Unit of work

Literacy- Writing a Newspaper article

Grade 4- Term 4

Students background to learning:

Students have not learnt how to write a Newspaper article, however have learnt the other text types such as a narrative, procedure, poem
ect. This unit of work will expand across 2-3 weeks as students will learn the features and language of Newspaper articles. Such as the
headline should reflect what an article will be about and how it is short and quick.

Learning outcome/ AusVELS links:

English
Reading and viewing
Understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the topic, the purpose and the intended audience
(ACELA1490)
Investigate how quoted (direct) and reported (indirect) speech work in different types of text (ACELA1494)
Literature
Understand, interpret and experiment with a range of devices and deliberate word play in poetry and other literary texts, for example
nonsense words, spoonerisms, neologisms and puns (ACELT1606)
Use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, text structures and language features of literary texts (ACELT1604)
Literacy
Identify characteristic features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1690)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating
increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)
Reread and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695)
Use a range of software including word processing programs to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements
(ACELY1697)
Language
Understand how texts are made cohesive through the use of linking devices including pronoun reference and text connectives (ACELA1491)
Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources into students own texts including vocabulary encountered in research (ACELA1498)
Recognise how quotation marks are used in texts to signal dialogue, titles and quoted (direct) speech (ACELA1492)

Sessions/
resources

Tuning in
(10min)

Whole class focus (15min)

Independent work / focus Share time

group
(5min)
(30min)

Assessme
nt

Session 1
The students will
learn the features
and language of a
newspaper article

Students will
play the
interactive
game, choosing
the correct verb
that belongs in
the sentence
http://www.funb
rain.com/verb/i
ndex.html?
Grade=4

Show students a newspaper and

have a class discussion about the
sections of the newspaper, eg news,
weather, entertainment ect.
Questions
Discuss the purpose of each section.
What do you think the purpose of
this section is? Why is this article in
this section of the newspaper?

Independent work
Students will be given articles,
which they are to explore and
write the different things they
find. This should include
something that entertains,
informs and persuades. In their
writing books students should
include
1. Name of article
2. Authors purpose and what
part of the text tells you
that

Assessment
will be based
on discussion
about authors
purpose from
teacher
observation
and class
discussion
Students
noticing
the
different
features

Resources
Interactive
whiteboard
Newspapers
Writing books

Students will
share the article
they found and
make a quick
statement of the
authors purpose

Focus group
EAL students will look through
different newspaper articles,
discussion the purpose and
unfamiliar words
Session 2
The students will
interpret
headlines in order
to predict what
the article may be
about.
Resources
Interactive
whiteboard
Newspaper
headlines

Students will
play the
interactive
game,
matching the
verb to the
sentence
http://www.funb
rain.com/verb/i
ndex.html?
Grade=4

On the board will be a few headlines

of newspaper articles.
(African Lions in Trouble, Ending Teen
smoking, Too much of a good thing,
Dogs helping dogs, A volcanic
awakening) Class discussion about
what the article may be about, using
the words in the headline. Discuss
how headlines give a brief overview
of an article.
Questions
What do you think this article will be
about? What makes you say that?

Independent work
More headlines will be written on
the board and students are to
write a prediction in their writing
books about what they think the
article will be about, and what
language is used to show that.
After students have written a brief
summary for each headline they
can read the article to themselves
and discuss with a partner about
whether or not their predictions
was confirmed or not

Class discussion
about whether or
not their
predictions came
true. If they did
not, why did we
predict wrong?

Assessment
will be based
on discussion
Ability to
use the
headline to
predict
what the
article will
be about
Discussion
about
whether
their
prediction
was
confirmed
or why not

Students will sit

in a circle on the
floor and each
will read out the
headline they

Listening to
class
discussion and
input
Underlinin

Focus group
EAl learnersSmall group discussion about how
we can use a headline to predict
what the story will be about.
Predictions will be written down
as a class and students are to
state why they think their
prediction will come true.
Session 3
Students will
continue to look
at the features of
newspaper

Students will be
given a
headline and
they are to
write a brief

A variety of headlines and articles

will be placed on the board. Class
discussion about which headline
matches the article. Teacher is to
model matching up the articles by

Independent work
Students will read the article on
the template (Appendix 1) and
write a brief sentence to
summarize the article. They are to

Ability to
understan
d the
authors
purpose

articles
Resources
Whiteboard
Article
template
tablets
Session 4
Students will
listen to an article
in order to
summarize the
important parts
Resources
Interactive
whiteboard
headlines
Session 5
The students will
learn to
summarize with a
limit of 30 words
Resources
Tail wagging
worksheet
Interactive
Whiteboard
Session 6
Students will use
a headline to
brainstorm ideas

summary of
what they think
the story will be
about

then write a suitable headline for

the article. Students are to then
find a picture to match the
headline and story.

