School News Reporters: Capturing and Reporting School Life
Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.In an evolving media landscape, how can student journalists capture and ethically convey newsworthy stories that resonate with our school community, utilizing diverse writing styles, visuals, and platforms?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How do journalists determine what is newsworthy and relevant to their audience?
- What are the ethical considerations that journalists must take into account when reporting on a story?
- How do different writing styles and techniques impact the way a story is received by the audience?
- What role do visuals play in storytelling, and how can they be used effectively to enhance a news or feature story?
- How do news publications adapt to the changing media landscape and engage their audience through different platforms?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Students will develop journalistic writing skills including news and feature writing.
- Students will learn photojournalism techniques and apply them to capture school events.
- Students will understand and apply journalistic ethics in their reporting.
- Students will adapt their writing and content for different media platforms.
- Students will identify and evaluate newsworthy topics relevant to the school community.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to students"Breaking News" Simulation
A local news station reports a breaking story about a controversial decision made by the school board, but their facts are shaky. Students, acting as investigative reporters, must verify the information, interview stakeholders, and present an accurate report to the class, challenging them to think critically about media accuracy and bias right from the start."Social Media Takeover" Challenge
The principal announces a school-wide competition to revamp the school's social media presence with more student-generated content. Students form teams to develop a content strategy, create sample posts (photos, short videos, articles), and present their ideas to a panel of judges, simulating the real-world challenge of engaging an audience through digital media."Caption Challenge" Photo Analysis
Present students with a series of compelling photos from past school events, but with intentionally misleading or ambiguous captions. Challenge them to rewrite the captions to accurately reflect the context and story behind each image, emphasizing the power of visual storytelling and the importance of accurate representation.Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio."Style Switch Challenge"
Students will practice writing both a hard news story and a feature story on the same topic to understand the difference in style and approach.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityTwo articles: one written as a news report and the other as a feature story, both covering the same event or topic.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will develop journalistic writing skills including news and feature writing."Lens on School Life"
Students will learn basic photography techniques (composition, lighting, focus) and apply them to capture images of school life.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA photo essay with captions, showcasing a specific aspect of school life or a recent event.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will learn photojournalism techniques and apply them to capture school events."Ethics Compass"
Students will analyze case studies of ethical dilemmas in journalism and discuss how to apply ethical principles to their own reporting.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA personal ethics code for student journalists, outlining principles and guidelines for responsible reporting.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will understand and apply journalistic ethics in their reporting."Platform Pioneer"
Students will adapt a news story for different platforms (e.g., website, social media, print), considering the unique characteristics and audience of each platform.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityAdapted versions of a news story for at least three different media platforms, demonstrating an understanding of platform-specific writing styles and formats.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will adapt their writing and content for different media platforms."Newsworthiness Navigator"
Students brainstorm and pitch story ideas relevant to the school. They'll learn to identify what makes a story newsworthy based on the 5 Ws and H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How).Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA pitch document outlining the story idea, its relevance, potential sources, and why it's newsworthy.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsLearning Goal: Students will identify and evaluate newsworthy topics relevant to the school community.Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioHigh School Journalism Portfolio Rubric
Writing Styles & Comparison
This category assesses the student's ability to write both a hard news story and a feature story on the same topic, demonstrating an understanding of different writing styles and approaches.Factual Accuracy
Accuracy of Factual Information in News Report
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates exceptional accuracy and attention to detail in presenting factual information. All facts are verified with multiple sources and presented without bias.
Proficient
3 PointsPresents accurate factual information in the news report with minimal errors. Most facts are verified and sources are generally reliable.
Developing
2 PointsPresents factual information with some inaccuracies or omissions. Verification of facts is inconsistent and sources may be questionable.
Beginning
1 PointsPresents inaccurate or incomplete factual information in the news report. Lacks verification and relies on unreliable sources.
Contextual Depth
Depth and Context in Feature Story
Exemplary
4 PointsProvides insightful and comprehensive context in the feature story, exploring multiple perspectives and going beyond surface-level information.
Proficient
3 PointsProvides sufficient context in the feature story, exploring different angles and providing relevant background information.
Developing
2 PointsProvides limited context in the feature story, lacking depth and failing to explore multiple perspectives.
Beginning
1 PointsProvides minimal or no context in the feature story, resulting in a superficial and incomplete narrative.
Style Analysis
Comparison and Contrast of Writing Styles
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the differences between news and feature writing, providing insightful and nuanced analysis.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates a clear understanding of the differences between news and feature writing, providing accurate and relevant comparisons.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates a basic understanding of the differences between news and feature writing, but lacks depth in analysis.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates a limited understanding of the differences between news and feature writing, failing to identify key distinctions.
Photojournalism & Visual Storytelling
This category evaluates the student's ability to capture images of school life and use them to tell a story, demonstrating their understanding of photojournalism techniques.Photography Skills
Technical Skill in Photography (Composition, Lighting, Focus)
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates mastery of photography techniques, capturing images with exceptional composition, lighting, and focus to create visually compelling photographs.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates strong photography skills, capturing images with good composition, lighting, and focus.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates developing photography skills, but images may have some issues with composition, lighting, or focus.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates limited photography skills, with significant issues in composition, lighting, or focus.
Visual Narrative
Storytelling through Visuals
Exemplary
4 PointsEffectively uses a series of photographs to tell a compelling story or convey a powerful message about school life.
