Newswriting & Reporting
10 Tips for Dramatically Improving Your Videojournalism Stories
Some of these digital tips also apply to print media, such as "focus on a central character" and "seek multiple perspectives."
And the News Is . . .
Designed for grades 3 and 4, this lesson asks students to create a news collage of 3-5 articles and decide what is the common theme.
The Cronkite Report: Headlines and Sound Bites
Vocabulary, focus questions, additional links, classroom activities. Designed to go with the Assignment Discovery video.
Itty Bitty Witties: Using the "Metropolitan Diary" to Write Anecdotes with a Local Angle
In this lesson, students read and discuss a "Metropolitan Diary" column to learn about anecdotes. They then write and compile their own anecdotes for a local version to be published in the school newspaper.
Journalism's Job: Accuracy & Honesty in the News
Students "find out how news stories can, and have, twisted the truth. [They] also explore the history and duty of news reporting, so [they] can investigate what it takes to crank out accuracy and honesty in newspaper form every day."
News Coverage
Students compare and contrast coverage of a news event according to different media.
News on the Web
This interactive article from Socialstudies.com examines the history and technology of modern news reporting.
Newseum
The "News Museum" Web site. Excellent reference and teaching reference.
Newroom 101
Interactive exercises in grammar, usage and Associated Press Style.
Newswriting with Scholastic Editors
This site, targeted at middle school or upper elementary writers, guides students through the process of writing news stories and offers them a chance to publish their writing online.
Picking Up the Pieces and Putting them Back Together: Writing Breaking News
Students examine how a breaking news story is constructed, first by predicting what facts and details must appear in what order, and then by assembling the story from cut-up pieces. They then practice writing their own 'breaking news' lead paragraphs.
The Pulitzer Prizes
How the Pulitzer Prize was started, who has won since 1917, even a form for nominating someone for the prize. Searchable and easy to navigate.
Research and Report on a Famous Journalist
Given a list of names, students research and prepare slide presentations. Site includes names, requirements, and a rubric.
'Retale' Value: Exploring Plot Similarities in Fiction and Nonfiction Stories
Students explore 7 basic plot lines. They compare them with newspaper articles and with fiction they are familiar with.
Right on Time? Researching and Writing a Breaking News Story on Deadline
Students share their reactions to hearing a false rumor. They then research and write an article about a current news item affecting their school, which they must submit on deadline the next day.
Syllabus: Newspaper Production
Syllabus for an 18-week newspaper production class, rich with links to resources.
Tabloid Tales
Using the 5 W's, students create stories to accompany actual tabloid headlines. Headlines are provided.
Tasty Topics: Developing Narrative Feature Articles
Using the related article, "Life in the Fast-Food Lane," students explore the concepts and content necessary to write narrative feature articles and then develop their own such articles.
Teaching Students About Headlines, Titles, and Subject Lines
In this activity students compare and contrast strong and weak headlines drawn from blogs. A follow-up activity on capital letters in headlines is also suggested.
Ticker Text Parade
Students examine news headlines and create very brief news pieces in the style of news tickers. They then write papers reflecting upon these experiences and on the value of concisely written news reports.