
http://www.cybersmartcurriculum.org/lesson_plans/45_08.asp
Essential Questions: What is plagiarism? What are the consequences of plagiarism?
Lesson:
In today’s world it is easier than ever to copy others’ work and pretend that we wrote it.
However, this is unethical. Students need to learn what plagiarism is and its consequences. They
should also know conditions that make copying acceptable.
Print off the worksheets from the web site listed above. Have the students fill out worksheet
number one in pairs or by themselves. Then have them read the information on worksheet
number 2 before discussing worksheet number 1. The answers are also given on the website.
Discuss your classroom or school’s policy on plagiarism and the consequences. Discuss
copyright laws, which can be found on the website above.
When finished, read this poem found at
http://www.thescoop.net/doggerel.htm
Don't Be in Haste to Copy and Paste!
Point and click, Copy and paste.
Grab it now, No time to waste
Display it there, Up on your site.
Say it's yours, Oh, you're so bright.
Use it now, It cannot fail,
Until the judge Sends you to jail.
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Save your pennies, The suit will come -oh,
And then you'll wish You'd won the lotto.
Now you'll work From dawn 'til night,
Paying for Your stolen site.
A check each month, 'Til life shall end,
Unto your victims You will send.
So...
Before you point And click and paste,
Think again. Don't be in haste.
Oh do you have A hundred K
In your account For you to pay?
No???
Perhaps it's worth The awful pain...
If you have one, Use your brain.
23
Catchy Captions
Subjects
Grades
Brief Description
Students write captions for pictures cut from newspapers and then match the real captions to the
pictures.
Objectives
Students
define the word caption,
demonstrate creative thinking and creative writing skills in writing captions about newspaper
pictures,
demonstrate critical thinking and reading skills to correctly match pictures and captions.
Keywords
newspaper, caption, catchy, picture, photo, photograph, creative writing, creative thinking
Materials Needed
newspaper photos (at least one per student)
scissors
writing paper
pencils
tape
a paper bag
Lesson Plan
Prior to the lesson, collect photos with captions from newspapers. Create an answer key or a
code so you know which captions and pictures go together. Cut apart the pictures and
captions (except for one or two to use as examples). Put the pictures in the bag.
Show students newspaper pictures with captions. Discuss the meaning of the word caption.
Tape a picture without a caption to the board. Ask students to make up a caption for the
picture. Write the caption on the board under the picture.
Write the real caption on the board next to the picture. Ask students to determine how close
they were to the real description.
Give each student one picture from the bag. Tell each student to write a caption for the
picture.
Upon completion, give each student the correct caption for his or her picture. Have students
determine how close their captions were to the real captions.
Variations:
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For younger students, work together as a class to create and match captions and pictures.
Have students work in small groups to create the captions.
When everyone has finished, give each student two captions and ask him or her to pick the
caption that goes with the picture.
25
Report on a Reporter
Subjects
Grades
Brief Description
Students invite a local newspaper reporter to speak to the class and write a newspaper-style
article about the visit.
Objectives
Students demonstrate abilities to
write a business letter and a thank-you letter to a reporter at local newspaper,
develop questions to ask a newspaper reporter,
use correct sentence structure, grammar, and spelling to write an article.
Keywords
newspaper, reporter, article
Materials Needed
copies of a local newspaper
computers with Internet access (optional)
paper
pens or pencils
camcorder or tape recorder to record the visit (optional)
Lesson Plan
Tell students that they are going to invite a reporter from a local newspaper to speak to the
class.
Have students study copies of your local newspaper, paying attention to the names of the
reporters who write the articles. Ask them to choose one or more reporters to contact.
Work together as a class to write the letter of invitation. If you have Internet access, you may
want to send the letter to the newspaper via e-mail.
Before the visit, have students brainstorm questions they would like to ask the reporter. Work
together as a class to prepare the room for the visit (special decorations, refreshments, etc.).
When the reporter arrives, ask permission to record the interview if you plan to do so. As the
reporter answers each question, have students write down each answer.
After the visit, have each student write a thank-you letter to the reporter. Tell students to
include sentences describing what they learned and what they enjoyed most about the visit.
Have each student compile the answers to the questions the class posed to the reporter. Help
each student write a newspaper-style article about the reporter. Send the completed articles to
the reporter with the thank-you notes.
26
Headline News
Subjects
Grades
Brief Description
Students create stories using words cut from newspaper headlines.
Objectives
Students put together words to create headlines. Students demonstrate creative thinking and
creative writing skills.
Keywords
newspaper, headlines, news, stories, articles, creative writing
Materials Needed
For teacher: newspapers, scissors, large paper bag
For students: paper; pens; tape, glue, or paste
Lesson Plan
Prior to the lesson, collect newspaper headlines for several days. Cut apart the words in each
headline, and put them in a large paper bag.
Put a handful of words on each student's desk, or have each student pull at least five words
out of the bag.
Tell students to put the words together to form a headline and attach the headline to a sheet of
paper using tape, glue, or paste.
Have each student write a short story or an article to go with the headline.
Compile the finished stories into a class "newspaper."
Variations: Have students write stories using words cut from tabloid headlines. For younger
students, begin the lesson by discussing the meanings of the words headlines and article.
Show students examples of newspaper headlines and articles.
27
Classified Ads of the Future
Subject:
Language Arts
Grade:
6-8
9-12
Brief Description
Students brainstorm jobs people might have in the future and write classified ads for those jobs.
Objectives
Students
have in the future,
Keywords
newspaper, classified ad, future, job, career
Materials Needed
examples of classified ads from the help-wanted section of local newspapers, paper, pens or
pencils
Lesson Plan
the help-wanted section of the newspapers. Discuss the content of different help-wanted ads.
job 50 years in the future. Tell students the ad must include the job title, job description, salary
range, and contact information. Encourage students to use their imagination!
Variation: With older students, have each student create a help-wanted ad.
28
Front Page News
Subject:
Language Arts, Ed. Technology
Grade:
6-8
9-12
Brief Description
Students compare and contrast front-page stories from two local or state newspapers.
Objectives
Students describe the similarities and differences in the contents on the front page of two local or
state newspapers.
Keywords
newspaper, front page, news, local, state, headlines
Materials Needed
group)
Lesson Plan
or state newspapers. If you have Internet access, you might locate newspapers in your state at
National News Sites or newspaperlinks.com. Print out the front pages for a specific date.
class. Tell students to include information about headlines, kinds of stories, use of color,
typefaces, and anything else they note to compare and contrast the two newspapers.
Variation: Have students compare national newspapers and/or large metropolitan newspapers.
29
Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press
Subject:
Language Arts, Social Sciences, Ed. Technology
Grade:
6-8
9-12
Brief Description
Students use library or online sources to create time lines of the life of Johannes Gutenberg and
tell the impact his invention, the printing press, had on the development of newspapers.
Objectives
Students learn about Johannes Gutenberg and the printing press. Students sequence historical
events about the life of Johannes Gutenberg and the printing press in chronological order.
Keywords
newspaper, time line, Johannes Gutenberg, printing press, library, Internet
Materials Needed
Plan,
or library sources about the history of newspapers
Lesson Plan
Ask students to define the term time line and to give examples of information that appears in
time lines. Introduce Johannes Gutenberg, and tell students that they will each create a time line
about the life of Johannes Gutenberg and about how his invention, the printing press, influenced
the development of newspapers. The following are good Web sites:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030204151046/http://bbms.bigbear.k12.ca.us/historyday/bio.ht
ml
http://www.mediahistory.umn.edu/time/gallery/gutenb.html
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blJohannesGutenberg.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/20001208062900/http://www.osl.state.or.us/csimages/bible/johann
.htm
30
Publishing Timeline http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0154485.html
31
Editorial Cartoons
Subjects
Grade s
Brief Description
Students work in small groups to create editorial cartoons about topics in the news.
Objectives
Students study and develop editorial cartoons. Students work together in cooperative groups.
Keywords
newspaper, editorial, cartoon
Materials Needed
examples of editorial cartoons from various newspapers or from PoliticalCartoons.com
current news topics written on 3-in. by 5-in. index cards
a paper bag
drawing paper
crayons, colored pencils, or markers
a computer drawing program, such as HyperStudio (optional)
Lesson Plan
Show students examples of political cartoons from different sources. Discuss the cartoons.
Ask students what they think the cartoonist's intent or main point was in each one.
Divide the class into small groups. Have each group choose a card from the bag.
Tell students that each group must work together to create an editorial cartoon on the topic
noted on the card.
When the cartoons are complete, have each group present and explain its cartoon to the class.
Variation: Have each group create a cartoon using HyperStudio or another computer-drawing
program.
32
Preparing Students as Sales Professionals: Steps for Selling
Advertising Space Professionally
Overview and Rational: When mentioning the many challenges that student journalist must
tackle, one of the tasks that cannot be undermined is the "dreaded task" of selling advertisement.
