Use The Newspaper for

Transcription

1 The Front Page! Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter in the year Write an article that might appear on the front page of the newspaper.! Create a newspaper front page that tells your life story. The front page should include: At least five news stories Headlines, datelines, and bylines A name for the newspaper, the date, and location At least one photo or drawing Captions / Headlines! Choose photos from the newspaper. Write captions using figures of speech.! Expand the headlines on the front page into full sentences.! Choose 10 sentences from stories in the newspaper. Condense them into headlines.! Assume that each comic strip requires a headline that summarizes the most important elements of today s story. Select at least five comic strips. Write an appropriate headline for each one. How do these compare to headlines in other parts of the newspaper?! Have each student cut out a face from a newspaper picture or cartoon. Start with one student, who pastes the picture to the left-hand side of a long strip of paper. He passes the paper to the next student, who makes up something that the person in the picture might be saying. The quote is written to the right of the picture and a new picture is pasted underneath the first. The strip is passed around, and students add dialogue and pictures until the strip is full. (This is ideal for groups. The first student to paste a picture adds the conclusion to the dialogue.) Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

2 News " Identify a news story of interest. Rewrite the story by adding adjectives, wherever appropriate, to punch up the meaning of the story. " Clip at least five interesting stories from the newspaper. Identify the W s from each story (who, what, where, when, how, and why). Create an original story by mixing the W s from different stories. " Observe a classroom or school incident or event. Write a news story about what happened. Compare your story to those of your classmates. " Identify a continuing news story. Write a positive and a negative ending to the story. " Write about an incident in your life as a news story. " Give the students the basic facts, and the W s, of a current news story. Have each student write a short news story from these facts. Compare the results. " Remove the last paragraph from news articles. Ask students to determine what is missing. Have them rewrite the ending. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

3 Features # Choose a lengthy article from the newspaper. Eliminate any nonessential parts, without affecting the overall meaning of the article. # Select an unusual item. Write a short feature story about the article. # Write a summary of a story that you are currently reading in high school, for publication in an elementary school newspaper. The summary should be about 100 words in length and should be in a language that elementary students would understand. # Write a how-to article on a topic of interest. Find examples in the newspaper to use as a model. Keep in mind the importance of sequence as you write. # Compare coverage given an important national news event in the local newspaper with the coverage it received in the city of the event. (Web editions of current days newspapers can be located through Write the comparison as a feature story. # Write about an incident in your life as a feature story. Editorials / Columns $ Write a letter to the editor responding to a recent editorial. $ Life would go on without the comic strips. If they were to disappear, many people would feel that something was missing from their lives. Assume that a decision has been made to eliminate newspaper comic strips. Write a onepage editorial reflecting your views about life without the comics. $ Write a column that is a parody of a news story or a feature story. (Think Art Buchwald or Erma Bombeck) Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

4 Sports % Find action verbs that are unique to the sports coverage. Using each verb, write sentences about anything other than sports. % Choose a news story from the front page. Rewrite it in the style of a sports story. % Statistics are dry and boring. Write an exciting story with statistics in every sentence. Compare with the rest of the class. Did anyone succeed? Reviews & Read reviews of movies, television shows, and books. Describe in a help wanted ad the qualifications necessary to be a critic. & Determine the degree to which movie titles reflect the actual story of the movie. Write an essay reporting your findings and opinion. & View a new television program. Write a brief review of the program. How does your review compare to what other students wrote about the same program? & Review the choices for lunch at your school. & Review your performance as a student in this class, in the style of a movie review. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

5 Comics " Visualize what a comic strip about your school might be like. Is it funny or serious? Is it a continuing story or a series of jokes? Describe the setting of the comic strip, the main characters, and the story line. Give 3 4 examples of what a daily strip might include. Illustrate one day, if possible. " Select a continuing story comic strip from the newspaper. Read the comic strip for a period of one week. Summarize the week s events in a summary comic strip. Use the actual comic strip characters to discuss the weeks events. Clip or trace the characters to develop the strip. 4 5 panels only. " Select at least three comic strips. Erase or whiteout the balloons in the last frame. Write your own ending. Share with the rest of the class. " Write a story from the point of view or in the style of a particular comic strip. " Create a dialogue between characters from two different comic strips. Advertising ' Identify an issue or problem of particular interest to you. Write a help wanted ad for someone to resolve the issue or solve the problems. The ad should identify the desired qualifications for the job. ' Clip pictures of objects from various display ads. Write original slogans for the objects, using different figures of speech. ' Combine parts of different ads to create a totally new ad. It can be serious or humorous. ' Rewrite a classified ad, based on the events of a news story. For example, Vermont Republican Party seeks new Senatorial Candidate. ' Create a classified ad to sell something you own. Prepare a display ad for the same item. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

6 Name: Punching Up Stories Purpose: Subject: Activity: Use adjectives to change the meaning of a story Writing applications The meaning of a news story can be changed considerably by the use of adjectives. Certain adjectives can introduce bias into news stories, which should be totally objective. Complete the following: 1. Select a news story of interest to you. 2. Rewrite at least the first two paragraphs of the story. Use your imagination. Add as many adjectives as you like to the paragraphs. Rewrite the headline following the same directions. Use the space below and the reverse side of this activity sheet. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

7 Name: Here s How Purpose: Subject: Activity: Create a story involving step-by-step directions Writing applications The newspaper frequently prints articles which are designed to explain to the reader how to do something. Examples might include how to refinish furniture or landscape a yard. Complete the following: 1. Examine several copies of your newspaper for examples of how to articles. 2. Write a how to article on a subject of your choice. If possible, include a picture or illustration with your story. Use the space below and on the reverse side of this activity sheet. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

8 Name: Features Purpose: Subject: Activity: Write a feature story of personal interest Writing activities Unlike a regular news story, feature stories, while also containing factual material, are written to entertain the reader. Feature stories may involve biographies, amusing incidents, human interest, etc. Complete the following: 1. Read some examples of feature stories from your newspaper 2. Select a topic for a feature story you wish to write; one you believe would be of interest to others. Determine if pictures or illustration would be necessary. Write your feature story. Use the space below and the reverse side of this activity sheet. Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald

9 Name: Headlines Into Sentences Purpose: Subject: Activity: Write complete sentences from newspaper headlines Writing applications Complete the following: Use one or more issues of your newspaper to select 10 headlines. Rewrite each headline into a complete sentence. Use the following chart. HEADLINE COMPLETE SENTENCE Newspaper In Education The Rutland Herald