Journalist for a Day: A Lesson Plan on Writing News, Opinion, and Feature Articles

Transform your students into journalists with this engaging ELA lesson plan on text structure. Learners will explore the distinct styles of opinion editorials, news reports (inverted pyramid), and feature articles through hands-on activities. Perfect for middle or high school, this lesson teaches students to identify key writing components and then apply them by writing three unique articles on a single topic, mastering how to persuade, inform, and engage an audience.

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Lesson Plan: Journalist for a Day!

Materials Needed:

  • Notebook or journal
  • Pen or pencil
  • Access to the internet (for viewing sample articles)
  • Highlighters (at least 3 different colors)
  • Printed copies of 3-4 sample articles (one opinion editorial, one sports news report, and one science feature article)
  • Optional: A "Press Pass" printable to make it more fun
  • Optional: Computer or tablet for writing the final articles

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, you (Aira Marie) will be able to:

  1. (Cognitive) Differentiate between the text structures of opinion editorials, news reports, and feature articles by identifying their key components (e.g., thesis statement, inverted pyramid, narrative hook).
  2. (Psychomotor) Create three short articles about a single topic, correctly applying the distinct text structures for an opinion editorial, a news report, and a feature story.
  3. (Affective) Express a reasoned opinion on a topic you care about, showing an appreciation for how text structure helps an author to persuade, inform, and engage their audience.

Lesson Proper (EFDT Model)

1. ENGAGE (10 minutes) - Your Press Pass Mission!

Hello, Aira Marie! Today, you’re not just a student; you’re an investigative journalist, and this is your first assignment. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to become an expert at understanding how journalists build their stories.

Think about your favorite YouTuber, blogger, or news site. How do they tell a story about a new video game versus how they share their opinion on it? They use different blueprints, or text structures, to build their articles for different purposes.

Opening Task: "Headline Hunt"

Let's look at these three headlines:

  1. "Why 'Stardew Valley' Is the Most Relaxing Game Ever Made"
  2. "Team Liquid Wins Valorant Championship in Thrilling 3-2 Final"
  3. "The Amazing Science Behind Your Smartphone's Touchscreen"

In your notebook, quickly jot down: What do you think each article will be about? What is the author's goal for each one (to persuade you, to inform you of an event, or to explain something in detail)? Don't worry about being right or wrong; this is just our starting point!

2. FACILITATE (25 minutes) - Decoding the Journalist's Toolkit

Great work, journalist! Now, let's learn the secrets behind those headlines. We will look at three main "blueprints" that writers use. We'll use the sample articles you have and our highlighters.

Activity 1: The Opinion Editorial - The Power of Persuasion

  • Purpose: To persuade the reader to agree with a specific viewpoint.
  • Structure:
    • The Hook & Claim (Highlight in Pink): The first paragraph grabs the reader's attention and clearly states the author's main argument or opinion (thesis).
    • The Evidence (Highlight in Yellow): The body paragraphs provide reasons, facts, examples, and expert quotes to support the claim. Each paragraph usually focuses on one key reason.
    • The Call to Action (Highlight in Green): The conclusion summarizes the argument and often tells the reader what they should do or think now.
  • Your Task: Read the sample opinion editorial. Use your highlighters to find and mark the Hook/Claim, the Evidence, and the Call to Action. See how the structure makes the argument feel strong and clear?

Activity 2: The News Report (Sports/Science) - Just the Facts!

  • Purpose: To inform the reader about a recent event quickly and efficiently.
  • Structure: The Inverted Pyramid
    • The Lead (Highlight in Pink): The very first sentence or two contains the MOST important information: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
    • The Body (Highlight in Yellow): The following paragraphs add more details, context, and direct quotes, in decreasing order of importance.
    • The Tail (Highlight in Green): The end contains the least essential information (background details, etc.). This structure allows a busy reader to get all the main facts just by reading the beginning.
  • Your Task: Now, take the sports news article. Highlight the "5 Ws" in the lead paragraph. Notice how the most critical facts are right at the top.

Activity 3: The Feature Article (Sports/Science) - The Human Story

  • Purpose: To explore a topic in-depth, tell a compelling story, or explain a complex idea in an engaging way. It's less about breaking news and more about the "so what?"
  • Structure: The Narrative Arc
    • The Hook (Highlight in Pink): It often starts with a story, a surprising fact, or a descriptive scene to draw the reader in. It doesn't give everything away at once.
    • The Body (Highlight in Yellow): This part unfolds like a story. It might explain a person's journey (an athlete's training), the history of a discovery, or how something works step-by-step. It uses storytelling, descriptions, and quotes.
    • The Kicker (Highlight in Green): The ending provides a satisfying conclusion, a final thought-provoking quote, or a look to the future.
  • Your Task: Read the science feature article. How does the beginning hook you differently than the news report? Highlight the parts that feel more like storytelling than just reporting facts.

3. DEBRIEF (10 minutes) - Editor-in-Chief Challenge

Alright, Aira Marie, let's check your new skills. Imagine you're the Editor-in-Chief. I'm going to give you three article ideas. You tell me which text structure (Opinion, News Report, or Feature) would be best for each and explain WHY.

  • Idea 1: An article announcing that a new planet was just discovered yesterday by NASA.
  • Idea 2: An article arguing that schools should have a four-day week.
  • Idea 3: An article telling the life story of the scientist who discovered the new planet, including her childhood dreams and struggles.

Let's discuss your choices. This helps solidify how the purpose of the article determines its structure. You're showing that you really understand the 'why' behind the writing!

4. TRANSFER (45 minutes) - Your Byline: Aira Marie Reports!

This is your final assignment, star reporter! You're going to create your own mini-newspaper or blog page.

Step 1: Choose Your Topic (5 mins)

Pick one topic that you know and love. It could be anything!

  • A favorite video game (e.g., Minecraft, Animal Crossing)
  • A favorite sport or hobby (e.g., drawing, swimming, coding)
  • A pet
  • A new piece of technology in your home

Step 2: Write Your Three Articles (35 mins)

Now, write three short articles (each just 1-2 paragraphs long) about your ONE topic, using the different structures we learned. This will show how you can talk about the same thing in totally different ways.

  1. An Opinion Editorial: Argue why your chosen topic is the best. Use a clear claim, provide at least two pieces of evidence (reasons), and end with a concluding statement. (This connects to your affective objective—sharing your passion persuasively!)
  2. A News Report: Report on a recent "event" related to your topic. For example, "Aira Marie Reaches Level 50 in [Game]!" or "Local Artist Aira Marie Completes New Masterpiece!" Use the Inverted Pyramid structure—get the Who, What, When, and Where into the first sentence.
  3. A Feature Article: Tell a small story about your topic. Start with a narrative hook. For example, explain the fascinating history of your favorite sport, or describe the complex coding behind a feature in your favorite game. Make it engaging and descriptive.

Step 3: Share Your Work (5 mins)

Read your articles aloud. As you read, think about your audience. Which article would excite them? Which would inform them the fastest? Which would make them feel a certain way? Great job today, journalist! You've proven you know how to use text structure to create clarity and purpose in your writing.