They have no idea where to start, who to call or see, or what to say. Just like beginning reporters
find themselves intimidated by their source, most students find themselves intimidated by
business owners and view advertising as a donation. Students need to understand they have the
power to sell numerous ads no matter how shy they are by approaching it with professionalism,
knowledge, and confidence.
Goals: To build student's confidence in selling ads through professionalism and improve his/her
communication skills.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
understand concepts related to newspaper business
appreciate the importance of business management
efficiently communicate with business owners in order to sell advertising space for the
school newspaper
practice organizational skills
Activities:
Activity 1:
Write "school population" on the board and draw a circle around it.
Students will brainstorm what types of students make up that population.
Discuss things like:
What makes each kid tick? What type of people are they?
What type of hobbies do they have?
What do they enjoy most?
What is the make up of the population (Homestead Sr. is 46.7%
Hispanic, 41.0% African-American, and 11.9% Caucasian/other).
Where do they live?
33
Where do they shop?
What do their parent do for a living?
Where do they work (students)? Where do they play?
Discuss above activity: Explain that the above brainstorming defines their
newspaper's Target Audience . Target audience deals with marketing,
marketing with advertising, advertising with business, business with
newspapers, and newspapers with target audience. They are all
interconnected!
Show and discuss the information below:
NEWSPAPER BUSINESS:
Readers
Advertisers
Circulator
Editor
Writer
Business side
Other media
Economy
Larger organizations
o Markets and their demands determine internal structure
o Internal structure determine product and services
o Product and services determine demand market performance
o What do economics mean to our newspaper? Four important
components that deal with economics are:
! reader
! usefulness
! readership
! ad revenue
o All of the above affect each other. One must realize that money
makes things happen in terms of sales and publication. They affect
the community and real life situations. Take a look at the chart
below.
ADVERTISING
Reader's attention to ads is sold
to advertisers
34
INTELLECTUAL
MARKETPLACE OF
INFORMATION
IDEAS
Editorials and
People want to learn and
advertising are sold to
exchange ideas.
readers.
Activity 2
Students will work in pairs and brainstorm five businesses to call during
class time (or at home). Be sure to write business names on the board to
avoid calling twice. Through role-play with a partner, they must practice
some lines in order to sound more professional before they make the
actual call.
NOTE: They can modify script to feel more comfortable/eventually they
will no longer need a script. Remind students that they need to have
his/her schedule book and pen ready while calling. Rescheduling might
cost you the ad sale.
Distribute handout of script and have students practice reading script:
Selling Ads Via Telephone: Set a meeting with the
company first.
Hi, my name is _____________________, and I am writer
for Charter Vision (the newspaper), and I am calling
prestigious companies such as yours to tell you about
advertising opportunities. We would like to create a link
between the community businesses and charter schools by
giving you a chance to advertise through our publication.
Our paper reaches _______ schools and ______ other
locations, which means that more than 3000 people will be
seeing your advertisement. When would be the best time to
meet with you to discuss rates and show you some samples
of our paper?
Activity 3:
Distribute a hand out that outlines steps for a meeting with a business
owner of manager of a store. (Attached in the following page)
Role-play a mock sales meeting. Students may work in groups or in pairs.
Students must go through steps listed in hand out.
Distribute and explain your ad rates sheet and have one of the groups
present their role-play in front of the class and discuss.
35
Coping with Bias
Objective
To help students understand their own biases and so be able to take them into account in their
writing.
Many students seem to have a limited understanding of objectivity, bias and coming to terms
with their own biases. Too often, in early discussions about objectivity, I‘ve heard —I‘m not
prejudiced!“ This lesson has helped them realize bias is endemic to the human condition, takes
many forms, is different from prejudice, and that realizing their own biases (and those of others)
and making use of that knowledge will make them better journalists.
Materials
Newspapers, at least one page/several articles for each student; bias audit, copies of school paper
from five or more years ago.
Procedure
Introduce subject with a short class discussion of their understanding of what bias is. You
might guide them toward discussing how it appears in everyday interactions; in how they
think parents, teachers, administrators, etc., treat youth, or in how it differs from
prejudice.
Distribute newspapers or newspaper sections/pages. Ask them to read several articles and
identify where they think bias is shown, or where it could have influenced a reporter but
didn’t appear to.
Distribute bias audit. Have students spend 5-10 minutes completing it. It’s probably more
meaningful if those segments of your school, local or regional communities that spark
any controversy or are potentially loaded are included (e.g., here the name of the local
community college is nearly synonymous with someone who has no ambition and not
much future – a loser).
Review the list. I’ve found going over them item-by-item elicits a lot of responses showing
biases my kids weren’t even aware anyone had or would have. It also seemed to make
them most aware of their own hidden responses and why they might have them. An open
discussion gave them room to be honest about their perceptions and able to articulate
some differences between prejudice and bias.
They might address biases that seem to be held in common by those of same/similar gender,
ethnicity, class or other characteristic (of course, with the caveat that such inferences also
show or lead to bias).
You might also consider having them take one for a parent/guardian to fill out and discuss
how age might affect bias.
36
Lastly, distribute issues of the school paper from several years ago – far enough in the past
that reporter’s names are generally not known to the students. Students should read
articles to identify bias and potential for bias.
How successful do they believe their newspaper is and has been in dealing with bias to
ensure objectivity and credibility?
Assessment
Based on what you’ve found out about yourself and others, write a column of about 500
words on how bias affects us in our daily interactions, both consciously and
unconsciously. As you are writing, keep in mind the following question: Can conscious
bias have a positive affect anywhere in journalism?
37
Caption Writing Activity
Purpose: Students will learn the basic principles of caption writing and write a few captions for
assigned photographs, sharing their work.
Instruction: Teacher should go over these basic principles of caption writing, adding others as
needed.
Avoid stating the obvious. ("Looking into the camera...")
Identify all people in the picture who are seen clearly. Be sure to follow a pattern in doing the
IDs, and tell your reader the pattern ("left to right", etc.)
Don't start a caption with a person's name or the name of the school.
Try not to start every caption in the same way. Be creative! Use a prepositional phrase
("During the state soccer tournament") and -ing words ("Kicking in for the last few
yards"), or other techniques. Don't overuse any one technique!
For stand-alone feature photos, compose a headline to go with the caption.
Give the reader a lot of information in the caption. Use two or three sentences, if possible.
Using quotes in a caption adds a personal voice.
Be sure photographers are trained to get IDs and additional information as they take the
pictures. Caption writing is so much easier this way!
Always include a photo credit. ("Photo by...")
Practice: Using a collection of old file photos, have students write captions for the pictures. It
helps to have them work of groups of two or three to collaborate on this. Depending on time
available, have them do one or more captions. Then have them read the captions aloud to the
class as they show the class the picture and do group critiques of the captions.
NOTE: You will probably not have names readily available for old file photos, so tell students
they can invent them. However, caution them that making up information for regular
publications work is an absolute NO-NO!
If old file photos are not available, clip photos from newspapers and magazines, removing the
caption and photo credit.
38
Should I Spend My Money? A Guide to Analyzing Reviews
Objective: Critically analyze entertainment reviews using a set of agreed upon criteria that
distinguishes a well-written review, including the following: shows passion, shows knowledge of
the subject, displays good writing skills, lends insight and new perspective.
Purpose: To be effective readers and consumers of entertainment reviews and articles of
persuasion while working towards a goal of writing informative entertainment reviews.
Materials: Three reviews of the same movie, video, video game, book or CD. List of criteria to
judge the review to be gathered in class. Newspaper reviews photocopied for students to practice
on.
Activities
Activity One:
Read the brief movie reviews aloud listed in the Sunday section of the
newspaper to get students thinking about the purpose of reviews.
Brainstorm why people read reviews.
o Learn something about the plot
o Learn which actors are starring
o Learn the name of the director
o Decide whether or not to spend money
Define the critic's job
o Be informed or knowledgeable about the subject
o Pique interest without giving away the plot
o Show passion for the genre
o Lend insight that might be overlooked or give a different
perspective
Hand out one photocopied movie review that all students will use as a
practice (not the same review to be used for the personal analysis).
Read the photocopied movie review (entertainment review).
Using a highlighter identify in the article where the shows the following:
o Identify where the author shows specific knowledge
o Identify where the author shows passion about the subject
o Identify where the author piques the reader's interest
o Identify where the author shows reader a different perspective
Divide into groups and discuss findings.
Activity Two:
Give students three different reviews of the same movie from three
different publications (two different newspapers and one magazine or any
combination to equal three).
Students will compare and contrast the reviews and analyze for
effectiveness using the established criteria for a good review.
Students will choose the most effective review and write an analytical
essay explaining and supporting their choice.
