Writing

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Building background: Starting the reporting process

This is a lesson on how to begin research for a feature story.

Feature writing: Finding the theme

Start strong, end strong

In this lesson, students will learn how to construct strong leads and endings to their feature stories by exploring leads types and experimenting with different leads and endings for their own features.

What’s in the middle of your feature?

In this lesson, students will learn how to organize the middle of a feature story and maintain a thematic connection throughout.

Introduction to personality profiles

This is a lesson to introduce profile basics including content, differing types and the final assignment of a 500-700 word profile.

Personality profile: Finding a theme and gathering information

In this lesson about what makes a good profile subject and how to gather information, students will begin by reading a third profile and discussing it. They will then explore what makes a good subject and angle as well as what a reporter must do to construct a good profile. Finally, the teacher will introduce the rubric and clarify expectations.

News reports versus feature stories

Students will discuss the concept that everyone has a story. Then, students will learn the differences between news and features.

Team interviewing fishbowl

This is a lesson that capitalizes on teamwork to develop questions and fishbowl an interview for the class.

Types of feature stories

A lesson introducing and exploring feature story types.

Developing questions for a profile

his is a lesson in which students develop interview questions and begin the interview process for their personality profile.

Introduction to vignettes

Students will take a quiz over feature types and then read and discuss a vignette and what the reporter needed to do to write the piece.

What’s in the middle of your profile?

In this lesson on how to structure the middle of a profile, students will learn how to organize and heighten readability.

Writing a vignette

This is a lesson in which students will learn about feature style and begin crafting their first vignette.

Finding and focusing for fast turnaround

In this lesson on how to find and develop features quickly from start to finish, students will brainstorm feature ideas from the news, pitch those ideas for publication, then research, write, revise and publish in a three-day cycle.

Revising to be heard

This is a lesson on revision and literary elements to incorporate into feature writing.

Polishing for a portfolio

Resources: Feature writing examples

The following includes links to a variety of feature story examples.

News writing tips and tricks

This is a multi-part lesson on how to write high-quality news articles that attract readers.

Revising and editing news stories

Students will practice writing and editing their work in addition to editing other students’ work.

News defined: What is news?

This is a basic lesson to teach students to recognize that news must be informative, interesting and factual, or it is not news.

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