Writing a News Report On the
Literacy Test...
Why a news report?
News reports teach students to write in a formal style
without referring to themselves.
Writing a news report teaches students how to organize
information differently, not like in a story or opinion essay.
•
HOW is information organized
differently in a news report?
In a STORY, information is usually
organized....
Chronologically,
from
the beginning to the end.
Finish
Start...
to
In a News Report, information is
usually organized....
• to start at the END !!
.... and EXPLAIN
how it all BEGAN !
It is STILL a story.
It tells a story but NOT in chronological order.
It begins with the end of an event.
THEN, it explains the background information that led to
this ending.
ALSO, it is organized from the most important
information to the least important.
It uses many short paragraphs. (4-5)
It does not use “dialogue,” but instead, uses direct
“quotations” from people involved.
Here’s an example of a story:
One day a hare saw a tortoise walking slowly along and began to
laugh and mock him. The tortoise, in response, challenged the hare
to a race and the hare, still laughing, accepted. They agreed on a
route and started off .The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some
time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought
he'd sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the
race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise,
plodding on, overtook him and finished the race. The hare woke up
and realized that he had lost. When he crossed the finish line, all of
the other forest creatures laughed at him.
“Slow and steady wins the race,” said the tortoise.
“I want a rematch,” replied the embarrassed hare.
Notice that...
You have to read the whole story to find out who won the
race.
The story starts with the least important information: how
it all started.
The story uses a long paragraph and dialogue (characters
talking to each other).
The writer is trying to teach us a moral or lesson.
A news report is organized for readers
who...
•
•
•
•
•
want to get the news quickly
only have time to read the first 1-3 paragraphs
may read in more depth if they want to
don’t want to be bored or intimidated by long paragraphs
want the facts told objectively without the writer’s opinion.
Here is the same “story” organized as a
news report:
In a stunning upset, a slow footed tortoise
defeated a speedy hare in a cross-country
marathon yesterday afternoon in Fableland
Forest.
A grudge match, the race began when the
hare mocked the tortoise for being slow
and the tortoise responded by challenging
him to a test of speed. They both agreed
upon a route and took off.
At first, the speedy rabbit took a
commanding lead while the tortoise
plodded on slowly and steadily.
Nearing the finish line, the hare decided to
save energy by resting in the cool shade
of a tree.
However, the hare soon fell asleep, and the
tortoise quietly crossed the finish line after
several hours.
Awaking dazed and confused, the hare
finished the race only to find the tortoise
celebrating his victory with the other
forest creatures.
“My strategy was simple,” said the
tortoise. “I gave 100% from beginning to
end and it all paid off.”
Humiliated, the hare immediately
challenged the tortoise to a rematch.
What’s the difference?
The news report BEGINS by explaining the OUTCOME of a
“story,” not the beginning.
It BEGINS by answering the Who? What? When? Where?
of an event.
It then explains the background to that event, the Why? and
the How?
It uses many short paragraphs (4-5 paragraphs of 2-4
sentences).
It uses a factual style and expresses no opinion.
Now, what kind of news report
do you have to write on the
literacy test?
The news report begins with
instructions to follow.
Task: Write a news report based on the headline and picture on the next
page.
 You will have to make up the facts and information using:
Who? What? Where? When?
Why? How?
 You must relate your newspaper report to the HEADLINE AND the PICTURE.
♦
Purpose and Audience: to report on an event for the readers of a
newspaper
♦
Length: The lined space provided for your written work indicates the
approximate length of the writing expected.
Make it 4-5 paragraphs with 2-4 sentences in EACH ONE. Start a new
paragraph for each speaker (for the quotations).
You are then shown a headline and photograph to
base your article upon.
Students raise money for good cause
What are you supposed to do?
Use the Headline given to you and your
imagination to come up with logical details that
connect to the picture and headline.
Write a news article of about 1 page in length.
Answer the Who? What? When? And Where?
In an opening paragraph.
Explain the How? And Why? in 4-5 short body
paragraphs.