39
Students will explain why the author persuaded him or her to see or not
see the movie using evidence from the reviews.
Other Considerations
Students need not have seen the movie to read the reviews; in fact, it is better if they haven't.
Students must have already been taught the analytical essay format.
Assessment
The assessment for this objective is whether the students were able to use the established criteria
in their essays to analyze the review and if they were able to convey this analysis in essay form.
Students must have identified each set of the criteria in the essay to receive full credit.
40
An Introduction to Newspaper Design
Summary: A unit on design principles that will tweak the technical knowledge vocational
students have regarding desktop publishing skills. This unit will be taught in one week, which
consists of five 90-minute blocks.
Generative topic
Design Principles: Understanding the rules behind creating a visually attractive publication
Generative objects
Front page of the current Charter Vision newspaper.
Copies of the front pages of the Star Tribune and USA TODAY newspapers.
Copies of the front pages of a well designed high school newspaper and one that is not
well designed.
Large numbers of high school and college newspapers reflecting both good and poor
design.
Glue sticks, folder with blank paper, plenty of magazines and newspapers, especially teen
magazines.
Understanding goals
Essential questions
o Why is it necessary to create a visually appealing publication today?
o What are the elements of good design?
o What are the current trends by which we may establish criteria to evaluate an
attractive newspaper?
Critical engagement questions
o How can we improve our current publication?
o How can we create a quality design unique to our staff by which we will strive to
measure ourselves?
Activities
Activity 1
Hang the front pages of the Charter Vision, Star Tribune, and USA
TODAY newspapers.
Ask students to identify which one they would rather read. Discuss why
and list their reasons in two columns on the board.
Discuss three elements of design and compare how each are used for
"readability" in the papers: text; visuals; white space.
Show examples of current high school publications with good design and
discuss how each uses the three elements.
Discuss the impact of radio, TV, and the Internet have had in causing
publications to need visual appeal to maintain readership.
Have them do research in the library and on the Internet to locate three
newspaper pages, one dated anywhere from the 1920s to the 1940s and
41
one dated from the 1950s to 1970s, and the front page of their local
community newspaper. By using a chart with columns headed text,
visuals, and white space, compare the three papers.
Lastly, show examples of newspapers over 20 years old. Discuss what
changes have occurred in regard to the three elements over the years.
Activity 2
Teach a lesson on the elements of good design.
Give students a copy of terms and definitions with examples from "The
Newspaper Designer's Handbook."
Discuss the following terms:
o balance
o dominant story and photo
o type faces and samples of styles
o justification
o screens
o modular design and samples.
Also discuss:
o the use of rule lines
o interesting design samples for bylines, logos, folios, standing
heads, captions, pull-out quotes
o sample photo essays
o and sample dummy pages for good modular design.
Give students a copy of the Charter Vision newspaper. Have them take a
marker and identify elements of design and terms above.
Activity 3
Put students in groups of four. Give them a copy of the current Charter
Vision newspaper and the newspaper design critique below. Have them
evaluate several newspapers.
PAGE-DESIGN EVALUATION
A plus (+) is good. An (x) is not.
Date and Issue of Newspaper: _________________
( ) 1. Balance of visuals on front page?
( ) 2. Balance of visuals on rest of pages?
( ) 3. Dominant photo on front page?
( ) 4. Dominant photo laid out with balance on rest of pages?
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( ) 5. Consistent headline type throughout?
( ) 6. Appropriate/pleasing body type and face throughout?
( ) 7. Use of interesting graphics?
( ) 8. Use of cartoons?
( ) 9. Pleasing modular design with good use of rules? (Not
cluttered)
( ) 10. White space works pleasingly and is not "trapped"?
Assessment
Have the students select a page from Charter Vision and "redesign" it using desktop publishing
software. The new design must adhere to the stylebook created by the class.
Resources
Harrower, Tim. "The Newspaper Designer's Handbook." (Blacklick, Ohio: McGraw-Hill,
1998).
Ferguson, Donald L, Patten, Jim, and Wilson, Bradley. "Journalism Today 5th ed.,"
(Chicago: National Textbook Company, 1998) with accompanying ER (Educational
Resources) workbook.
Emery, Edwin, ed. "The Story of America as Reported in its Newspapers from 1690 to
1965." (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1965)
The Society for News Design (http://www.snd.org)
The Poynter Institute: "Color in Newspapers: Four Case Studies"
(http://www.poynter.org/Visual/pegiecolor/pegie
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Incorporating Diversity Into the School Newspaper
Unit Overview and Rationale
As the United States becomes more diverse, so too does the school environment. Good school
newspapers, like good professional newspapers, must reflect the changing population of their
communities. This is accomplished in two major ways: recruiting a diverse news staff and
writing about people from different cultures, races and beliefs. This plan will address the issue
of diversity inclusion in the school newspaper. It is the intention that by exposing the students
and staff to —diversity stories,“ students of varying backgrounds will be encouraged to voice their
own issues and stories.
Unit Objectives
During this four-day unit on diversity, the teaching will use class lecture, small group activities,
and discussion to:
understand diversity and its importance to the press
analyze the diversity of the high school community
analyze the diversity of the wider local community
expose the staff to diversity stories in daily newspapers and magazines
recognize stories in professional newspapers and magazines that reflect diversity
expose student staffers to journalists of color
Understanding Goals
Essential Questions
o Do newspapers have a responsibility to represent all aspects of diverse
populations?
o Does our staff and our newspaper stories and photos reflect our school’s
diversity?
Critical Engagement Questions
o Analyze stories of diversity with this question: Do these stories cast a positive,
negative or neutral light on the group represented?
o What various ethnic and racial groups are represented in our school and
community?
o How does this compare nationally?
o Do stories and photos in past editions reflect our newspaper’s commitment to
diversity?
Activities
Activity 1
The teacher will ask student to identify diverse and minority groups in the
United States. As students respond, the teacher will write the responses on
the board.
The teacher will then ask students to identify which of these groups is
presented within the school population (underline or circle these).
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The teacher will then pass out to students a variety of newspapers and
magazines. Each student will receive at least two different daily
newspapers and one national magazine. The students’ instructions are:
o Look through the publications
o Search out stories that reflect a diverse/minority population
o Find at least five stories of varying length
o Cut out or photocopy the article, then read the article
o Write a brief summary of each article and attach it to the article
o Search for writers that represent a diverse/minority population
o Each student should find at least five journalists of color. Hint: Use
Ask a Pro on www.highschooljournalism.org.
o List on a piece of paper the names of the journalists, their
newsroom positions, their newspaper, and the diverse/minority
group he or she represents.
Activity 2
The teacher will instruct the students to form small groups (three to four
students)
During the first half of class, the students will share their summaries and
lists of names with the members of the group.
The students will discuss/debate the following:
What minority groups/populations were represented as writers?
What type of stories did these writers cover?
Did the writers refer to their “membership” in this group?
Was the writer’s tone or style evident of this membership?
What populations are represented by the stories?
Do these stories cast a positive, negative or neutral light on the group
represented?
Is the group’s history or culture given as background information?
In what ways did the writer collect background information?
What else did you notice?
What other questions, concerns do you have?
Examine past issues of the student newspaper. Asking the following
questions:
o Do the majority of the student newspaper’s stories reflect the
school’s diversity?
o Do the photos reflect diverse groups within the school community?
During the remaining time, each group will share its findings with the rest
of the class. Ideally, the discussion should lead to a commitment to
increase diversity coverage. The exercise might include a plan to recruit
minority students through announcements, posters, an open house and ads
or appeals for stories within the newspaper.
Activity 3
The teacher will lecture and discuss the newspaper’s responsibility to
represent all aspects of diverse populations, then lead a question and
answer period.
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The teacher will instruct the students to form groups of four students
(different from the previous day).
The students will review the stories and brainstorm, with the goal of
finding “school” stories that are similar to or spin off from the stories they
selected from newspapers and magazines.
Each group will develop a list of at least ten story ideas; two each for
news, feature, sports, entertainment and opinion.
The teacher will make five columns on the board or on long sheets of
paper: news, sports, entertainment, feature, and opinion (use different
colors of markers).
The students will list their story ideas under the appropriate column.
Activity 4
The class will briefly review the story ideas from the previous day.
The teacher will share some story examples that feature diversity, gleaned
from newspapers, magazines and student publications.
The students will add to the columns if necessary
The students will each select a story to write for the school newspaper.
Assessment
Students will be evaluated based on my standard point system for stories and deadlines. For
example, my students receive points for:
Setting up interviews and photo shoots
Using proper interview techniques
Writing and revising the story
Incorporating relevant photos, graphics, info boxes, etc.
Achieving the focus of the story
Achieving AP style writing, with no errors
Meeting with section editors for coaching
Verifying quotes and facts
Submitting a suggested page layout
Copy
Photos
Headlines
Cutlines
Submitting story and photo disk to editors
Meeting deadline
Grading can be adapted by other teachers/advisers according to their own rubrics.
