Teaching Language Arts Standards with Newspaper Articles

1. Teaching Language Arts Standards with Newspaper Articles Betty Hawley Iola High School July 12, 2011

2. Reading Standard #3 for Informational Text • Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

3. Reorder a newspaper article into chronological order. • Select an appropriate article about 10 column inches in length containing about 12 to 15 events. • Review “order of importance”; who, what, when, where, why/how. • Divide the article into events and cut apart. • Have students sequence the events to put them in time order.

4. Glue/tape and compare sequences; argue in small groups to reach agreement. • Give correct sequence and allow students to make corrections. • Compare to original article. • Draw conclusions/inferences about why the difference.

5. Reading Standard #1 for Informational Text • Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain

6. Writing Standard 2-b • 2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. • b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

7. Speaking and Listening Standards • 3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

8. 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clearand distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

9. Brainstorm essential questions the text inspires letting students select areas of interest. • Research for additional information (facts and details) related to or answering the essential questions. • Students take notes of added information. • Students may bring in articles suitable for this activity for additional credit.