Lesson # Overview
Title
/Standards
Big Question for
lesson
(from teaching
thesis)
Specific lesson
Objectives (transfer
from above).
War Unit: Spanish-American War
Yellow Journalism
SOL US11.5a: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
changing role of the United States from the late nineteenth
century through World War I by explaining the reasons for and
results of the Spanish American War
What is yellow journalism, and how did it
embellish the war?
1. Students will be able to analyze primary source
documents.
2. Students will be able to explain what yellow
journalism is, and connect to present day scandals.
Content
focused/action verbs 3. Students will be able to apply their knowledge to
their own literacy creation.
Assessment of
Obj. 1 = Hook Activity
Objective(s)
Obj. 2 = Discussion, Questioning
e.g. Obj 1=
Obj. 3 = Newspaper Article Assignment
Obj 2=
(you do not need to
formally assess all
objectives
individually – can do
them as a group if
appropriate)
Brief explanation of
scope of lesson
(explanation of
tasks, and
assessments)
How are you trying
to motivate students
in your opener?
What is your
closure?
When the students arrive, they will see the SmartBoard
instructing them to begin their opening activity. After analyzing
the primary source documents at their table, we will discuss what
is sensationalized about them. I will then transition into a
definition of what yellow journalism is. Afterwards, I will assign
their yellow journalism assignment that they will work on for the
rest of class, and finish as homework.
The opining activity will have students analyzing primary source
documents in mixed-ability groups. This will be a quick and fun
activity, because the newspaper article is pretty intriguing. The
closing activity is the yellow journalism assignment, in which
students write their own piece of yellow journalism about the
Spanish-American War.
Detailed Lesson Plan
Title: Yellow Journalism
Grade and Subject: 7th Grade U.S. History 1865 to Present
Time Allotted: 42 Minutes
SOL #:
US11.5a
NCSS Theme:
V: Individuals, Groups, and
Institutions
What is the guiding
question for this lesson?
What is yellow journalism, and how did it
Must be presented in the
embellish the war?
lesson to students
How will student
Opening Activity, Discussion, Questioning,
understanding be assessed? Yellow Journalism Assignment
-include assessments.
Key Concepts (no definition necessary):
• Yellow Journalism
• Pulitzer and Hearst
SWBAT (as many as required by lesson):
#1. Students will be able to analyze primary source documents.
#2. Students will be able to explain what yellow journalism is, and connect to
present day scandals.
#3. Students will be able to apply their knowledge to their own literacy creation.
Materials:
• SmartBoards (Handout for personal use)
• Primary Sources: Newspapers from 1898
• PowerPoint
• Yellow Journalism Assignment
• Interactive Notebooks (Not Included)
Just Do It (hook): (7 Minutes)
At your tables, I want you to analyze the newspaper article. What is it about?
How is it sensationalized/persuasive? What are some crazy statements/terms?
Come up with at least 3 observations and be ready to share with the class.
Obj # Description of Lesson Procedure
Check for Evidence of
Understanding
1
Direct students when entering the
Observation
classroom to look at the SmartBoard Discussion
and follow directions. After 3-4
Minutes, have a discussion about the
newspaper articles and how they
portray yellow journalism. (7
Minutes)
Transition: Now, I would like to show you multiple examples of yellow
journalism articles.
2
Show the PowerPoint slides of
Discussion
different yellow journalism articles,
Observation
and discuss their meaning. Ask
Questioning
students if they have seen yellow
journalism in their lifetime. (10
Minutes)
Transition: Open your interactive notebooks to the left-hand side…
3
Direct students to past their yellow
Yellow Journalism
journalism assignment on the leftAssignment
hand side of their notebooks. Read
the directions aloud and answer any
of their questions. Then allow for the
rest of class to be time in which they
can work on the assignment. (25
Minutes)
Closure (How does this come back to the guiding question):
•
Try your hand at writing a piece of yellow journalism. Use the information
from the chart on the right to create a news article that exaggerates the
events. Be sure to include an emotionally charged title for your article. Write
your news article in paragraphs using well-constructed, complete sentences.
Remember to edit your work!
• This relates back to the original questions by having them use what they
know about yellow journalism and articles from the past to write their
own piece.
Modifications/Differentiation:
• I can assign mixed-ability groups to discuss the newspaper articles.
• Give handouts of the SmartBoards to students who have trouble viewing
the boards.
• Allow students with special needs to have extra time on the assignment
outside of class.