Recommended Research Sites
Ask a Pro on www.highschooljournalism.org.
U.S. Census Bureau http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet
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Understanding and Covering Diversity in Your Own School
Generative Topic
How do minority student journalists recognize, classify, contend with and arm themselves
with knowledge regarding diversity issues within their own high school and beyond?
Generative Objects
"Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists"
"Respecting All Cultures: A practical ethics handbook for journalists"
"Symbols of Ideal Life: Social Documentary Photography in America 1890-1950 "
"The Body and the Lens: Photography 1839 to the Present"
Understanding Goals
Essential Questions
o What do minority students need to understand about diversity within their own
school?
o What do minority students need to understand about diversity beyond their
school, at the collegiate and professional levels of American society?
Critical Engagement of Questions
o What has race got to do with it?
o What is race and racial profiling?
o What are the origins of racial profiling?
o What are the most common forms of racial profiling today?
o How do students recognize discrimination, prejudice, and racism?
o What should minority students expect when entering a predominately Anglo-
centric university? How have school graduates dealt with diversity in large state
universities?
o Are university quotas good for everyone and why do some universities deny
admissions based on quotas?
Performances of Understanding, Rationale, and Time Line
Arming minority high school journalism students with the knowledge to make informed
decisions about diversity issues within their own community and beyond is essential in
establishing and maintaining equality.
Activities
Activity 1
Students will be divided into diverse groups of four. The groups will be
told to list and describe their own experiences with diversity,
discrimination, and racial stereotypes of their own race and others. From
the start, students will not be told the topic or why they have been placed
into multicultural groups.
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Within student discussion groups, be sure students are using the following
ground rules prior to engaging in discussion and description of their own
and other racial diversity, discrimination, and stereotypes.
o Be honest
o Seek clarification
o Challenge with passion
o Be willing to change
o Stay in the room
Students are required to record notes and quotes from their fellow group
members.
Activity 2
Require students to write a brief summary of information they learned
about their own perceptions of race and how their discussions affected
them personally, emotionally.
Explain that racial profiling and stereotyping has been alive for centuries
but became popular in America with the advent of slavery.
Provide examples of photographic racial profiling from the early 20th
century. Show examples of Europeans who were profiled in photographs.
Ask students to describe ways in which minorities are profiled today.
Assign two student editors to collect profiling statistics from the Internet
on traffic violations, drug arrests and death penalty.
Assign two student editors to collect minority enrollment statistics on four
of the largest universities in the state and compare those statistics with
minority enrollment statistics on four universities outside the state's
borders. Assign graphics editors to compile statistics and create bar graphs
that compare your state's statistics with universities outside the state.
Activity 3 : Covering the uncovered
Assign four staff writers to interview four minority teachers within the
school and question them about their perceptions of race relations within
the school and beyond the school.
Assign four staff writers to interview four non-minority teachers within
the school and question them about their perceptions of race relations
within the school and beyond the school.
Make certain that all questions are the same and that students have
developed a rapport with the teachers they interview.
Compile responses and create a picture poll using teacher responses to
questions asked and answered.
Activity 4
Assign two editors to contact newspaper staffer graduates who are
currently attending four-year major universities within the state. Question
students about their experiences and challenges regarding race relations in
a predominantly white university.
Resources and references available to assist student reporters:
48
Keith Woods’ "Covering the Undercovered."
Assign student editors to combine their interview responses and generate
an in-depth news/feature story (minimum 750 words) profiling the
diversity experiences of your school's graduates at major state
universities..
Activity 5
Compare and contrast diversity enrollment at two major public
universities.
Contact and interview both school presidents and ask what is being done
to increase and foster minority enrollment at both schools.
Invite both presidents to visit the school's newsroom on their recruiting
visits to your high school.
If presidents don’t visit your high school this fall, contact their respective
offices and request teleconference interviews.
Ask specific questions regarding the use of quotas and if the university
does not utilize quotas, what are they doing to increase and retain minority
students.
Compile responses of presidents into a news/feature on the state of
diversity in your state.
Assessment
Student editors and staff writers will compile all stories, photos, and statistics into a
comprehensive center spread special on diversity in post-secondary education. Student work will
be assessed according to depth of interviews, ability to access sources, and final copy published
in the school paper. Students will be graded on content and structure of their joint project.
Resources Recommended
"Best Practices for Newspaper Journalists." Robert J. Haiman, The Freedom Forum’s
Free Press/Fair Press Project.
"Respecting All Cultures: A practical ethics handbook for journalists." Byrd, Joann. April
2002.
"Symbols of Ideal Life: Social Documentary Photography in America 1890-1950."
Strange, Maren. Cambridge University Press, 1989.
"The Body and The Lens: Photography 1839 to the Present." Pultz, John. Calmann and
King Ltd., 1995.
University Web sites
49
How Can We Craft Persuasive Editorials to Make Our Voices
Heard?
Rationale
Students, particularly those of minority status and/or from disadvantaged backgrounds, are often
frustrated by feelings of powerlessness. These negative feelings can manifest themselves in
destructive behaviors or be channeled into more productive exercises. This unit seeks to
empower students who are normally silenced and to challenge them to articulate their concerns
constructively and persuasively in the form of editorials.
Goals for understanding
Students will distinguish between fact and opinion.
Students will identify suitable topics for editorials.
Students will use a given formula to write their own editorials.
Essential questions
What is the role of opinion writing in a newspaper?
What are good topics for editorials?
How can readers be persuaded most effectively?
Critical engagement questions
What are the different purposes of different forms of opinion writing?
What are the "hot topics" our readers are interested in?
What strategies can we use to convince our readers to see things our way?
Activities
Distinguishing between fact and opinion
Distribute a handout with a list of 20 statements. Some possibilities
include:
o "Suzanne was an emotionally strong woman who overcame many
obstacles in her lifetime"
o "Suzanne's bout with breast cancer did not stop her from pursuing
her professional goals"
o "Jose ran the Boston Marathon five times in as many years"
o "Jose performed admirably as a member of the 2004 Olympic team
in Athens"
Students have ten minutes to label each statement as a fact (F) or an
opinion (O). Review answers as a class, making the point that under no
circumstance should opinions appear in news articles, but that they do
have a place in the editorial/op-ed/column section of the newspaper.
o Define vocabulary words: editorial, op-ed and column.
Distribute copies of the editorial/op-ed/column section of The New York
Times to students. Students attach a Post-It note with the appropriate label
(editorial/op-ed/column) to each piece in the section.
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Assessment (class work): Accurate completion of Post-It note assignment.
Brainstorming editorial topics
Assemble a large collection of publications, including national papers,
local papers, newsletters, news magazines and trade magazines. These will
be used as references to jog students' memories as to the important and
interesting events of the day.
Allow students one class period to peruse the various publications and
create lists of five possible topics in five categories:
o things people (your readers) are talking about
o things people are happy about
o things people are angry about
o things people want to know about
o and things people need to know about.
The following class period, group students in threes to share their ideas.
Each group of three decides on three topics in each category to record on
chart paper and share with the whole class. Charts are posted on the wall
and each group shares its ideas. Class favorites are designated with a star
and will be considered for inclusion in the student publication.
Assessment (class participation): Teacher informally evaluates students on
the quality and consistency of their participation.
Writing editorials
o The teacher selects a topic from the class list with which to model the procedure
for editorial writing.
o The teacher models a procedure for writing an editorial (summary and
background, your stance, your solution, evidence supporting your stance, the
other side of the story and conclusion), soliciting student input along the way..
o Each student then selects a topic of his or her choice on which to write an
editorial. The selection does not have to come from the class list, though if it does
not it must be cleared with the teacher. See this handout for suggestions on
structure:
http://www.highschooljournalism.org/teachers/AuthorArticles.cfm?articleId=191
o Assessment (homework & test grade): Students should come to class the next day
with a completed flowchart for a homework grade. Class time is spent in writing
workshop, and an outline is due the next day for another homework grade.
Writing workshop continues for the remainder of the week, at the end of which
editorials are turned in for a test grade. They are graded on compliance with the
formula, persuasiveness and effort.
Resources
"Beyond Argument: A Handbook for Editorial Writers," Edited by Maura Casey and
Michael Zuzel, National Conference of Editorial Writers, 2001.
Copies of the New York Times editorial/op-ed/column section
51
Writing Meaningful Editorials
Overview and Rationale
Journalism students need to learn the process of writing editorials based on sound research. Too
often, high school students believe that editorials serve as opportunities to —sound off“ on an
issue and share their uninformed opinions about it. This lesson gives students essential
information on the format/writing process of an editorial, as well as topic ideas that go beyond
the school community.
