Day 1 News Writing lesson

Prepared by: Jami Williams, Mexico High School, Mexico, Missouri

TARGET
Students will be introduced to the inverted pyramid style of writing.

EDUCATION METHODS

1. PowerPoint presentation
2. Guided writing activity
3. Individual learning activity

OBJECTIVES

1. Level 1 (Basic) understanding of the inverted pyramid
2. Level 1 (Proficient) application and use of the inverted pyramid

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. News Writing PowerPoint Day 1
2. Guided writing activity collateral (News Writing Guided Writing Day 1)
3. Individual learning activity

VERIFICATION
Steps to check for student understanding

1. Teacher will do frequent comprehension checks in the form of Classroom Assessment Techniques (thumbs up, thumbs down; exit slip in the form of post-it note summary)
2. Guided writing activity should provide teacher with a measure of how each student is grasping and understanding.

FLOW OF LESSON

1. Suggested bell ringer: Do you feel that reporters should be granted special access to scenes of accidents or crimes? Why or why not?
2. Teacher will present PowerPoint on inverted pyramid. Students should take notes. Teacher can also pass out Inverted Pyramid diagram so that students can take notes on that.
3. Teacher will lead students in Guided Writing Activity.
4. Students will share their articles out loud.
5. Students will evaluate each article using the student mini-eval and offering suggestions; students should share their evaluations with each student respectively.
6. Teacher will make sure to discuss any issues that may have presented as students begin to practice this type of writing. If three or more students made the same mistake, the process may need to be revisited for correction.
7. Teacher will assign the Guided Writing Activity as an Individual Learning Activity to take home. Students should be instructed to email the teacher the link to the information they are using.

WRAPPING IT UP

1. Exit slip: Define “lede.”