Working Together To Outrun Cancer

137

Lesson: Elements of a Newspaper Article (Part Two) Curriculum Connection: Language Arts Grade Level: Intermediate Time: Approximately 100 minutes Lesson Snapshot Now that students know a little more about Terry Fox and have a better understanding of the elements of a newspaper article, they are ready to write their article promoting the Terry Fox event in their community or school. This lesson will help them build their newspaper specific vocabulary, organize their information and write an effective newspaper article.

Success Criteria Students;

are able to create a newspaper article using the different elements of expository writing and appropriate word choice.

can organize their ideas effectively using the 5Ws model. are able to identify different elements of expository writing and explain how these elements

affect the reader’s reaction to the text. have a greater knowledge of Terry Fox, the Marathon of Hope and the upcoming Terry Fox

Events in their community. Curriculum Expectations Writing

Regularly use vivid and/or figurative language and innovative expressions in their writing. Writing

Write complex texts of a variety of lengths using a wide range of form. Reading

Analyse a variety of texts, including complex or difficult texts, and explain how the various elements in them contribute to meaning and influence the reader’s reaction.

Materials/Media

BLM I-19: “The Five Ws” BLM I-20: “Newspaper Word Bank” BLM I-21: “Final Assignment: Terry Fox Newspaper Article” BLM I-22: “Elements of a Newspaper Article Rubric”

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

138

Video: Choose from a variety of videos and newspaper articles located on the Terry Fox Foundation website (http://www.terryfox.org)

Selection of local newspapers (one for each student) Lesson Delivery Setting the Stage

Handout the words and quotes from BLM I-13 to each student. Independently have students try to organize the words into different categories. Discuss with the class the different ways that they could organize these words. Hopefully students discovered that they could be organized into the 5Ws. If not, guide them to

this discovery and discuss how this one of the important element of newspaper writing. Discuss with students how the 5 Ws are used to create a good newspaper article.

Core Learning Activity

Handout the ‘5Ws Terry Fox’ sheet (BLM I-19) to students. Watch several videos and read articles from the Terry Fox Foundation website

(http://www.terryfox.org). Have students record information from the material given on to ‘The Five W’s’ sheet (BLM I-19).

This information will be used as background information on Terry Fox and will be helpful in writing their upcoming newspaper article.

Review the elements of newspaper articles with the class and tell them that these elements should be present in their final assignment.

Hand out local newspapers to the class and have them read different articles and jot down words that they feel are commonly used in newspaper articles onto the ‘Newspaper Word Bank’ sheet (BLM I-20). Ask them to think about how these words give newspapers a specific tone/voice compared to that of magazine, novels or other forms of text.

Once students have created their word bank, explain to them that they need to incorporate some of these words into their final assignment.

Application of Information

Hand out ‘Final Assignment’ sheet (BLM I-21). Introduce the topic for their newspaper article: Write a newspaper article on the Terry

Fox Event in your community or at your school. Using the Terry Fox official website (www.terryfox.org), give students time on the computer to

research this event and to collect the necessary information to write this article. Have students record this new information on their ‘The 5Ws Terry Fox’ sheet (BLM I-19).

Review the rubric (BLM-22) with the class and give them time to work on the completion of their article. Once articles are complete and students are ready to hand them in, have them complete this question on the ‘Final Assignment’ sheet (BLM I-21): Choose one element of newspaper articles you used and explain how this element will change the reader’s reaction to your text. Hand in BLM I-21 with final product.

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

139

Assessment Using rubric provided (BLM I -22) students will be assessed using the following criteria: Pre-Article Work, Use of Elements and Readers Reaction to the Text. As well, there are check boxes in the feedback section to help students understand where they could make improvements to their work. OPTION: Since there are so many elements of newspaper articles, you might want to separate elements into requirements and criteria. The requirements (headlines, text, graphics, modular design, etc) will not be assessed, but are expected to be there. The criteria will be the focus of their assessment. For instance, they will be marked on the information selected (5Ws) or their ability to organize their ideas (Most important facts first). Upon selecting the criteria, create a rubric together as a class and discuss the success criteria for this assignment. Extension Activity Once articles are complete, students could present their information as a newscast. This could be done at the front on the classroom, captured on video or created as a Podcast. These presentations could be shown to other classes in the school or at an assembly to help promote the event.

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

140

BLM I-19

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

141

BLM I-20

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

142

BLM I-21

Working Together To Outrun Cancer

143

BLM I-22