Monday, October 11, 2010

Classwork for Tuesday, October 12th

ACTIVITY #1

You Make the Decision!
News Literacy Activity

You are the editor of a local newspaper. From the following list of available stories, you have to plan your next edition. You do not have unlimited space. You have room to run one large story, or “lead” story, on the front page along with three smaller stories.
Use the graph on the following page to rate each story on level of importance and level of interest to your audience. Then choose your “lead” story, your three secondary stories, and explain why you would give them more attention than the others.
You charge 50 cents a copy and there are three other competing newspapers in the area.

1. Female faculty members at a local university file a landmark sex discrimination suit against the university, alleging that women get paid less than their male counterparts. As evidence, they present the first comparative list of salaries, department by department.
2. The 6 year-old daughter of the local high school principal is reported missing from the campus day-care facility. Police fear a kidnapping and put out an alert for the public’s help. The principal is currently embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her husband.
3. Two-dozen homeless people are arrested after they are discovered behind the town power plant. Advocates say it points to the growing problem of the homeless this winter throughout the area.
4. A local high school senior, who works two jobs after school, wins $5 million dollars in the lottery and announces that he will treat his graduating class to the prom.
5. The current United States president has a new budge proposal that calls for a sharp increase in the interest rate for college loans. Some members of Congress have denounced the change and have urged students to lobby against the measure.
6. Six local students are arrested following a sit-in-by several hundred people at town-square protesting the increasing number of fast-food restaurants and the rise of obesity and diabetes in the town. They want to see more healthy options in restaurants for their town.
7. The local high school basketball team is undefeated and is going to the state championship for the first time.
8. Two students are killed by a drunk driver while walking along an unlit road in town. Residents have complained about this stretch of road for years.
9. Your reporter learns exclusively that The Jonas Brothers have chosen your town to be the kickoff site for their next tour and tickets will go on sale next week.
10. Elections for Mayor are coming up and both candidates will be speaking at the local high school to debate the rising cost of school taxes.




You Make the Decision! News Literacy Activity

No comments:

Post a Comment