Brief Description

During this lesson, students research a current topic on the Internet and gather images appropriate to the topic.  The research and pictures are then used to create a newspaper article using either Microsoft Publisher or Student Writing Center.  Students write the articles on the basis of the 5 W method (Who, What, Where, When, and How).  Students work in groups and combine their individual articles into a newspaper.

Standards and Frameworks

Technology Standards

3T-E1.  Use formatting capabilities of technology tools for communicating and illustrating
3T-E2.  Use a variety of technology tools for data collection
3T-E3.  Publish and present information using technology tools
4T-E2.  Use technology tools for individual and; collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create curricular related products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
5T-E1.  Locate information from electronic resources

RE-2.  Use reading strategies such as making inferences and predications, summarizing, paraphrasing, differentiating fact from opinion, drawing conclusions, and determining the author's purpose and perspective to comprehend written selections.
W-E1.  Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage, along with varied sentence structure and paragraph organization, to effectively complete a variety of writing tasks
W-E5.  Write a report that conveys a point of view and develops a topic with appropriate facts, details, examples and descriptions from a variety of cited sources
STANDARD 4:  VIEWING AND PRESENTING
    PO 2.  Plan, develop, and produce a visual presentation using a variety of media.

Academic

• Students will be able to write a newspaper article using the 5 W's method found in the Write Source Book.
• Students will be able to relate current event topics to creating a newspaper.

• Students will be able to produce a newspaper using Microsoft Publisher or Student Writing Center.
• Students will be able research topics via the Internet.
• Students will be able to save images to a disk and insert them into a newspaper.

Using the Internet

Materials

Computers hooked to the Internet - one per person works very well
Five (or however many groups you have) computers with Microsoft Publisher
Worksheet with topics for newspaper
The Write Source Book - http://thewritesource.com/index2.htm
Student disks

Accommodations for Special Needs

Pair the students with another instead of individual article
Give the student more time and individual help with written instruction
Have the students team read internet pages

Procedures

DAY 1

*I presented this to my students after the September 11 events to help ease my students concerns, frustrations, and worries.  This could be adapted to any topic.
1.  Discuss the student’s understandings of the events of September 11.
2.  Talk about topics that came up that the students would like to know more about.
3.  Tell them that education really reduces anxiety of not knowing, and by educating ourselves we can help others deal with this tragedy.

DAY 2

4. Pass out research topic list and Internet sites that relate to each topic.  Try to make sure that the site are kid friendly (cnn kids and time for kids are great sites to check out.)
5.  Go through each of the topics and discuss the sites that are related.  Go trough the rubric for the newspaper so the kids know exactly what the final outcome will be. (see attachment)
6.  Talk about the construction of a newspaper. "Every newspaper has different reporters on different topics and events.  As a group you will each come up with a topic (off the sheet) that you would like to research and then write an article about.  Each person in the group will have a different topic.  Try to choose a topic you are interested in because it will make the activity more meaningful."
7.  Let the students form the group or choose the groups.  Give them 3 minutes as a group to talk about the topics each will research and write.
8.  Take the students to the computer lab to research.

DAY 3

9.  Make sure each student has a disk.  Take the students to the lab to show them how to save an image to their disk and retrieve it.  Make sure after they save it that they go to the A drive to make sure it actually saved.  Talk to the students about copyright laws.  If they are using a picture from someone’s web site they need to get permission.  It would be easier to use sites that let students use free clip art.
10.  Give the students some more research time and picture saving time.

DAY 4 and 5

11.  Teach the students how to write a newspaper article.  The Write Source Book is an excellent resource on the 5 W method.  (Who, What, Where, When, and How)  Let the students work on prewriting and then writing their article.

DAY 6 - DAY 8

12.  Teach the students how to use Microsoft Publisher (or Student Writing Center).  I just show them the basics of inserting text and inserting pictures off of clip art and their disk.  I also go over the newspaper templates that are available to use.  I try to have each group use one for faster publication.  The students tend to experiment and come up with many of the fun things you can do with the program.
13.  Show the students samples of newspapers.  Talk about how they are set up and what their newspaper should look like.
14.  Give the groups time to work together on the publication of the newspaper.  As a group they need to come up with a title and type their article into the newspaper.

DAY 9

15.  Students share their newspapers with the class.  Each talk about what they have learned and how it has affected their thinking and feelings of the events that happened and have happened since 9-11-01.
16.  If possible share the newspapers with other classes and teachers.

Observation of the students during worktime
Final newspaper article
Presentation to our class and other sixth grade classes
Have the students teach other classes how create a newspaper

Teacher Name: Susie Gilbertson
Site: Harelson
Date Submitted: October 11, 2002