Newseum
'The Press and the Civil Rights Movement' Video Lesson
Scholars watch a video featuring journalists who covered the civil rights movement, then respond to questions on a viewing guide. The video features interviews with participants and original news footage from the 1950s and 1960s. In...
Macmillan Education
A Class or Company Newsletter: A Collaborative Writing Lesson
A class newsletter? The possible extensions for this activity are endless. After examining examples of news print-outs from hotels or workplaces, class members develop their own articles and produce a newsletter. A great way to keep...
Curated OER
Hair, Clothing Considered Disruptive
Students investigate dress codes in their school and how they compare to what courts have ruled as well as interview school administrators, students, and teachers on their views of the dress code. Students then write a news feature about...
Curated OER
Safe and Sound: Rock Concert Dangers
Pupils read attached articles and others they can find about dangers at rock concerts and also what bands, venue owners and others have done to increase safety. They conduct interviews and write a feature about concert safety in the...
Curated OER
Citizens Hold Their Breath in Smoke-free Cities
Students investigate the laws covering smoking in public places in their community and find out if city council or other governing bodies have considered changing these laws. Students conduct interviews and write an article explaining...
Curated OER
Lessons to be Learned: The Importance of Attribution, Accuracy, and Honesty
Students investigate real world examples of media law issues. In this media law instructional activity, students read Janet Cooke’s feature and respond to the writing. Students read articles by Stephen Glass to highlight facts in need of...
Curated OER
Cell Phones with Cameras Banned in Locker Rooms
Students research the way phones work and what places - both locally and nationally - have already faced the problem of in appropriate use. Students also interview gym owners or managers in their community and those who use they gyms....
Curated OER
Lesson: Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
A great idea for a fun homework assignment! The class fully and critically analyzes Daniel Sprick's painting, Your Plans. They then generate questions to ask the artist as they attend a mock press conference. They pretend to ask the...
Curated OER
Interview a Politician
Pupils, in groups of two, choose a politician of interest and research that person. They each assume the role of either the reporter or the politician and write a "mock" interview that they later present to the class.
Curated OER
Where Do I Begin: Writing an Effective Feature Story
High schoolers write an effective feature story. For this journalism lesson plan, students learn through 6 activities to ask open-ended questions, write effective leads, and handle quotes, and write headlines for news stories.
Curated OER
Story Generators
Students develop news stories for the high school paper based on current issues in the local news. Students identify different sources for articles, and develop interviews questions. In this news ideas and sources lesson plan, students...
Curated OER
Creating a Digital Newspaper
Pupils create a digital newspaper. In this digital newspaper instructional activity, students review the sections of a newspaper and brainstorm ideas for their paper. Pupils complete a schools news report, student interview, opinion...
Curated OER
To Be or Not to Be
Students gather information about setting goals through a variety of activities. In this setting goals lesson, students view a PowerPoint that explains the outcomes of the project, take notes, interview a local business person, write a...
Curated OER
Editorial Writing: What's On Your Mind
Learners write an editorial column for a newspaper. For this journalism lesson, students discuss and analyze editorials in print and broadcast media. Learners will compare the differences in these two formats of editorial pieces and then...
Curated OER
Middle School Masters of the Web- Video Newsletter
Students develop a school newscast. In this school newscast instructional activity, students practice interviewing skills, use of video and podcasting equipment, and editing skills. They work in groups to develop a school newscast using...
Curated OER
Dissection Time
Students take a closer look at the organization of magazines. In this journalism lesson, students complete handouts about the jobs and responsibilities in the magazine industry. Students then learn about the steps of publishing and...
Curated OER
Press Release
Seventh graders write and publish a press release. In this news writing lesson, 7th graders analyze press releases from various online sources. Students write a press release about a major event in their school.
Curated OER
Getting Ready for Graduation
Students create a presentation about their life. In this technology lesson, students are assigned a graduate and compile information about the person through interviews. Students then find photographs of the person and create a...
Curated OER
Minority Graduation Rates: A 50-50 Chance
Pupils conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources. In this lesson the issue is minority graduation rates.
Curated OER
How safe is your school bus?
Students research various aspects of school bus safety about what makes a bus safe or unsafe. They check the Internet (with sites below and others) and see what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has to say.
Curated OER
Towing Cars -- Legally and Not So Legally
Learners discuss the issue of having cars towed in a small community when they should not be. After watching a local news story on the issue, they work together to conduct three full days of research. They write an article to be...
Curated OER
Stepping in: Good Samaritan or Fool?
Students write an opinion piece, including facts of this situation and any other statistics about helping others during a fight. Students offer suggestions about how to break up a fight, or when not to try (based on what national experts...
Curated OER
First Amendment and the Future
Students read the Knight report and discuss key findings before deciding what aspects of the findings students can replicate in their own school and conduct a survey. They write survey questions and test them on sample group before...
Curated OER
Writing a News Report
Students explore journalism by analyzing current events. In this news report lesson, students identify important questions to ask during an interview and discuss a fictitious news story about a missing teacher. Students read published...