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Freedom of Expression in Special Places
Young scholars analyze the judicial decision making process, and identify three places presenting First Amendment problems. They analyze how the 1st Amendment applies to school newspapers, and argue for and against limiting 1st Amendment...
Newseum
The Press and the Presidency: Friend or Foe? How the President Is Portrayed
In theory, news reports should be fair and unbiased. Young journalists test this theory by selecting a current news story covered by various media outlets about the President of the United States. They then locate and analyze five...
Newseum
Breaking News: Tracing the Facts
Breaking news reports can be short of facts. Young journalists select a pair of news articles about a disaster; one published within hours of the event and the second published the following day. They examine whether facts in the report...
Curated OER
Freedom of Expression in Special Places
Young scholars identify at least three places presenting First Amendment problems. They analyze how the First Amendment applies to school newspapers. Students argue for and against limiting First Amendment rights in school. They...
Curated OER
Sportswriting
Students complete a variety of activities (using the Washington Post Newspaper) that reinforce concepts involved in sports writing.
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The Eye of the Beholder: A Media Literacy Activity
Students explore the impact the news media have on shaping perceptions and opinions in general and in their coverage of the presidential campaign.
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Play Reporters
Students are given an article from a local newspaper. They summarize the article and participate in a broadcast over the articles.
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Writing Letters-to-the-Editor
Students read newspaper editorials and apply the techniques to writing about school issues or current events. They submit the writing to the principal or newspaper editor.
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Where journalism meets art
Students pick out the different techniques in photographs taken. In this photographs lesson plan, students critique patterns, shadows, reflections, and more in the photographs.
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Athletic rules: Break them and who should suffer?
Students write an article that presents the student's view in the situation of a high school football team forfeiting all of its victories because of a paperwork glitch. Students research the rules of the state athletic association.
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Student Travel in the Shadow of War
Students research and discuss pros and cons of study abroad during times of war, and document decisions and positions of local school administrators on topic. Students then write editorials voicing their opinions.
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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
What's the News?
Middle schoolers investigate current events. In this current events lesson, students identify current events from newspaper articles and place them on a timeline.
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Why Did You Write That?
Second graders use actual written media to identify and discuss an author's purpose for writing. They identify the author's purpose in a selection from the newspaper, and write a short description of how they came to their conclusion.
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Quidditch Sports Report
The students pretend they are the school newspaper's sports reporter, they write an article on quidditch. Students create a newspaper layout for the story that includes headings, newspaper branding and logos, advertising and accompanying...
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Photography: Beyond the Snapshot
Learners explore news photography skills. In this photojournalism instructional activity, students examine photographs from newspapers and magazines and discuss the attributes of quality photographs. Learners complete a webquest at the...
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Spanish-American War
Students view a video called Battling Beyond the Borders about the Spanish-American War. They discuss the role of newspapers in the war and then analyze political cartoons of the time, writing explanatory sentences about them.
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Medium Studies
Students consider the evolution of newspapers. In this current events lesson, students investigate changes in newspaper production as they visit selected websites to educate themselves about the topic. Students then discuss their findings.
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iPod Reporters
Students develop a topic for a class newspaper article and set up an interview with someone involved in the issue. They record the interview using an iPod with a voice recorder then use direct quotes for their article. As a whole...
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Internet Versus Daily Newspapers
Seventh graders address a series of questions based on Bloom's Taxonomy. Students find a position to be formulated and defended, specifically the Internet newspaper or the traditional daily newspaper. Students create a five card...
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Family Newscast
Students report on family trends, functions of the family and various ways of selecting marriage partners. For this family lesson plan, students act as editors, commercial skits, and writers for a newscast about families.
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Growing Files for Women's History
Students research a woman from their local community. They use primary source documents and old newspapers to gather information. They present the information to the class.
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How To Write Good Letter to the Editor
Students discover how to write a letter to the editor that would be good enough to be considered for publication. They include her or his opinion about the story, share a story of a similar experience to the author's or offer advice to...
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Propaganda Flyer
Fourth graders create a persuasive flyer to sway the opinion of the class on a controversial issue. They read assigned editorials representing the viewpoint that they must defend.