Essential Questions
What does an editorial look like, and what format does an editorial
follow?
What are the varied purposes of an editorial?
What research needs to be done in order to create an informed opinion?
What is the difference between the topic of an editorial versus the angle of
an editorial?
Overviews and Timeline
This part of the unit follows a week of introductory work on editorials, including an in-depth
study of —professional editorials“ (e.g. in the Star Tribune). In this previous week, the students
will have studied the characteristics of editorial writing and sample structures (e.g. the lead, the
concession, the body, and the conclusion). Also, students would have a good understanding of
the interview and research process necessary for writing an informed opinion piece.
Activity One (One 47-minute class)
Have students get into groups of two or three. Tell them that they will
have 10-15 minutes to brainstorm and record as many “hot topics” as they
can think of in the time allotted. Ask them to think of issues that their
peers would consider important and interesting. Remind them that these
issues can be school-related or not.
When the 10-15 minute period is over, begin to share ideas as an entire
class. Choose one student to record the ideas on the front board.
For the last 10 minutes of class, ask the students if they can categorize
these topics according to scope. Hopefully, the discussion (or the teacher)
will lead them to categories such as school-based, local, national, and
international.
For homework, have students come up with at least one editorial idea for
each of the above categories. The ideas must be original, but can be
inspired by the class discussion.
Activity Two
Explain to students that it is now time to put those ideas into action and
write three editorials. Read through the assignment description with the
class (see attached “Editorial Unit” sheet) and assign due dates. Once
52
questions have been answered, students can begin pre-writing and
researching.
Assessment
Students will be graded on each of the three editorials. Performance criteria include proper
format, creativity of ideas, and evidence of research.
53
Finding a Voice
Generative Topic
How to create a feature story and develop individual writing style, thus finding a writer’s
voice while giving a voice to subject of feature story.
Generative Objects Needed
Examples can be found in "School Newspaper Adviser's Survival Guide" by Patricia
Osborn on pages 203-211.
Samples of professional features taken from local media sources. Check local newspaper
or available magazines for other examples.
Exercises on writing leads, recognizing common redundancies, using transitions can be
found in most journalism textbooks or " School Newspaper Adviser's Survival Guide."
Understanding Goals
Recognize difference between a topic and a feature story idea
Discover the natural way stories are told to others
o Painting a picture with words
o Finding the nugget when nothing seems obvious
Learn different ways of creating interesting leads
Find ways to keep readers moving through the story with use of transitions
Learning aspects of tight writing and getting rid of redundancies
Activities
Day One
Activity 1: Students are asked to close their eyes and envision the most
interesting thing they experienced over the weekend or summer vacation.
Allow about 5-10 minutes of absolute quiet while students work. No
talking allowed. This is an individual exercise. The only person allowed to
talk is teacher. (It might be a nice touch to add classical background
music)
Activity 2: Divide students into small groups and ask each member of
group to describe their "interesting thing" to others in the group. Each
person is limited to speaking for no more than five minutes. A timer will
sound at five-minute intervals, signaling change in speakers. (This should
take at least 20-30 minutes)
Activity 3: Students return to their desks and are instructed to now put that
description in writing. They have 15 minutes to do so.
Activity 4: Students return to the small group they were in for Activity 2
and take turns reading their descriptions to group members. When finished
they return to their seats.
Activity 5: Class discussion on how many stories sounded the same orally
and in writing. What, if any, were the differences between the two?
Teacher will guide discussion and incorporate points about the naturalness
54
of story telling. How we tell the story is what sets us apart stylistically. It
is what gives us our own unique voices.
o Were students more natural when speaking about their experiences
than when writing about them?
o Why did some feel the need to tell the story differently in print?
(Take remainder of period to do this and could possibly continue at
beginning of second day if necessary.)
Day Two
Activity 1: Discuss feature writing and how it is a natural extension of
story telling. The writer must find the "nugget" in their subject and then
"paint a picture" with words that will keep readers interested. The
"nugget" is what makes the subject of the story worth reading about. It is
that special something that sets it apart and makes it newsworthy.
Everybody has a story if a reporter listens closely and asks enough
questions to find it. The teacher can demonstrate this by randomly
selecting a student from class and conducting an on-the-spot interview.
Take resulting information and show thought process on board of how
information can be turned into a story. Get input or suggestions from
students on this. "Painting the picture" is the form the story takes. (This
will take about 45 minutes)
Activities 2: To further explore style have students read example of good
feature stories written by other high school students. (This activity will
take about 20 minutes or longer depending on how many you decide to
read and discuss.)
Activity 3: Explain roles of features and variety of types of features using
examples from your textbook or go to "School Newspaper Adviser's
Survival Guide."
Activity 4: Students must now come up with an idea for their own feature.
This will be done individually with a little brainstorming. Teacher should
instruct students on difference in a topic and idea when selecting a topic.
For example the Iraq War is a topic, but a former student's return from the
war is a story idea; teen pregnancy is a topic, but teens putting babies in
dumpsters is a story idea.
Students will turn in a subject for a feature at end of period along with a
brief summary of what makes this subject newsworthy. Advise them to
look for something new about their subject.
o Example: We all know smoking is bad for your health, but what
new information do you have access to that is not known. If there
is not new information on the subject the story is just a repetition
of what has already been said and done. Maybe an idea would be
new or subtle ways cigarette companies may be luring teens to
smoke?
Day Three
Activity 1: Students will use class time to outline sources for the feature
idea selected the previous day. They will prepare a written plan listing
55
persons they will interview and any printed sources they plan to seek
background information from. (Spend about 30 minutes on this)
Activity 2: Students will break into small groups and present their outlines
to members of their group. Group members will then provide input on
each individual's plan perhaps adding other sources that may have been
overlooked.
Activity 3: Students will receive instructions on time frame to collect
information. Time allowed can be at teacher's discretion. To give a taste of
"real world" keep this time frame short. Three to four days to gather
information is sufficient. Remind students they will need to manage their
time in a way that they are able to obtain information after school as in
"homework." This is a good time to incorporate value of deadlines.
Days Four-Six
Activity: Library or lab time should be scheduled for student during class
for the next few days if possible. Students may use this time to do research
with help of library sources and Internet access. They may also use time to
work on stories. Teacher will roam among students to provide individual
assistance where needed. During this three-day period exercises on
transitions, redundancies and tight writing can be incorporated each day
during first half of class. These exercises are available in most journalism
textbooks.
Day Seven: Day of Reckoning: Rough drafts are due.
Activity 1: Break into small groups and have students peer edit each
other's work. (About 40 minutes) Remind them they are not being kind by
not pointing out mistakes or unanswered questions in their fellow student's
work. Have students first read their papers out loud to members of their
group and then exchange and read. Each member of groups must read
each story then using editing marks make corrections. When finished each
student initials all papers they edited. (Advise student to not mark in a way
that makes copy unreadable, use editing marks.)
Activity 2: Students return to their desks and use rest of class period to
work on rewrite process.
Day Eight
Revised stories due for final grade.
Assessment
Grading can be done on a daily basis at teacher's discretion. (Daily participation grades,
pass/fail on meeting deadlines, rough draft grade, etc.)
Final paper should count as major grade. I use the 6+1 grading system for final written
work. This is a system that was provided to English teachers at my school that I modified
a little to meet my needs.
The result is graded using the following rubric, which is shared with the students:
56
Ideas and content
What you have to say -- the reason for writing the paper. This 15
is the message. Topic is narrow and manageable.
points
This is what gives writing direction and helps move reader
Organization
through ideas in a purposeful way. Begins with strong lead
15
and continues with pacing, order and transitions.
points
This is YOU coming through in your writing. It gives writing
personality, flavor and style. Only you can give this touch.
Voice
Honesty is important. Think about reader and use different
15
forms as audience and purpose changes. Ask yourself if you
points
would keep reading if paper was longer.
Precise and colorful words as well as active a voice are
Word Choice
Important here. Keep vocabulary natural and specific -- not
15
pretentious.
points
Listen to rhythm of language and read your work aloud To
15
Sentence Fluency
yourself and others and decide if you like the sound. Cut the
deadwood; get rid of unnecessary and redundant words.
points
Conventions
Edit your work and fix spelling, grammar, punctuation,
15
paragraph, typos and capitalization errors.
points
Neatness counts. This is how it looks. If handwritten it should
Presentation
not be careless, too slanted, loopy, or tiny. Make your writing
10
inviting.
points
100
points
57
Careers in Journalism
Objectives:
This lesson plan provides an opportunity for students to interact with professionals in journalism.
It hones their research skills and prepares them for interviewing. It also reinforces business
writing and oral communications.
Materials:
Students will need access to journalism career descriptions, names and addresses of local
journalism professionals, and computers.
