Overview:
Students will be selecting a fictional novel to read from a recommended list. It should be a book they have not read before. They will be encouraged to use reading strategies to self-monitor their reading and to tune into unfamiliar words using ThinkSpots. Students will be learning about the inverted pyramid method of writing newspaper articles, and investigating newspapers and newspaper features both in print and on-line. They will become acquainted with the parts of a newspaper. They will be asked to interpret a book of fiction in original ways and to use specific research skills in a functional situation to create a newspaper directly relevant to the book of fiction they have selected.
Lesson 1:
- Students will be split into centers to explore the different features of newspapers in print and on-line. After 15 minutes, students will come back together and brainstorm a list of the different features and compare and contrast print newspapers with on-line newspapers using a graphic organizer. Students will discuss pros and cons of each type of media.
- Students will be introduced to the inverted pyramid method of writing for newspaper articles. They will be given a newspaper article to read, so they can witness this style of writing in use. They will use the provided graphic organizer to break down their understanding visually.
- Students will look at the 6 cards indicating important features that need to be covered when producing a newspaper: front page, financial page, editorial page, feature sections, sports page, and advertising.
- Students will be given a list of novels they can choose from and they will be expected to have selected 4 novels they are interested in reading. They should share their choices with their parents and bring there list with parent signature to class for Lesson 2.
Lesson 2:
- Students will bring their book selection lists with their parents signature to class.
- Students will go to the Media Center to check out their selected books.
- Students will go through their book and create a reading schedule for themselves to ensure that they are able to finish the book in time to complete the project within the allotted time period.
- The teacher will demonstrate how to go through the text and complete the article planning sheet.
- The teacher will model going through a text and taking notes as you read using the ThinkSpots method.
- Students will be encouraged to take or use post-it notes to mark their thoughts and ideas as they are reading.
- Students will be expected to stick to their reading schedule and to come to their next AIG class with all of their materials and their book.
Lesson 3:
- Students should have remembered to bring their books and their information packets to class.
- Students will have a seminar style discussion involving the character, setting, and main events that they have encountered so far in their reading.
- Students will be prompted to consider how that could have an effect on their newspaper product.
- Students will decide upon a title for their newspaper based on the setting of the story after looking at a variety of newspaper titles.
- If time permits, students will be able to use the remainder of class time to work on their reading and planning.
- Students will be expected to continue to stick to their reading schedules, continue taking notes as they read, and using the article planning sheets as they decide on events from the text that should be included in their newspapers. They should bring all materials to their next AIG class.
Lesson 4:
- Students will discuss how point-of-view comes into play in newspaper writing. What type of articles would have first-person writing? Second-person? Third-person? How might this differ from how the novel itself is written?
- Students will discuss how extra research might come into play with their products. How might you integrate more information about a topic you've chosen to focus on in order to make it more informational or appropriate for your newspaper? What types of information from your story would lend itself to this type of expansion?
- Students will be given time to plan using their article planning sheets.
- Students are expected to have completed their novels by the end of next week because the focus in class will be working on and completing the newspaper project in the following 3 weeks of class.
Lessons 5-8
These class periods will be devoted to working on the completion of the project. Extra research or planning may continue to be done at home. Students may bring in materials from home that may enhance their projects, but the creation of the project must be done in the AIG classroom. Some students indicated they would like to do this on the computer. To help those students I have provided a template for their use. This is not limitation, and they should be encouraged to use their creativity and other newspapers to determine the best design for their paper. Also, students are more than welcome to do this completely by hand on construction paper or other "newspaper like" materials.
Lesson 9
Projects will be shared and themes will be discussed in a seminar style discussion.