Focus Question: How is information presented in news article formats?
Ask, “Where do you get your news?” (Possible responses include newspapers, magazines, Internet, television, cell phone, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, email, and parents.) Say, “Today we will explore a means of mass communication that has current as well as historical importance—newspapers. The London Gazette in England was first published in 1665 and is still published today. The Pennsylvania Gazette, printed by Ben Franklin, was one of the earliest newspapers in the colonies.”
Before starting the class, have newspapers (more than one publication) or online access for students to read. Instruct students to pick up a newspaper or use the computer to complete a scavenger hunt. For the scavenger hunt, have students try to find these items:
- political cartoon
- classified ad
- sports page headline
- editorial/opinion
- current event
Have students share the results of their hunt and discuss how each item has a unique purpose and structure.
Part 1
Say, “There are two types of articles we will compare and contrast today. They are the news article and the editorial.” Write the following key structural traits of a news article on the board/interactive whiteboard. Ask students to copy them into their notebooks.
Key structural traits of a news article include the following:
- key facts: who, what, when, where, why, how
- inverted pyramid style: the most important facts are given first down to the least important, which are given last
- third-person objective point of view:
- no use of I, me, my, we, our
- no personal opinion or emotion
- not much imagery
- concise: short, direct paragraphs that are usually only two to three sentences long
Distribute copies of the Inverted Pyramid handout (L-8-3-3_Inverted Pyramid Template.doc). Project the image on an overhead/interactive whiteboard or draw a sample on the board. Say, “Think of an important recent event in school or in the life of someone you know. What are the most important facts about this event? Who was there; what happened; where did it happen; when did it happen; why did it happen; and how did it happen?” Have students write this information about the event they have in mind at the top of the inverted pyramid. Write a sample as a model. Say, “Now check your sentences to see if they meet the criteria of a news article.” Share your model and then have students share with a partner to check their sentences for objectivity. Have students revise sentences that don’t meet the requirements.
When students have written their key facts, have them skip two lines inside their inverted pyramid. Say, “Next, we should list the specifics about how the event occurred and why it occurred. We aren’t going to try to write this information into paragraphs right now. We are just going to list additional facts that we could include to help the reader know more about the situation.” Instruct students to list four or five more basic facts. Students should then determine the least important bit of information in the list and draw an arrow from that fact down to the bottom of the page, the tip of the pyramid. Model this by using the sample pyramid you made.
Ask, “What can you learn about a news article from the way it is organized?” Lead the discussion, using the following questions:
- “Where is the information for the entire article summarized?” (in the first few sentences)
- “Where are the supporting details for the article?” (in the middle)
- “What is the purpose of this type of news article?” (tell facts, be objective about events)
- “What might be a hint that the article is biased or slanted toward a position?” (use of emotional language)
Part 2
Say, “Another type of newspaper article is an editorial.” Write the following key features of an editorial on the board/interactive whiteboard. Ask students to copy them into their notebooks.
Key features of an editorial include the following:
- often written in casual, personal language
- often uses first-person point of view
- written in short-to-medium sentences and short paragraphs
- expresses a personal opinion on the topic
- uses facts, reasons, and persuasive techniques throughout the article to convince the reader to agree with the writer
- may state the opinion up front or wait until the end
Distribute copies of a well-written example of an editorial or present two contrasting examples—one good one based on facts and one that is merely a rant. Ask, “What makes a well-written editorial effective?” (It persuades the reader to accept an opinion.)
Ask students to brainstorm a topic for an editorial or use the following as a model. Write on the board/interactive whiteboard “The last school assembly on truancy was a great experience for all.” Say, “Notice how the sentence I’ve just written is an opinion about an event. I want to convince the reader. How do you know it’s an opinion?” (generalization, use of great) “Think of an interesting or startling way to begin an editorial. For example, if I was writing about the school assembly, I might write ‘Who needs school, anyhow?’ That would get your attention, wouldn’t it?”
Say, “Now let’s look at and review the model editorials. What supports the opinion?” (facts, statistics)
Say, “My editorial should provide details about the last assembly. For example, it should describe what went on and explain who was involved and what was discussed. My goal, though, is to get readers to agree with me.” Ask students to list at least three ideas they could use that would lead a reader to agree with an opinion about the assembly. Walk around to assist. Have students share their ideas with the group.
Use the following questions for review:
- “What is the purpose of an editorial?” (to persuade)
- “What might be a hint that the article is biased or slanted toward a position?” (specific opinion words, emotional language)
Compare and contrast news articles and editorials by using the following questions:
- “How are news articles and editorials similar?” (short paragraphs and sentences, both may include facts)
- “How are news articles and editorials different?” (A news article tries to avoid emotion and opinion. A news article tries to be objective. An editorial tries to persuade readers to agree with the writer’s opinion. An editorial often uses first-person point of view.)
Part 3
Provide a list of topics that are of interest to students or have students brainstorm a list. Display the list on the board/interactive whiteboard. Have students work in pairs to choose one of the topics and write a brief news article and an editorial about it. If possible, have pairs of students exchange their work and analyze whether the articles and editorials meet the criteria discussed in the lesson.
Extension:
- Provide examples of news articles and editorials for students who need additional practice identifying the differences between the points of view in editorials and news reports.
- Have students who are having difficulty identifying the techniques used in editorials analyze an editorial and label the different types of rhetoric used.
- Have students who need practice identifying topics and supporting details read and identify the information in news articles by color-coding or labeling in the margin.
- Students who are ready to move beyond the standard could do one of the following activities:
- Have students write full editorials of their own.
- In small groups, have students create a newspaper and write both news articles and editorials in a traditional newspaper format (Microsoft Publisher).
- Have students compare paper and online news articles to broadcast news programs.