Preparation:
The class should discuss careers in journalism beyond reporting. Many people who major
in journalism in college go on to become photographers, cartoonists, advertising sales
representatives, graphic designers, broadcasters, public relations specialists, and technical
writers, just to name a few.
Students should also be familiar with letter-writing format and basic speaking techniques.
Procedure:
Individually or in groups, students will research a career in journalism. They may use
Occupational Outlook guides or online resources to find out about training, salary, and
job conditions. Students should write a job description report to summarize their findings.
Other sources of information include www.highschooljournalism.org.
Next, students locate a local professional in the field they researched. Students should be
encouraged to ask parents, teachers, local colleges, businesses, television stations or
newspapers for contacts. When a professional is identified, students should verify his/her
name, title, address, and phone number.
Students will draft formal letters introducing themselves, explaining the nature of the
journalism course, and inviting the professionals to speak in class. Have students provide
the teacher’s name and phone number or email address as a contact to set up a visit to
school. Keep an extra copy of the letter for grading and follow-up.
When the professionals reply, the teacher’s job is to arrange the visits. Be sure to provide
directions to school, including where to park and check in as a visitor and how much
class time will be available to speak.
The students should call their professionals to set up an interview, whether the
professional is able to speak in class or not. Students will write personality profiles based
on the interview.
On the day of the visit, the student will give a brief introduction speech to the class then
turn the class over to the professional. This is a good opportunity for the entire class to
use their interviewing techniques.
To follow up the visit, the student will write a thank you letter to the professional and
send a copy of the article he/she writes.
Tips:
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Generally, professionals will be enthusiastic about visiting a high school classroom.
However, many of them have not been in a school since they were students themselves
and may be nervous about speaking in front of a class. Teachers should explain that just
because students don’t raise their hands at once does not indicate a lack of interest.
An active learning experience occurs when the professionals bring samples of their work,
hand-outs, demonstrations or even lessons. Talk to them in advance about what students
have learned already and what would be valuable for them to learn.
Not all professionals will respond or be able to visit. Particularly, sports writers and
broadcasters keep schedules that will not accommodate school hours. In this case, a
student may set up a job shadowing experience. If a visit is impossible, the student may
still present his/her speech to the class, conduct the interview over the phone and write
the thank-you letter.
Take a photo of the guest speaker and the student together for a wall of fame in the
classroom.
If budget allows, give the guest a T-shirt or mug with your school’s name on it. Some
television anchors may display it on the news that night.
Assessment:
Students should keep a collection of their work for this project, including:
Job description report
Invitation letter
Personality profile
Thank you letter
Notes from the introduction speech
Grade will be based on meeting deadlines, completeness, accuracy, and format.
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The Basics of Features and Interviewing
Overview and Rational: Students often complain that there is nothing to write about in school.
They feel as if they can do no better than the local paper because nothing happens at school and
the newspaper only comes out once a month so that any newsworthy event is always old by the
time it is published. Feature stories are one way of showing students that their publication can be
interesting and meaningful to their target audience. In this lesson, students will learn about
feature writing, especially the personality profile. They will also learn interview skills that will
help then to find the real story worth printing. This lesson will take one 90-minute block.
Students will have two weeks to complete the personality profile, during which time they will
engage in mini- tutorials to learn photo, layout, editing, and revision skills.
Goals:
Students will be able to find a story where there appears to be no story
Students will value their peers and colleagues as interesting people with stories to tell
Students will appreciate their own ability to write interesting stories
Students will understand how to prepare for an interview
Students will value the importance of observation
Essential Questions:
What is a feature story?
How do I find a good story?
What does it mean to be a journalist?
How do I prepare for and conduct a good interview?
Activities
Warm up
o Quote on board: "Interesting people tell interesting stories"
o Discuss the idea that everyone has a story to tell, and that it takes an interesting
reporter to uncover the interesting stories. The stories that the class will focus on
today are features, specifically personality profiles. Student should browse the
day's newspaper for examples.
o Discuss the following:
! What kind of person was chosen to be profiled?
! Why were these people chosen?
! How do reporters or editors make these decisions?
! How do reporters find interesting stories, where seemingly there is no
story?
o The answer is good interview and reporting skills.
Mini Lecture/Discussion:
o Good reporting skills equal good observation and listening skills. Good reporting
is also tied to good interview skills: knowing which questions to ask.
o A reporter's biggest mistake is either to go into an interview with no questions or
to go into an interview with a list of question and not deviate from the list. A good
reporter begins an interview with a set of questions, but knows when to add
impromptu questions that will get a subject to continue on a train of thought if it
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sounds interesting. Example. Reporter asks "What was the goal of the
fundraiser'?" Subject answers "We wanted to make the club look good; no really
the goal was to earn enough money to help build a new center for migrant worker
education" Instead of skipping to the next question a good reporter follows up on
the first part of that answer to find out if there was something behind it. "What did
you mean that you wanted to make the club look good'?" the reporter asks next.
o A good reporter also spends a lot of time looking at the subject as well as the
subject’s surroundings. It is a good idea to interview a person in their office,
classroom or home if possible because a reporter will always learn more about
person by watching him in his environment not yours.
Mock interview
o Have students watch an interview between two people.
o Discuss what was good about that interview. What could have been better?
o Based on the mini lecture and what students just saw could they write a set of
rules for interviewing? Have them do this in small groups then share with the
larger group. Stress importance of background research before an interview.
Personality Profile assignment
o Introduce the Personality Profile assignment (see the related file to this lesson
plan). Students in the class will be assigned another student to interview and write
a personality profile about. See assignment sheet for details.
Getting started
o Now that you have an assignment how do you get started? Before you even go to
talk to the person that you have been assigned you need to find out about that
person so that you will know some background info and what kind of questions to
ask.
o Where are places to begin? Brainstorm as a class: yearbook, friends, teachers,
coaches, siblings, etc. If you were doing an adult you might look on the web or at
city hall for additional info.
o Interview the people surrounding your subject first. Then write up your interview
questions for the main interview.
o All interview questions need to be reviewed by one student and either the head
editor or adviser before the interview can take place.
Recommended Reading
Feature stories as examples of what the students are aiming for such as "A Boy of
Unusual Vision" and "Puff Daddy."
Books by John McPhee and Rick Bragg who are excellent non-fiction writers and craft
their essays as good features should be crafted. Joan Didion and Barbara Kingsolver are
also excellent non-fiction writers whose craft should be copied.
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Making Photo Essays Easy
Overview and Rationale:
This lesson is divided into two parts. Part I is a creative exercise to get students to generate ideas
about what makes a good story and a photograph. Part II requires student to then tell a story
through photographs, or to create a photo essay.
Goals for understanding:
Students will recognize the qualities of a strong photograph.
Students will tell a story through powerful photographs.
Resources and Materials:
Newspapers and/or magazines
Old photographs
Cameras
Poster board or PowerPoint
Overview and Timeline:
This two-part lesson is designed so that each part could stand on its own. Allotted time will
depend on camera availability and class time. Suggested time is 4-5 50-minute class periods.
Activities
Part I
Day 1
Activity 1 (10 minutes):
Before you begin with photos, take the time to help students
remember the elements of good story in literature, as well as in
journalism. Strong stories include the following elements:
Exposition
Setting
Plot
Theme
Characters
Protagonist
Antagonist
Rising Action
Climax
Resolution
Irony
Foreshadowing
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Flashback
Activity 2 (30-45 minutes):
Using already published material, have groups of 4 students
collect 10 or so photos and assemble them into a story. The
results may be silly or serious; the object here is to have
students create the story from photos they already have.
The students will fix the photos to a poster board according
to the story they created.
Activity 3 (15 minutes):
Their classmates will then try to figure out what story the
photos are telling. The group will then share the story they
came up with and they will discuss why they chose the
photos they did. Save the presented stories for the next
session.
Day 2
Activity 1 (30 minutes):
o Students identify the strongest photos in each story from previous
day. In their groups they will generate a list of what they believe
makes a good photo. This should get students thinking about:
! angles
! Perspective
! Composition
! framing
! lighting
! emotions
! details
o Student will also discuss the following:
! How they were limited by working with photos that already
exist?
! What photos had they wished were available?
! Was their story successful?
! Did it catch attention? Why or why not?
! Did the photos represent what was really happening in their
stories?
A ctivity 2 (20 minutes)
o Students will then generate lists of what they think constitutes a
good selection or series of photos. This will be the spring board for
telling them about effective photo essay elements, such as:
! varied perspectives
! varied distances
! angles
! changes in lighting
! Elements of the story that are not obvious to the reader.
! Focusing on different people involved
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! Rule of thirds
! Variety of sizes and shapes of photos
! Dominant photographs
o Find some examples of photo essays to share with the class. One
example is: http://www.motherjones.com/
news/feature/2002/37/ma_111_01.html
o To find others, use Google to search for “photo essays”. Be sure to
point out examples of the above topics.