Students will be
given a
headline and
they are to
write a brief
summary of
what they think
the story will be
about

looking for key words and

underlining these.
Questions
What are the key words in the
article?
Which article do you think belongs to
that headline?
What makes you think that?
Model how to take notes on the
important parts/ facts.
Students will then watch the short
clip on why sleep is important
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s300
1006.htm
As a class write a summary of the
clip, students are to use their notes
they toke during the clip.

came up with

g key
words
Ability to
create an
appropriat
e headline

Independent work
Headlines will be written on the
board and the students will use
their tablets, wiring a prediction of
what they think the story will be
about and then a brief summary
of what would be included.

Students will
share their
summary to the
person next to
them.

Collection of
students
predictions
and
summaries
ability to
predict
using
headlines
summary

Students will
play the online
game as a
class,
identifying
which word fits
in the sentence
http://www.spell
ingcity.com/ver
b-tenses.html

Tail Wagging worksheet is to be

displayed. As a class read the
worksheet and highlighting the
technical words. Using the technical
words model how to write a
summary with a limit of 30 words.
Questions
What are technical words?
Why do you think that is a technical
word?

Students are to then use the tail

wagging worksheet, highlighting
the technical words and
summarizing the article in their
tablets using the words
highlighted.

Students will
share their
summaries.

Listening to
class
discussion of
student
summaries
Identify
technical
words
Summary

Students will be
shown a picture
and are to
come up with a

Using the headline brainstorm the

possible ideas that the article
Balloon Bonanza might be about.
Questions

Students are to use the headline

brainstormed as a class and write
an article on either their tables or
in their books

Some students
will share the
article they
made.

Collection of
student work
to read the
articles

No focus group

for a story and

then write their
own story
Resources
Picture
Tablets
Session 7
Students will learn
to identify and use
figurative
language.
Resources
PowerPoint
Similes and
metaphors
worksheet
Princess
Penelope
article
Session 8
The students will
learn to identify
how floods affect
people in order to
write a news
report around the
topic of floods.
Resources

Whiteboard

headline using
the picture

Why do you think that/ what makes

you think that?

Brainstorm
what figurative
language is and
examples of
figurative
language

Using the PowerPoint on figurative

language students will learn two
different types. Similes and
metaphors. Class discussion about
the different types and meanings.
Questions
Does anyone know what a simile is?
What is a metaphor?
Do you know any similes and
metaphors?
What is the meaning of that?

Students will have a go at

completing the similes and
metaphors questions, in order to
identify similes and metaphors
and understand their meaning

Students will watch a short news

report on floods, taking down notes
of the important information.
Questions
What do you think the news report
will include?
What is key information?
How do you think the people in the
report may have been feeling?

Independent work
Students are to write a summary
using the information they wrote
down while they were watching
the video. (Students can write this
summary in their tablets and it
must include all the important
information, with at least 4
sentences that flow to make a
paragraph).

Using the
headline
written on the
board, students
are to write a
small prediction
of what they
think the article
will be about.
(headline.
Whats
cooking?)

created.
Brainstorm
Ability to
write a
small
article
Class discussion
about the similes
and metaphors
and their
meaning

Interpretation
of similes and
metaphor
meaning.
Understan
ding
meaning
Recognize
simile/
metaphor

Students come
together on the
floor with their
summaries.
Some students
will share their
summaries.

Assessment
will be done
through
looking over
the summary
students
wrote about
the article.
Noting key
informatio
n
Using key
informatio

Focus group
Students will read the princess
Penelope text to find figurative
language and will have a small
group discussion about the
meaning.

If students finish early they are to

share their summaries with a

Interactive
whiteboard

tablets

Session 9
Students will
watch another
news report in
order to compare
the two
Resources
Interactive
whiteboard
tablets

Session 10
Students will
continue to learn
the features of a
news report in
order to write
their own news
report.
Resources

partner to see if there was any

important information they may
have forgotten

n to write
summary

Focus group focus group

Teacher will take a small group of
EAL students, first discussing the
important information and writing
it down as a group. Then create a
summary by using the information
written down.
Using the
headline
written on the
board, students
are to write a
small prediction
of what they
think the article
will be about.
(headline. A
success in
space)

Students will watch the following

news report on floods
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s342
9411.htm
Students are to take down the
important information and write at
least one quote that they think stand
out. As a class discuss the reporters
role and who the news was aimed
at? Compare this video to
yesterdays. What was different
about it?

