JOURNALISM UNIT 2 OVERVIEW
INSTRUCTOR: Priscilla Lizasuain
UNIT NAME: Writing Editorials
UNIT DESCRIPTION: Students will learn the form and function of the different types of editorials: Traditional
editorial, advice column, and editorial cartoon.
LENGTH: 5 Weeks
DATA SOURCE
Pre-assessment: Exit ticket= What are editorials and what does a good editorial do?
ENDURING
Editorials are the voices of the readers and reflect issues and problems that impact the
UNDERSTANDINGS
specific audience of a publication.
ESSENTIAL
What can an engaging and thought-provoking editorial accomplish?
QUESTIONS
In a newspaper, where hard news is the emphasis, what is the purpose of editorials?
COMMON
RI 11-12: 1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
CORE STANDARDS
says explicitly
RI 11-12: 2 Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development
over the course of the text
RI 11-12: 5 Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or
her argument
W 11-12: 1 Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the
claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an
organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
W 11-12: 4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W 11-12: 5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, and
rewriting.
COLLEGE READINESS
CRS Reading 28-32 Main Ideas, Author’s Approach, Supporting Details
STANDARDS
-Infer the main idea of more challenging passages
-Understand the overall approach taken by an author
-Use details from different sections of some complex informational passages to support a
specific point or argument.
ILLINOIS STATE SEL
Unity=2A.5a: Demonstrate how to express understanding of those who hold different
STANDARDS
opinions.
Social Awareness= 2A.4a: Analyze similarities and differences between one's own and
others' perspectives.
CONTENT
Students can define and identify the different types of editorials
KNOWLEDGE
Students can evaluate the effectiveness of an editorial
ASSESSMENTS
Formative
Summative
Homework
 Bell-ringers
 Write a traditional
 Find example of
editorial article on a
traditional editorial
 Exit-tickets
topic that is relevant
and identify the
 Read & annotate
to
our
students,
parts of an editorial
articles
using a rubric.
 Find an example of
 Answer textan advice column or
dependent
blog and identify its
questions on articles
parts
 Complete various

Find an example of
organizers
an editorial cartoon
and evaluate its
effectiveness
 Read teacher
provided articles
and answer text-
dependent
questions
TEXTS/RESOURCES
Content Specific
Vocabulary
LEARNING
ACTIVITIES/SCHEDULE
Inside Reporting: A Practical Guide to the Craft of Journalism
Journalism Today Workbook,
High School Journalism.org,
Various Articles,
www.thenewsliteracyproject.org,
High School Journalism: A Practical Guide.
Editorial
Taking a stand/ argument
Relevant
Editorial worthy topics
Week 1: Traditional Editorials
Students will read an example editorial, while teacher projects one text-dependent
question at a time. Students must cite textual evidence to support their answers.
Students will read “Writing Editorial and Columns” from text book and answer
accompanying questions.
Students will look through newspapers to identify and analyze effectiveness of editorials.
Students will read another example, and identify the parts of an editorial.
Quiz on parts of a traditional editorial.
Week 2: Advice Columns
Students will read examples of advice columns and answer text-dependent questions.
Students will come up with pretend problems, switch and respond to one another.
Students will create flyers advertising our newspaper’s advice problem. They will also
create a box where people could leave anonymous letters asking for advice.
Introduce Editorial Summative assessment
Class will brainstorm a list of topics that will be relevant to our readers.
Week 3: Editorial Cartoons
Students will view and analyze editorial cartoons, as well as answer text-dependent
questions.
Students will go online and find examples of editorial cartoons.
Students will create editorial cartoons. Someone else in class will then write a brief analysis
of that cartoon (using template provided by teacher).
Rough draft of editorial due.
Week 4: Editorial Blogs
Students will read an article on how almost everything online is an editorial.
Students will create a checklist on how to identify editorials vs. hard news.
Students will go online and find a blog and respond to a posting, explaining the
effectiveness of the editorial.
Peer review of editorial.
Modifications
Week 5
Quiz on types of editorials and vocab.
Second peer review.
Typing days
Final draft of editorials due.
SPED & ELL Students
 Extended time as prescribed by individual student’s IEP
 Supplemental outlines and organizers
 One-on-one support
 Peer, paired support
ENRICHMENT
 Where an assignment calls for students to evaluate effectiveness, some students
will be asked to also include an analysis of the author’s approach.
 Responses will also have to be more extensive in their explanations.