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

TARGET

Students will learn the basic elements of feature writing and begin planning their first feature.

EDUCATION METHODS

1. PowerPoint presentation

2. Feature Story Planner

OBJECTIVES

1. Level 1 (Basic) understanding what featuring writing is compared to hard and breaking news

2. Level 1 (Basic) understand the process of gathering information to write a feature.

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. Feature Writing PowerPoint Day 1

2. Feature Story Planner

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. Feature story planner should be copied by the student and submitted or submitted electronically to the teacher so the teacher can assess the student’s process. The student will need the copy to work at home that night.

FLOW OF LESSON

1. Suggested bell ringer: What is one aspect of your life that you feel is interesting enough that it could be a feature story?

2. Teacher will present PowerPoint.

3. After the PowerPoint, the teacher should walk through the Feature Project Planner graphic organizer with the students. However, the students should take the lead.

4. A copy of the organizer should be either copied and submitted or electronically submitted to the teacher.

WRAPPING IT UP

1. Exit slip: Explain how a feature story is different from a breaking news story.