You get a page with the headline and picture to
write your article
Begin by using the space provided to brainstorm your lead
paragraph that explains the who? what? when? and where?
Important: always connect your ideas to the headline and picture.
Who? A group of seven students
What? Organized a walkathon to
raise money for the Cancer Society
When? March 25th
Where? Sir Robert Borden High
School, Ottawa, ON
Now, you are ready to write your lead
paragraph.
Students raise money for good
cause
A group of seven students from Sir
Robert Borden High School in
Ottawa organized a walkathon to
raise money for the Cancer Society
on March 25th, 2012.
Now, you get to use your imagination to fill in the
details to round out the article by usually answering the
why? and the how?
Students raise money for good cause
A group of seven students from Sir Robert Borden High School in
Rocklnad organized a walkathon to raise money for the Cancer Society on
March 25th, 2011.
The students decided to raise money for the Cancer Society because it
was said that many of the students’ family members were suffering from
Cancer and undergoing treatment.
The students decided to raise money by organizing a walkathon last
Thursday. The event was very successful and raised over $5,000 in only
one day. Over 600 students participated in their homeroom classes by
raising pledges of at least $10 each.
When the students were asked why they decided to raise money they
said they felt it was their duty to do something for the community that in
the end might help their own families too.
Students raise money for good cause
A group of seven students from Sir Robert Borden High School in Ottawa
organized a walkathon to raise money for the Cancer Society on March 25th, 2011.
The students decided to raise money for the Cancer Society because it was said
that many of the students’ family members were suffering from Cancer and
undergoing treatment.
The students decided to raise money by organizing a walkathon last Thursday.
The event was very successful and raised over $5,000 in only one day. Over 600
students participated in their homeroom classes by raising pledges of at least $10
each.
When the students were asked why they decided to raise money they said they
felt it was their duty to do something for the community that in the end might help
their own families too.
“These students did a great job and I hope they will do the same thing next
year,” said principal Jones.
In fact, the event was such a success, the student council plans to make it an
annual fundraiser.
Here is an example of an inadequate
news report that would only receive 10
out 60
Students Raise money for good cause
Students raise money for school dances and
school trips.
Here is one that would only score 20
out of 60.
Students Raise Money for Good Cause
The students of our High School raised money to
help the poor.
Last week we held a fundraiser selling food. All of
the money the collected went to helping out the
poor. They raised almost 400 dollars.
You've done a very good job Ottawa students
Here’s one that would only get 30 out
of 60 (you need at least 40 to pass)
Students raise money for good cause
Students from Ottawa are doing a fund raiser to help build a new
computer lab.
This computer lab will have 36 new Pentium 4 computers. It will also
have 4 new printers and scanners.
The computers will be programmed with a fire wall and a pop-up blocker.
Ottawa students have been baking cakes, cookies and pies for the past
four weeks. The CCVI students have inspired other restaurants to
sponsor them in their fundraiser.
You have to write enough relevant information to get
40 or more out of 60 in topic development in order to pass
Students Raise Money for Good Cause
A group of grade 11 students from Ottawa decided to get together for a very
special cause. There were 7 students who raised money for a good cause.
The students decided to raise more for the heart and stroke foundation because
it was said that one of the students family member was suffering from heart
disease.
On April 2, 2011 at SRB, the students decided to raise money by having a car
wash and a bake sale. The event was very successful and they raised over $200
in only one day. They decided to donate all of the money they made to the
charity of their choice.
When the students were asked why they decided to raise money, the replied by
saying, "we thought it was necessary for us to make a difference and give back
to the community to make it a better place."
They were very proud of their accomplishments and hoped that other teenagers
would be inspired by what they did and help out the community themselves.
Now some important “Don’ts”
Don’t write a TV news Report:
Example: This is Ms. Mason live at Sir Robert Borden High School where
several students have been doing great things. Let’s talk with...
Don’t forget to skip lines between paragraphs.
Don’t write fewer than 4-5 short paragraphs
Don’t use lots of quotations and risk turning it into
a dialogue, not a news report.
Don’t write in the present or future tense! News
events took place in the past.