Proficient
3 PointsUses a series of photographs to tell a clear story or convey a message about school life.
Developing
2 PointsAttempts to use photographs to tell a story, but the narrative is unclear or disjointed.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to use photographs to tell a story or convey a message about school life.
Caption Quality
Caption Writing (Context and Depth)
Exemplary
4 PointsWrites captions that provide insightful context and add significant depth to the visual narrative, enhancing the viewer's understanding and appreciation.
Proficient
3 PointsWrites captions that provide clear context and add depth to the visual narrative.
Developing
2 PointsWrites captions that provide basic context, but lack depth or detail.
Beginning
1 PointsWrites captions that are minimal or missing, failing to provide adequate context.
Journalistic Ethics
This category assesses the student's ability to understand and apply journalistic ethics in their own reporting.Ethical Understanding
Research and Understanding of Ethical Dilemmas
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of ethical dilemmas, conducting thorough research and exploring multiple perspectives.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates a solid understanding of ethical dilemmas, conducting adequate research and considering different viewpoints.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates a basic understanding of ethical dilemmas, but research is limited and perspectives are not fully explored.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates a limited understanding of ethical dilemmas, with minimal research and a lack of perspective.
Ethics Code Quality
Clarity and Completeness of Ethics Code
Exemplary
4 PointsDevelops a clear, comprehensive, and well-articulated personal ethics code that addresses key ethical considerations and provides specific guidelines for responsible reporting.
Proficient
3 PointsDevelops a clear and complete personal ethics code that addresses key ethical considerations and provides general guidelines for responsible reporting.
Developing
2 PointsDevelops a personal ethics code that addresses some ethical considerations, but lacks clarity or completeness.
Beginning
1 PointsDevelops a personal ethics code that is incomplete or unclear, failing to address key ethical considerations.
Ethical Application
Application of Ethical Principles
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a deep and thoughtful application of ethical principles, providing insightful analysis and justifications for each guideline.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates a sound application of ethical principles, providing clear explanations for each guideline.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates a basic application of ethical principles, but explanations may be superficial.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates a limited application of ethical principles, with minimal explanation or justification.
Multi-Platform Adaptation
This category evaluates the student's ability to adapt a news story for different media platforms, demonstrating an understanding of the unique characteristics and audience of each platform.Platform Adaptation
Adaptation to Platform-Specific Styles
Exemplary
4 PointsSkillfully adapts the news story to each platform, demonstrating a deep understanding of platform-specific writing styles, formats, and audience expectations.
Proficient
3 PointsSuccessfully adapts the news story to each platform, demonstrating a good understanding of platform-specific writing styles and formats.
Developing
2 PointsAttempts to adapt the news story to each platform, but adaptations may be superficial or inconsistent.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to adapt the news story to each platform, demonstrating a limited understanding of platform-specific requirements.
Visual & Interactive Integration
Use of Visuals and Interactive Elements
Exemplary
4 PointsEffectively incorporates visuals and interactive elements to enhance the story on different platforms, maximizing engagement and user experience.
Proficient
3 PointsIncorporates visuals and interactive elements to enhance the story on different platforms.
Developing
2 PointsIncludes some visuals or interactive elements, but their impact is limited.
Beginning
1 PointsFails to incorporate visuals or interactive elements to enhance the story.
Coherence & Readability
Overall Coherence and Readability
Exemplary
4 PointsPresents a coherent and highly readable story across all platforms, ensuring clarity, consistency, and engaging content for the target audience.
Proficient
3 PointsPresents a coherent and readable story across all platforms.
Developing
2 PointsPresents a story that is somewhat coherent and readable, but may have some inconsistencies or confusing elements.
Beginning
1 PointsPresents a story that is incoherent or difficult to read across platforms.
Identifying Newsworthy Topics
This category assesses the student's ability to identify and evaluate newsworthy topics relevant to the school community.Idea Generation
Story Idea Generation and Brainstorming
Exemplary
4 PointsGenerates a wide range of creative and compelling story ideas that are highly relevant and engaging for the school community.
Proficient
3 PointsGenerates several relevant and engaging story ideas for the school community.
Developing
2 PointsGenerates a few story ideas, but some may lack relevance or engagement for the school community.
Beginning
1 PointsStruggles to generate relevant or engaging story ideas for the school community.
Newsworthiness Evaluation
Evaluation Based on 5 Ws and H
Exemplary
4 PointsDemonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the 5 Ws and H, applying them effectively to evaluate the potential impact and relevance of each story idea.
Proficient
3 PointsDemonstrates a clear understanding of the 5 Ws and H, applying them to evaluate the potential impact and relevance of each story idea.
Developing
2 PointsDemonstrates a basic understanding of the 5 Ws and H, but application to story idea evaluation is inconsistent.
Beginning
1 PointsDemonstrates a limited understanding of the 5 Ws and H, failing to apply them effectively to story idea evaluation.
Pitch Quality
Pitch Document Quality (Summary, Sources, Newsworthiness)
Exemplary
4 PointsDevelops a well-written and compelling pitch document that clearly summarizes the story idea, identifies potential sources, and convincingly explains why it's newsworthy.
Proficient
3 PointsDevelops a clear and informative pitch document that summarizes the story idea, identifies potential sources, and explains why it's newsworthy.
Developing
2 PointsDevelops a pitch document that summarizes the story idea and identifies some potential sources, but explanation of newsworthiness may be weak.
Beginning
1 PointsDevelops an incomplete or poorly written pitch document that lacks key information and fails to explain why the story is newsworthy.