Journalism HS/One Part | Unit 1 : News Then and Now | Lesson 1

Student Guide
Lesson 1: Course Introduction

What is this thing we call "news"? And who decides what matters enough to be considered news? In this unit, you
will learn how news is defined by professional journalists and what criteria they use, called news values, to
determine whether an event or incident warrants coverage.

Another aspect of the news is how the story gets told. Would you rather watch a television news broadcast or
follow today's stories on your laptop? In this unit you will take a look at various mediums through which news is
conveyed, and how these mediums affect the content. You will encounter key events in the history of journalism in
the United States and how the news has changed over time.

These days, journalists are expected to be "backpack journalists," individuals who can find the story, shoot the
visuals, conduct the interviews, write the narrative, put it all together, and ship it digitally back to the newsroom. In
this lesson, you will learn about backpack journalists and what tools a journalist needs to get the job done.

You will also learn to judge what is news worthy, and why news matters in a democratic society that considers a
free press a constitutional right.

Lesson Objectives
• Review course requirements.
• Describe different platforms.
• List common tools used by journalists.
• Describe the impact of the free press on the political and social history of the United States.

PREPARE
Approximate lesson time is 60 minutes.

Materials
For the Student
Assignment Overview: News Then and Now
Keywords and Pronunciation
free press : refers to the freedom that the media has to produce and present uncensored information, without fear
of restraint or punishment by the government or any other entities, providing a forum for all views to be shared

LEARN
Activity 1: Print Your Student Guide (Online)

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 Journalism HS/One Part | Unit 1 : News Then and Now | Lesson 1

Instructions
The first thing you should do when beginning any Journalism lesson is to print the Student Guide. The Student
Guide for each lesson contains

• an overview of the lesson

• a list of keywords
• a list of lesson materials
• space to take notes about all of the important ideas that you will cover in the lesson

Activity 2: Journalism (Online)

Instructions
Journalism—Course Overview

Types of Lessons
• Online lessons
• Reporter's Reflection independent research and journaling
• Correspondent's Column writing assignments
• On the Trail interviewing activities
• Threaded Discussion Boards

Course Resources
• News You Can Peruse
• Assignment Overview
• Model News Articles

Activity 3: Backpack Journalism (Online)

Instructions
Print the Assignment Overview document and review the tasks that you will complete for this unit.

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 Journalism HS/One Part | Unit 1 : News Then and Now | Lesson 1

Activity 4: Your Tools (Online)

Instructions
Use the space below to take notes as you work through the online lesson.

Journalistic Tools
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Activity 5: Why Journalism Matters (Online)

Instructions
• What is news?

• Free press

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