Extra Extra Read All About It: What’s Hot Off the Press Today?
Activity Objective:
In third and fourth grade, students learn about nonfiction text to help understand the world around them.
This project's goal is to have students create a newspaper article about an event that impacted their lives. Creating the newspaper will allows students to visualize the various components of a newspaper and conceptualize an event that affected the world around them.
Materials:
9x12 inch piece of paper
Markers and crayons
Pen or sharpie
Pencil
Ruler
Eraser
Optional Materials:
Decorating materials (such as stickers and glitter)
Instructions:
Before starting the project, students should think about an event that largely impacted their live. (See brainstorming examples below)
Next, students should think of a name for their newspaper. (Or students can use this random newspaper name generator to create a name: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/newspaper-names.php)
Then, positioning their 9x12 inch piece of paper vertically, students should use their ruler to measure one inch down from the top of the paper, making a mark where this measurement is.
After, students should horizontally align their ruler to the mark made in step three. Using a pencil, students should lightly draw a horizontal line across their paper. This will be used as a guideline.
Using a marker, students should write their newspaper's name on the guideline. The name of the newspaper should be centered on the paper. (see video example)
Once they have written the name of the newspaper, students can erase the guideline.
Below the newspaper's name, using a pen or sharpie, students should write the date in small letters.
Below the date, using a marker, students should write a headline. Their headline should be two to five words long, describing the event chosen in step 1. (see video example and vocabulary list)
Using a marker, below their headline students should write their subheading. Their subheading should be 5 to 10 words long, describing the event chosen in step 1 with slightly more detail than the headline.
Next, using a pen or sharpie, below the subheading, students can make their byline (see vocabulary list).
A half an inch below their byline, using a pen or sharpie, students should draw a 7x4 inch rectangle. Each side of the rectangle should be one inch away from the edge of the paper. (see video example)
Next, a half an inch below the rectangle made in the previous step, students should draw a 7x6 inch rectangle. Each side of the rectangle should be one inch away from the edge of the paper.
Students should divide the rectangle made in step 12 into three columned sections, each section should be about 2.5 inches wide.
Then, in the rectangle made in step 11, students should draw a picture that depicts the main idea of the event chosen in step 1. For example, my story is about getting a dog, so I drew a picture of my family and my dog. (see video example)
In the half inch space below this rectangle, students should write a short caption describing the picture they drew.
Next, in each of the three columns of the rectangle made in step 12, students should draw an images that chronological tells the story of their event. (see video example)
Below each column, students should write a short caption describing the picture drawn.
After, students can crumble their paper into a ball.
Finally, students can uncrumbled their paper. Their paper should now have a newspaper-like texture.
Sample Discussion:
Students can "read" the paper to their parent by telling the story of the event their newspaper depicts.
Example Discussion:
"Today's headlining news report from The New Jersey Times is about the de Montagnac family getting a dog. The family had wanted a dog for years, so one day they went to the shelter to look at the dogs. At the shelter, they saw a small brown dog with big brown eyes. As soon as the dog saw the family, he started wagging his tail. At this instant, the family knew they had to meet this dog. When the family went into the dog playpen to meet the small brown dog, they instantly fell in love with him. He was very cheerful and ran from one family member to the next, wagging his tail and allowing everyone to pet him. The family decided to get this dog and name him Kobe!"
Vocabulary Words:
Furthering the Lesson:
1. Online newspapers for kids:
2. Magazine subscriptions for kids:
National Geographic Kids: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magazine-national-geographic-kids-one-year-subscription/17328630?ean=2000003471041
Sports illustrated Kids: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magazine-sports-illustrated-kids-one-year-subscription/15567599?ean=2000003320998
Highlights Magazine: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magazine-highlights-one-year-subscription/26742771?ean=2000003960965
