Of Mice and Men: Lennie and George are Wanted!
Lesson:
Formula for a Well-Written News Article
1. First paragraph
In your first one or two sentences, tell who, what, when, where, and why. Try to hook the reader
by beginning with a funny, clever, or surprising statement. Go for variety: try beginning your
article with a question or a provocative statement.
2. Second/Third/Fourth paragraphs
Give the reader the details. Include one or two quotes from people you interviewed. Write in the
third person (he, she, it, and they). Be objective – never state your opinion. Use quotations to
express others' opinions!
3. Last paragraph
Wrap it up somehow (don’t leave the reader hanging. Please don't say...."In conclusion" or "To
finish..." (Yawn!). Try ending with a quotation or a catchy phrase.
Task:
Write a news report with the following heading:
“ATTACK IN WEED!”
(optional sub-heading here)
Your report should include details that are connected with the story and be at least ½ of a page in
length.
Rubric: Newspaper Article
Levels
Knowledge/Understanding ( /10)

demonstrates an understanding of the novel by using accurate
information
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
Thinking/Inquiry ( /10)

incorporates appropriate facts from the novel
Communication ( /10)




use of at least two “quotations” to enrich article
main ideas (who, what, where, when, why) clearly stated
provides an effective conclusion for the article
uses grammar and sentence structure accurately and effectively
Application ( /10)


uses proper written structure for a news article
incorporates news article layout (columns, picture, etc.)
Comments:
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