PART II
Day 3
Activity 1 (one class period and homework)
o Here begins the photo essay assignment. Students will choose a
story to cover using only photos. They must produce at least 10
photos, and the only restrictions are that they cannot use ANY
words to tell a story. (You can add cut-lines to the assignment
later.) Depending on availability of cameras, you may choose to
have teams of students. Give them a deadline, and specify how you
want the photos presented. Some ideas include:
o Have students compile photos in a PowerPoint slideshow
o Have students fix photos to poster board
Day 4
Activity 1
o Let students display their photo essays around the room. Let the
class circulate to try to figure out the story for each collection of
photographs. Students will write brief paragraphs about each photo
essay. They will also write questions they feel are left unanswered
by the photo essay. Allow the class time to share their findings.
Day 5
Activity 1
o Each group will discuss their photo essay with the class. Students
should be prepared to explain their choices and motivations behind
the photos included. They will also note questions and feedback
from the class.
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Basic Interviewing and Reporting
Unit Overview and Rationale
Basic skills are the foundation of journalism. Students will gain confidence in their abilities and
they will become more informed citizens and leaders.
Unit Objectives
Through class lecture, discussion, small group activities, students will develop basic skills of
writing, interviewing and reporting. They will demonstrate elements of news through writing and
use of journalistic format and style. Students will learn where to locate information and sources,
and evaluate those sources.
Understanding Goals
Essential Questions
What are the 5 Ws and H?
What sources are available for my story?
How are interview questions generated?
How do these become part of the story?
What is a direct quote?
What is an indirect quote?
Critical Engagement Questions
o What makes a good interview subject?
o What criteria are used to determine the news value of the interview?
o What criteria are used to test quotes?
Activities
Activity 1
o Students will label the 5Ws and H from clippings in the local paper. Samples will
come from a variety of styles, including news, sports, police crime statistics,
feature, and captions.
Activity 2
o Students will be given a list of facts and quotations on slips of paper. Each
student will organize facts and quotations into a story.
Activity 3
o Students will select a news story from the local paper and label elements in it.
The story must be a minimum of six inches in length. The elements to be labeled
are lead, body, quotation, and transition.
Activity 4
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o Students will write an obituary of someone from pop culture. Names will be
drawn from a hat. Examples will include people from modern history, music,
film, and sports. Research from printed and electronic media will be used to
assist students.
Activity 5
o Students will write their own obituary. Staff will also discuss a publication policy
regarding how a student or faculty member’s death will be covered should one
occur.
Assessment
Students will be able to draw a graphical representation of the inverted pyramid, labeling
the lead, body, quotations, and transitions.
Using a daily newspaper, students will cut out news stories and label the lead, body,
quotations, and transitions.
Recommend Readings and Sources
Associated Press Stylebook. Eds. Christopher W. French and Norm Goldstein. New
York: The Associated Press.
Cappon, Rene J. The Associated Press Guide to News Writing. 3 Ed. Lawrenceville,
rd
NJ: Peterson’s, 2000.
Ferguson, Donald, Jim Patten and Bradley Wilson. Journalism Today! 5 Ed.
th
Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company, 1997.
Rich, Carole. Writing and Reporting, A Coaching Method. 3 .Ed. Belmont, CA:
rd
Wadsworth Publishing, 2000.
Schumacher, Michael. The Writer’s Complete Guide to Conducting Interviews.
Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books, 1993.
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Balancing Journalism in Wartime
Unit Objectives
Students extend ideas; make connections to related topics; analyze arguments; identify an
author’s stance. They become familiar with public documents; identify social context of
documents; examine its appeal to audiences; and identify persuasive techniques.
Students produce reports and make judgments that are interpretive, analytic, evaluative,
and reflective. They support judgments and demonstrate an understanding of literary
works.
By working in groups, students listen to each other’s ideas; display appropriate turn-
taking behaviors; solicit other comments; offer opinions; respond appropriately; give
reasons to support opinion; clarify explanations; brainstorm; problem-solve. They
demonstrate an awareness of the media and evaluate its role and impact.
Students demonstrate understanding of the rules of grammar; proofread; add and delete
detail; clarify work; rearrange sentences; and sharpen focus.
Students evaluate literary merit; identify literary forms; make inferences; and interpret
authors’ decisions.
Generative Topic
Exploring the role of the journalist and the press during wartime
Generative Objects
a dollar bill
current newspapers
Understanding Goals
Essential Question
o How deep should journalists “dig” to get a story?
Critical Engagement Questions
o Why is a journalist’s job sometimes dangerous?
o What risks are involved in getting information about war to the public?
o Why is it necessary for journalists to report viewpoints that others may find
offensive?
o From what government officials do reporters get information about the war?
o How do journalists prepare for an interview?
Performances of Understanding, Rationale and Timeline
This unit will give students insight into the dangers journalists face covering wars and the ethics
involved in reporting information that others may prefer not to read in print. It will also provide a
deeper understanding into the complexities of war and introduce students to key government
officials involved in delivering information to the press. The unit should take about two weeks.
Activities
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Activity 1
Hold up a dollar bill, and tell students: Patrick Healy, a journalist who has
covered the war in Afghanistan, says that money is often the only weapon
journalists are “armed with” when they cover wars. Ask: How can money
protect journalists when they are facing men with weapons such as
machine guns and grenades? Engage students in a discussion about the
dangers war correspondents face.
Who was Daniel Pearl? How did he die? Elicit class discussion. Why
might countries who don’t have a free press believe that journalists are
“spies” for the government?
Activity 2
Write on board: According to The New York Times, “37 journalists died
in the line of duty” in 2001; another “118 were imprisoned,” and “more
than 600 came under attack by beatings, arrests, censorship, or harassment
because someone just didn’t like what they wrote.” Why is a journalist’s
job so dangerous? Allow time for students to jot down their ideas. Elicit
discussion about the risks of writing something that another person may
not like to read. Compare it to problems we’ve had with our school
newspaper when we’ve reported information others found offensive. Why
do we take these risks?
Point out I believe the 600 figure to be far too low because, even as a
journalist who writes features, editorials, advertorials, and reviews, I have
been “harassed” by people who didn’t appreciate my views. Share some of
these stories with students. Why is it necessary for journalists to take
positions that may not be popular? Elicit discussion.
You may want to consult The Freedom Forum's Journalists Memorial
Web site for current information about journalists dying in the line of
duty. (http://www.newseum.org/scripts/journalist/yearBrowse.asp)
Activity 3
Read the article, “Daniel Pearl’s Essential Work,” by Ann Cooper.
After the reading, divide class into small groups to answer the following
questions:
o Why would Daniel Pearl and other journalists risk their lives for
information?
o Why does the author compare journalists to firefighters, police,
and soldiers? Is this comparison an accurate one?
o To what extent does the possibility of earning a Pulitzer Prize have
on taking dangerous risks?
Each group presents its ideas to the class, and students share their
thoughts.
Activity 4
Write on board: Journalist Nicholas D. Kristof writes about covering the
Congo civil war: “I was in a plane crash, was chased through the jungle
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for two days by rebel guerrillas and caught the most lethal form of
malaria. Yet, the rewards of digging up tough, fresh stories made it
perhaps the most satisfying journalistic trip I’ve ever made.” How could
Kristof find this experience “satisfying”? What motivates journalists to
take these types of risks? Allow students time to jot down their thoughts,
then illicit discussion with class.
Read “A Life of Balances,” by Nicholas D. Kristof. After the reading,
divide class into small groups and have each group answer the following
questions:
o What anecdote about the dangers of being a journalist made an
impression on you? Why?
o In general, should journalists be more cautious when covering
war? Or, will being cautious prevent them from getting the story?
Support your points with information from the article.
Each group shares its thoughts and presents ideas to class.
Activity 5
From what government officials do reporters get information about the
war?
Write on board: If you could ask a government official a question
concerning the war, what would that question be? Allow students time to
jot down thoughts, then have them read aloud questions and share ideas.
Read, “War and Destiny: The White House in Wartime,” by Christopher
Buckley with the class. This article introduces students to government
officials involved in supplying information about the war to the press. As
the class reads each person’s brief biographies and looks at the photos,
each person is to consider who might be the best person to answer their
questions.
After the reading, ask students to whom would they address their specific
questions and why?
Discuss.
Activity 6
Divide students into groups: those who wish to address questions to
Donald Rumsfeld; those with questions for Colin Powell, etc. Have each
group spend a class session or two scanning newspapers for articles that
may contain answers to their questions. At the end of the session, each
group should be able to supply the following information:
Have any of their questions been answered? Which ones? What are the
responses to these questions?
Do any of the answers given need to be expanded upon? How might these
questions be worded to get a more specific reply?
After reading several articles, are there any additional questions for the
person you’ve selected?
