1. Newspaper Project
To Kill a Mockingbird

2. Objectives
Students will learn how to write news articles, feature articles, and editorials.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the plot, characters, and themes in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Students will learn how to use Microsoft Publisher to create a finished newspaper including a variety of articles from the novel.

3. Three types of articles for this assignment:
News Article
Feature Article
Editorial

4. News Article
The main purpose is to inform the public about factual events.

5. Feature Article
The main purpose is to entertain.

6. Editorial
The main purpose is to persuade.

7. News Articles

8. News Article A typical news article contains five parts: Headline
Byline
Lead Paragraph
Explanation
Additional Information

9. News Article Headline & Byline
The headline is a short, attention-getting statement about the event.
The byline tells who wrote the story.

10. News Article The Lead
The first paragraph contains the “lead,” or a summary of all of the facts.
The lead answers who, what, where, when, and sometimes why or how.
The lead is usually one-two sentences.

11. News Article Explanation Paragraphs
The body paragraphs should explain, with specific details, the facts presented in the lead.
Facts are arranged in descending order of importance (most important facts first—least important facts last)

12. News Article The Inverted Pyramid
Most Important Facts
Least Important Facts

13. News Article Additional Information
This information is the least important.
If needed, editors will delete this information if the article is too lengthy for the space provided in the newspaper.

14. Sample News Article
Read Handout including article: “High Flying Escape Ends in Death”

15. Possible News Articles
Miss Maudie’s House Fire
Rabid Dog Shot
Prowler at Radley Home
Attempted Murder of Tom Robinson
Missing Child Found

16. Feature Articles

17. Feature Articles Similar to Informal or Formal Essays
Should have a beginning, a middle, and an end
Show author’s voice and style
Allow for creativity, humor, insight, reflection, etc.

18. Types of Feature Articles Human Interest Feature
This is the most common type of feature article.
This type typically reports on someone’s success in spite of great odds.
It may recall a tragic predicament.
It may share a continuing struggle supported only by hope and faith.

19. Types of Feature Articles How-To-Do-It Feature
· This article explains how to do something – usually a complex process that most people would not know how to do.
· The best how-to articles begin by telling the reader why it is important or beneficial for him or her to know how to do this.
· The article explains the steps of the process in enough detail so that another person can do this process.
· This article also includes a list of all of the materials needed to do this process.

20. Types of Feature Articles Historical Feature
·This article focuses on an historical event or historical celebration.
· The article typically includes research but is not like an encyclopedia report. The article serves as a human interest history lesson.
· This type of writing is usually puts a “human face” on history. In other words, it lets the reader know something about the people who were part of history.

21. Other Types of Feature Articles
The News Feature
The Autobiographical Feature
The Personality (Biographical) Feature
The Weather Feature
The Humorous—and Perhaps Satirical Feature

22. Sample Feature Articles
Autobiographical (First Person):
Interview:
Earth Day Feature:

23. Possible Feature Articles
Fun in the Snow
A Day in the Life of…
How to… (plants, cooking, be a lady, etc.)
Miss Caroline’s First Day
20 Years Ago Today…
The Maycomb County Courthouse
Atticus Finch—Defender of Tom Robinson
Atticus Finch—One Shot Finch

24. Editorial Introduction Body Paragraphs Conclusion
Introduce Your Topic (Hook)
Provide Basic Information Needed
State Your Opinion—Call for Action
Body Paragraphs
Put most important facts in first and last body paragraphs
Conclusion
Restate your main point
Encourage people to take action

25. Possible Editorials Tom’s Guilt or Innocence
Integration of Schools and/or Churches
Attendance Policy at School
Best Teaching Methods
Town Safety
Ways to Better the Economy

26. Project Requirements _____ News Articles _____ Feature Articles
_____ Editorial
_____ Advertisement
_____ “Fun” Element

27. Project Requirements Continued
Newspaper must be created using Microsoft Publisher.
Articles must be sent to School Fusion using Microsoft Word or Notepad to be transferred to Publisher
Newspaper should include pictures where appropriate

28. Possible “Fun” Elements
Obituaries
Gossip Column
Advice Column
Political Cartoons
Cartoons
Classified Ads
Games: Word Search, Etc.

29. WARNING “Fun” Elements
Fun elements MUST show your knowledge of the plot, characters & themes in the novel.
Show your insight and creativity here! Impress me!