News Reports
Ask children to collect (and collect yourself), a number of newspaper or magazine articles relating to recent events. Children can use the Internet to view up-to-date news articles and print out ones they would like to use.
Try bbc.co.uk/news or use a child-friendly search engine (yahooligans.com, ajkids.com, aol.com/netfind/kids) and type 'news uk'.
Together choose an article which will fit the discussion needs outlined below.
Use word level/sentence level time to look at the article and identify important features.
Introduction - What information is given to the reader to help them understand what is going on? Does the article give people's names, ages, where and when the article takes place?
Sequence - What order does the article work in? Sometimes articles list events as they happen in chronological order; other articles start at the end, giving details of the present situation and then use the article to work through how the situation came about. (Women's magazines often use this format, first detailing the happy ending, followed by the events leading up to this point).
Connectives - How are the pieces of information joined together? Use a coloured pencil to underline words or phrases that act as connectives. Create a word bank of connectives to use in writing the article later.
Language - Look closely at the formal or informal language that is used. Make a note of useful or interesting phrases that might help in writing an article.
Illustrations or diagrams - What pictures are used to help retell the events?