Students will write a small

summary about the video, using
their notes, including one quote
that they thought stood out
during the video.
Students will then share there
summary with another person to
see if there is anything they could
add or change

Some students
will share their
summary to the
class, talking
about what they
have included
and why it may
have been good
or what could be
improved

Using the
headline
written on the
board, students
are to write a
small
newspaper
article that they
think the article
will be about.

Students will first look at the pictures

of floods, then as a class brainstorm
a news report that might accompany
these pictures. Remember to use key
quotes and information gained from
previous lessons
Questions
If you were a news reporter on the
scene what kind of questions would
you ask? Why? What do you think

Students will write a news report

around the topic of floods, using
their tablets and the template
created.

Students will
share their work
in groups of 3 or
4.

Focus group
Students will come together to
discuss what a written news
report may look like, model
writing one and students will then

Roving/
listening to
students share
work
noting key
informatio
n
using key
informatio
n
reflecting/
revising
work
Collection of
student work
Use of
figurative
language
Use of
adjectives
Use of
informatio

Flood pictures

Session 11
The students will
start to write a
news report on
floods, using
their planner
made from the
previous lesson.

(headline. A
Massive
dinosaur
discovery)

they would answer?

Model how to complete the news
article template worksheet.

have a go at doing their own

Come up with
ideas for a
newspaper
headline on
floods

As a class first read over the

sample model Homes swallowed
word document. Discuss the
features of this news report.

Students who have not

finished their plan will finish
and others will start to write
their news reports on their
tablets. Students will be
writing headline, byline and
introduction.

Look over the created plan for a

news report on floods. Discuss
how the plan will be used to help
us write our news report. Model
using the plan to start to write
our article. Start writing
introduction

Interactive
whiteboard
Tablets
Homes
swallowed
news report
Created plan
Session 12
Students will
continue to write
there news
report about
floods

Interactive
whiteboard
Tablets

Write a list of
questions a
news reporter
may ask a
flood victim

Questions
What do you notice about this
report?
How does our plan help us write
a report?
As a class read over the sample
model Homes swallowed word
document. Discuss the features
of this news report.
Look over the created plan for a
news report on floods. Model
using the plan to start to write
the body of news report. Model
using talking marks.

n from
previous
lessons

Students will
share their
notes

Listening to
students
share work
Introducin
g the
article
Interestin
g
headline
Understa
nding of
byline

Students will
share their
work in groups
of 3 or 4.

Observation
and
collection of
work
Use of
quotes
and
talking
marks
Adjective

Focus Group: Asraa, Ranya,

Alashter, Yasemin, Marcus
Students will be finishing their
plan with the help of the
teacher

Students will use their plan to

continue writing their news
report. Students should be up
to writing their body of their
news report.
Focus group: Asraa, Ranya,
Alashter, Yasemin, Marcus
Students will come together to
discuss what a written news

Homes
swallowed
news report
Created plan

Session 13
Students will
continue to write
their news
report on floods.

Interactive
whiteboard
Tablets
Homes
swallowed
news report
Created plan
Session 14
Students will
evaluate and
reflect on their
newsreport from
the class
discussion

Write a list of
rhetorical
questions you
may end an
article with.
E.g. What will
tomorrows
weather
bring?

Write a story
with speech
mark and do
not use the
word said.

Questions
What do you notice about this
report?
How can we use our plan to write
our news report?
As a class model how to write
concluding comment and
reported by, through the use of
the created plan and the sample
model.
Model editing work and revising
work.

Show the class some sample

newsreopts and model giving warm
and cool feedback on these reports.
The aim is to be specific about why it
was good, such as good use of
figurative language.

report may look like, model

writing one and students will
then have a go at doing their
own
Students will use their plan to
continue writing their news
report. Students should be
finishing their report and
editing. (see others before me)

s in work
Interesting
facts
included
Students will
share their
news report to
the class

Collection of
student work
Use of
quotes
and
talking
marks
Adjective
s in work
Interesting
facts
included

Students will
shre their
newspaper
article if they
want.

Collection of
work

Focus Group: Asraa, Ranya,

Alashter, Yasemin, Marcus

Students will then be split into

small groups to give warm and
cool feedback to the students
in their group. Students will
then be given time to have
another look over their work to
make any changes on their
tablets.