Activity 7
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Each group should present its thoughts on the previous day’s activity to
the entire class, seeing where questions overlap, expanding on ideas, and
re-wording questions to be specific and clear.
Assessment
Students have engaged in class discussions and oral presentations. They have presented their
ideas and re-evaluated them. The culminating project is to have the groups of students compose
letters to the persons they‘ve selected. In these letters, the class should introduces themselves as
journalism students and ask the questions they have compiled. This may be done in class and
should take a day or two to complete. The proper way to write a business letter should be
reviewed. Students in each of the groups will be responsible for revising and editing letters to
perfection. The teachers will read the letters carefully, as they will be mailed. Later, when the
responses come in, students will evaluate this information and use it to write an article for the
school paper.
Resources
Buckley, Christopher. “War and Destiny: The White House in Wartime,” Vanity Fair,
February 2002, pp. 78.
Cooper, Ann. “Daniel Pearl’s Essential Work,” New York Times, February 23, 2002, pp.
A15.
Kristof, D. Nicholas. “A Life of Balances,” New York Times, February 22, 2002, pp. A25.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/terrorism
daily newspapers
The Freedom Forum Journalist Memorial site
(http://www.newseum.org/scripts/journalist/yearBrowse.asp)
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Transition from Essays to Features, News and Editorials
Overall Objective: Students should understand the basic elements of features, editorials, and
news stories. Also, students will be able to identify and understand the difference of these types
of articles in comparison to an essay.
Goals:
Students will understand the difference between essay and features, editorials and news
stories.
Students will understand that features are emotional, “human,” and can sometimes have
an entertaining appeal.
Students will understand that features and news do not contain the writer’s opinion.
Students will understand that an editorial are opinionated, but educated, view of a subject
that interjects the writer’s opinion where he or she can also make assumptions based on
factual information.
Students will understand the basic elements of a feature story, an editorial and a news
story (review).
Materials: Copies of newspaper articles that are examples of news, editorials and features.
Activities: (35 minutes)
Pass out worksheets and have the students take 5-10 minutes to read through the articles.
Have the students write two sentences at the bottom of each article, summarizing the
point of the piece.
Write the seven core news values on the board:
o Timeliness
o Proximity
o Impact
o Human Interest
o Novelty
o Prominence/Celebrity
o Conflict **
Ask students which article they think is the news article.
o Is the story unbiased?
o Does it express an opinion?
o Remember that the more core values that a story holds, the more newsworthy it is
for the readers.
o Still different than an essay (reminder of differences)
After telling the students which story is the feature story, have them model the lead of the
feature handout.
o How was it different than a news lead? What is it missing?
o After reading the story, what do you think makes this article a feature?
o Longer shelf life.
o Human Interest
o Novelty
o Longer
o More quotes
o Feature breakdown.
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o “Tease me you devil . . .”
o Tell me what you are talking about
o Oh yeah, prove it!
o Give me something memorable
Now, have the students model the lead of the editorial.
o What is different about this type of lead?
o Look at the rest of the article. Read the editorial example worksheet.
o What is the point?
o Is it powerful? Persuade you?
o Other elements?
o How different from an essay? (Make sure students understands this concept)
o And editorial has three basic parts.
! Introduction – get readers’ attention
! Body – persuade the reader
! Conclusion – prompt reader to take action (****very important)
o In more detail, the SPECS process shows the process of how an editorial should
work.
! State the problem
! Position on the problem
! Evidence to support the problem
! Conclusions of who is affected and how
! Solutions to the problem – hopefully two (****very important)
Assessment (15 minutes):
Have the students take each of the three handouts and label them as each as editorial,
feature or news.
o Have the students identify the news article.
! What makes it news?
! Is different than an essay for a teacher?
! Why?
o Have the students share which one is the feature story first.
! What type of lead does it have?
! Does the story flow well with a human or special interest?
! How is it different from a news story?
o Finally, have the students identify the editorial article.
! Does it contain SPECS?
! Does it make a point?
Have students write:
What I learned today was . . . What surprised me was . . . What I want to learn more about is . . .
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Why Read Newspapers?
Generative Objects
Separate newspaper pages representing some of the following:
An article about our high school football team
An article about extending the school year
A continuing sensational current story
A breaking report
A politically-charged item
A tabloid "extra-terrestrial"-type item
Understanding Goals
Essential Questions
What is a "good" newspaper? Is some information too private to print in a newspaper? Is
it easy, or always necessary, to be objective in news reporting?
Critical Engagement Questions
o What motivates people to read newspapers?
o What are the differences between a reliable and an unreliable newspaper?
o To whom do newspapers appeal? Is telling the truth always justified? Who
decides?
o When might it be better to refrain from "telling all"?
Performances of Understanding, Rationale, and Time Line
Newspapers compete with television, computers, school, family and social life for our attention.
Particularly for the average 16-year-old in a general course of study, newspapers do not fare
well. Students need to be encouraged to get comfortable with this medium, to be informed about
the newspaper's goal to get them as consumers, and to find that personal connection that makes
the newspaper relevant to them.
While it is easy to get students' attention about articles in local papers involving themselves, their
friends, celebrities, and their school team, this lesson aims at challenging that interest to the next
level, i.e. discussion by the state board of education to extend their school year or the
legislature's debate about the drinking age. Optimally, this unit aims at moving to a more
nationally focused interest through yearlong exposure to newspapers and a growing personal
connection there as well.
Some of that connection is knowledge-based and power-based. Why read an article about
Mexico's controversial new president if finding Mexico on a world map might be a challenge?
This one-week unit of four activities is the starting point of a yearlong goal of tying our study of
United States history to current events. Hopefully, this will allay students' anxiety about
understanding those daily headlines, and even help them become more critical readers.
Activity 1
"What's In It For Me?"
Since it is essential to see the newspaper's personal connection in a hometown paper,
students' first assignment will be to bring in the previous day's local paper with five
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articles blocked off that they chose to read.
In groups of five or six, students will fill in a teacher-prepared chart of the type of story
selected -- local interest, political, club report, sports, entertainment -- and the reason for
the interest.
In full class, tally overall groups' selections and question the rationale behind the choices
and, especially why certain topics/articles seem to be avoided.
What types of articles were most often selected? Why? What types of articles were
generally avoided? Why? What would/could change your decision to read articles outside
your normal interest? Can you think of a time when a certain type of article that does not
normally get your attention seemed quite important to read?
For an assignment, require each student to poll two adults about their newspaper article
preferences. Add that information to the charts to highlight the variety of interests that a
newspaper may address.
In class journals, students write a one-paragraph profile of themselves as a newspaper
consumer -- frequency of reading, likes and dislikes.
Activity 2
"Why Read When I Can Watch?"
The regional paper will be used for this activity, and the comic’s page, sports and
classified sections are not used.
Taping a typical evening television news segment, the teacher selects one story that half
the class will view. The other half of the class will read a newspaper article about the
same story. In a face-off discussion, each side will take turns challenging each other for
details and insight into the full story.
In the debriefing, list pros and cons of television coverage versus newspaper coverage of
that story. Anticipating that the visual aspect of the television news will be compelling,
students may also realize that the newspaper was able to give a more complete story,
background information, and provide them access and ability to examine the information
"in hand" as opposed to a fleeting TV image.
Activity 3
"Who's On First?"
In an effort to examine reliability of some articles (especially some of the more
outlandish tabloid examples selected), prepare the following role-playing: With seven
students, prepare a "hall incident" that carries a school suspension punishment. Have the
protagonist tell his story, the antagonist tell his, a friend of each should give his rendition,
a teacher who happened on the scene should explain the incident, three uninvolved
passers-by should tell what happened, and the principal (who was not there) should
comment on the event.
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For homework, each class member should be the reporter and attempt to write an
objective account of the happening.
Read sample reports to class to evaluate for reliability and objectivity.
Activity 4
"Shhh!"
Give small groups teacher-prepared scenarios for news stories, including "factual"
material that provides, as part of their coverage, information which may not be
appropriate or necessary to publish, such as:
o The name of a rape victim
o The dollar amount of a scholarship
o The weight of a cheerleader
o Someone's SAT scores
o A person's religion
o Family income
o An indiscernible disability
o A psychiatric history
In full-class discussion, debate which of these controversial facts are relevant to include
in a news story.
Assessment
Class discussions and group activities are part of the overall class participation requirement. A
class journal will have a minimum of entries by year's end, with a rubric set-up that will require
several entries focused on newspaper evaluations and changing (hopefully, evolving) newspaper
habits.
Resources
"Educating Americans about Public Issues in an Era of Distrust," Robert J. Blendon
Readings and lecture notes from two sessions listed
Local and regional newspapers
Sensational tabloid front pages
"Jim Lehrer's Guidelines for his Daily Practice of Journalism," memo from Henry Bector.
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