This introduction to the newspaper can take place while you’re wrapping up another unit, or as part of DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time.

Time:

10-15 minutes a day over a four-day period

Materials:

• Copies of a daily newspaper, one edition can be shared by up to three students.

The Lesson:

1. Introduce the Newspaper Unit by asking: How many of you have a daily newspaper delivered at home?
2. Spend a few minutes asking students about the kind of articles they like to read.
3. Tell the whole class they will all get a chance to read the newspaper each morning (afternoon) as part of the next unit of study.
4. In the classroom have the newspapers stacked on a table or desk so students can pick one up as they enter the room. This should be the routine for the next few weeks. Let students know they’ll have 10 to 15 minutes at the beginning of each class to pick up a newspaper and read it. If a newspaper is to be shared with another class, stress the need to put the sections back in order.

What You Might See:

There will be students who will head right for the comics page. Let them. Don’t be dismayed, within a day or two as you start to lead discussions on What Is “Hard” News? they will leave the funny pages behind.