News Basics
What is news?
A report of recent events or information that is important or interesting
What is the purpose of a headline?
To grab attention!
Name the five Ws.
Who, What, When, Where, Why
What is the first paragraph of a news story called?
The lead or introductory paragraph
Which is a fact? "It rained yesterday." or "Rainy days are boring."
It rained yesterday.
Name the three main parts of a news story
Headline, Lead, Body
How long are headlines?
About 5-7 words
Which question tells us the location of an event?
Where
Which part of a news story contains supporting details?
The body paragraph
Which sentence is an opinion? "The concert started at 7 p.m." or "The concert was amazing."
The concert was amazing.
Which type of writing reports facts instead of opinions?
News writing.
Rewrite as a headline to be more catchy: "Students planted 50 trees on Friday."
Examples: Students Plant 50 Trees; Students Plant Trees Friday.
Which question explains the reason something happened?
Why
Why is the lead the most important paragraph?
It summarizes the most important information
Read this sentence: "The talented singer performed at the concert." Which word makes it an opinion?
talented
Give two qualities that make an event newsworthy
Examples: Timely, important, unusual, local, impactful, interesting, new
Which headline is better?
A. "A Basketball Game Was Played Yesterday"
B. "Tigers Win State Basketball Championship"
B
Where do the 5 W's usually go
introductory paragraphy
Put these in order: Body, Headline, Lead.
Headline → Lead → Body.
Why should journalists separate facts from opinions?
To remain objective and credible.
Explain why news should be accurate and unbiased
because readers rely on news to make informed decisions
Identify two features of an effective headline
Short, clear, specific, strong verbs, accurate, includes who and what
Read: "On Monday evening, firefighters rescued a family from a house in Seattle." Which of the 5 Ws is not answered?
Why
Which section should contain the least important information?
The end of the body (the final paragraphs).
List three signal words to identify opinions
best, worst, I think, I believe, ....