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Lights, Camera...Ticket...2
Students research the pros and cons of traffic light cameras that generate tickets and interview local city officials to see if they have considered this for the community. Students then prepare a panel to present the advantages and...
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Cell Phones with Cameras Banned in Locker Rooms
Students research the way phones work and what places - both locally and nationally - have already faced the problem of in appropriate use. Students also interview gym owners or managers in their community and those who use they gyms....
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Don't Flick Your Bic!
Students research the ban on lighters and how it is being enforced and interview community members who smoke, especially travelers who have or might be stopped for carrying lighters. Students then write an opinion piece about the situation.
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Concealed Weapons Law Editorials: A Study of Persuasive Writing
High schoolers research Ohio's concealed gun legislation using provided resource links, read editorials and commentaries from Ohio's daily and weekly newspapers, and analyze these opinion pieces.
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How safe is your school bus?
Students research various aspects of school bus safety about what makes a bus safe or unsafe. They check the Internet (with sites below and others) and see what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has to say.
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Levies don't pass...and schools cut costs
Students collect financial statements from the district and study how money is spent now. They interview the superintendent, school board members and/or the district's financial officer.
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Towing Cars -- Legally and Not So Legally
Students discuss the issue of having cars towed in a small community when they should not be. After watching a local news story on the issue, they work together to conduct three full days of research. They write an article to be...
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Minority Graduation Rates: A 50-50 Chance
Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources. For this lesson the issue is minority graduation rates.
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Contraceptives and conscience
Pupils read The New Republic article and/or watch the News Ohio streaming video package. They employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different...
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First Amendment and the Future
Students read the Knight report and discuss key findings before deciding what aspects of the findings students can replicate in their own school and conduct a survey. They write survey questions and test them on sample group before...
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Reporter rights vs. legal access...
Students write an article to inform readers about confidentiality with reporters, attempting to find local lawyers and journalists to explain the issues as they relate to them. Students research past cases and the status of the current...
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Telemarketers in your midst: Will students lose their jobs?
Write an article about the impact of the National Do Not Call Registry on your readers. Students research the National Do Not Call Registry, the FTC, the FCC, and the most current status of related court cases. Students research what the...
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Stepping in: Good Samaritan or Fool?
Students write an opinion piece, including facts of this situation and any other statistics about helping others during a fight. Students offer suggestions about how to break up a fight, or when not to try (based on what national experts...
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Finding a Way to Cover a Student Death
Young scholars read articles and discuss how to cover student deaths and consider developing a policy about how to cover deaths of students and/or faculty. Young scholars also interview counselors, especially those who deal with grief...
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Some see art, some see vandalism
Students find out what the laws are concerning graffiti in the community. Is it a misdemeanor, does being caught result in a fine? Jail? Community service to remove it? The information is found by interviewing key people in the community.
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Shattered Glass Study Guide
Students view a movie about ethical journalism and Stephen Glass' rise at The New Republic. In this news ethics lesson, students view "Shattered Glass" and explore Glass' descent into an ethical black hole. Students complete...
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Getting the Story
Students examine and discuss the basic elements of a newspaper article. They listen to articles, discuss the 'inverted pyramid' style of a breaking news article, and list imaginary current events based on mythological characters.
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Editing
Explore the writing process by reviewing previously written work. First, middle schoolers analyze a handout in which they must read the text and correct the mistakes with an editing checklist. They proofread their editing and share their...
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Editorial Writing
Use your class's knowledge of pollution and water treatment to write an editorial to town citizens. They apply prior knowledge in order to compose a letter intended for newspaper publication, focusing on writing to an appropriate audience.
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Writing the Newspaper Article
The class reads several newspaper articles and analyze them for purpose, style, tone, length and organization. They interview each other about important events in their lives and write journalistic articles.
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Newspaper Challenge
Here is a clever way to teach students how to write like a journalist. Each of these six slides gives some information about an event. Learners must take that information and use it as if they are writing a newspaper article about the...
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Don't Lose Your Way in the News
Students explore language arts by participating in a newspaper analysis activity. In this journalism instructional activity, students identify how newspapers present stories, who is writing them and how they can obtain...
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Family Newscast
Learners report on family trends, functions of the family and various ways of selecting marriage partners. In this family lesson plan, students act as editors, commercial skits, and writers for a newscast about families.
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Navigating the Road to the White House
Students explore U.S. politics by researching the Presidential requirements. In this electoral process lesson plan, students identify the main requirements to become a Presidential candidate and the two main political parties. Students...