Instructions
You are a junior reporter for the "School Weekly News"! A strange and mysterious event has just happened, and it's your job to report the facts. A report gives factual information about an event. It should be clear and easy to understand. Your main tool is the 5 Ws and an H: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.
Read the reporter's notes about the incident below, organize the facts, and then write your news report.
Part 1: The Reporter's Notebook
Here are the notes you've gathered about the incident. Read them carefully.
- Puddle of shimmering, green slime found in the school cafeteria.
- Happened yesterday during the busy lunchtime period, around 12:30 PM.
- Lunch monitor, Mrs. Gable, was the first to see it. "I've never seen anything like it in my 20 years here!" she said.
- Principal Thompson has closed off the area and is investigating.
- The cause is a complete mystery. How did it get there?
- Leo, a 5th-grade student, said, "It smelled sweet, like bubblegum and limes."
- Another witness, Maya, saw it bubbling slowly. "It was glowing a little bit," she claimed.
- Some students are whispering that it's from a failed experiment in Mr. Kelvin's science class. Others think it was a clever prank.
Part 2: Organize Your Facts
Use the notes from Part 1 to fill in the 5 Ws and an H below. This will help you structure your report.
WHO was involved?
WHAT happened?
WHERE did it happen?
WHEN did it happen?
WHY / HOW did it happen? (What are the possible reasons?)
Part 3: Write Your News Report
Now, use your organized facts to write a short news report about the incident. Remember to give it a catchy headline! Your first paragraph should summarize the main points (What, Where, When).
Headline:
Report:
Answer Key
Note: The answers for the written report will vary, but they should include the key facts from the notes. Below are example answers.
Part 2: Organize Your Facts (Example Answers)
WHO was involved?
WHAT happened?
WHERE did it happen?
WHEN did it happen?
WHY / HOW did it happen? (What are the possible reasons?)
Part 3: Write Your News Report (Example Report)
Headline:
Report:
A mysterious puddle of shimmering green slime appeared in the middle of the school cafeteria yesterday at around 12:30 PM. The strange substance has left students and staff puzzled, and the area has been closed off pending an investigation.
The slime was first discovered by lunch monitor Mrs. Gable. Witnesses described the slime as bubbling slowly and glowing slightly. "It smelled sweet, like bubblegum and limes," reported 5th-grade student Leo.
The origin of the slime is currently unknown. While some students suspect a prank, others believe it may be linked to a science experiment. Principal Thompson has announced that an official investigation is underway to determine the cause of the strange event.