Purpose:

To help students recognize that a news story is a very structured piece of writing containing information and facts. This information can be identified under the heading of the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when and why.

Students will identify the parts of a news article.

Time:

1 class period, about 45 minutes

Materials:

• Photocopies of news stories
• Highlighter markers

The Lesson:

1. In whole group have students take turns reading the paragraphs of a news story you have selected.
   
2. On the board write the 5 W’s, leaving space beside each one to record a fact from the news story.
   
3. Ask students to identify the most important W in the story you have selected. (A sample is included.) Write the fact, or facts beside the correct W.
   
4. Continue on until all the W’s have been identified.
   
5. Ask: What information has not been covered by the 5 W’s?
   This is often background or historical information that adds colour or detail to the story. If space on the page is tight, an editor can easily cut it from the story. You’ll notice most of this information is contained in the final paragraphs. The reason for this will be explained to students in Lesson Four.
   
6. Distribute copies of a different story. Ask students to highlight the 5 W’s, if possible use a different colour for each W.
   
7. Have students write the 5 W’s on a piece of paper, following the example you presented on the board.
   
8. Ask students to share their findings.

back to top

What is “hard” news?

It’s a story written to provide the reader with as much information as possible.

The purpose is to inform the reader.

It is a facts based story that covers a news event. Accidents, crimes, court cases, natural disasters (earthquakes, floods) new government legislation, and news from city hall are all examples of hard news events.

The most important facts are contained in the first paragraph of the story. This is called the lede.

The other details are presented in descending order of importance. This style of writing is called the inverted pyramid.

What? Who?
Where? When?
Why?

The story revolves around an event that is taking place, or has taken place, usually within a 24-hour period. Several news stories may be written on a single event as new information unfolds.

Once a news story has appeared in the paper, an editor may ask reporters to write a follow-up story to wrap up information around the event.

Tips on Writing the News Story:

• Never use “I” or “we” in a hard news story.
• Keep sentences short.
• Write each paragraph as a single thought. A paragraph may be one sentence long.
• Try not to start every sentence with the word The.
• Be sure of your facts, the rule of thumb is when in doubt, leave it out.
• Check the spellings of names and places.
• Always use a person’s full name (Joe Smith) the first time you mention him or her. On the second reference you can write Mr. Smith or just Smith.
• Use quotes in the story.
• Be fair and don’t just tell one side of a story. Make an effort to present other views.

back to top

The “Soft” News Story

The soft story usually appears in the entertainment or lifestyle sections of a newspaper. It often profiles an individual who is newsworthy because he or she has accomplished something of interest to many people. For example, it’s common to read stories on singers or bands who release a new CD. The news part of the story is the release of the CD.

Soft stories can also inform the reader by offering advice on health, fitness, fashion, home décor, or food preparation.

Unlike a news story, the soft story does not have to follow the inverted pyramid style of writing. Writers will look for an interesting angle to begin the story. The writer uses descriptive words to create a scene or mood that brings the reader into the story.

Example: In a story about a recent sleep study of 3,200 teenagers, researchers found teens get less sleep as they get older and this has a big impact on grades, attendance and emotions. Here’s how one daily news reporter covered the story:

Laura has heard it described as carrying a load of bricks in her backpack and she pretty much agrees with the description: for every hour of lost sleep, add two bricks to the pack.

“It’s true,” says the 16-uear-old. “If I get to bed too late, I really feel the weight of the next day. It’s like being in a fog.”

Teens need sleep. Just ask their parents who will have spent much of the past week nagging them to get to bed on time only to spend the next week nagging them to wake up to get to school on time. Pity that poor teen who has to turn her internal clock around to suit a new school year. Pity more the parent who has to deal with her.

The writer could have written a straight news story about a recent study on sleep deprived teens. It might have gone something like this:

Example: A lack of sleep is costing teens marks in school, according to a new Canadian study.

Instead, the writer chose to interview a student and use her experience to launch the story of how early school openings, combined with a lack of sleep, is having a negative impact on school attendance, grades and emotions.

Which version of the story would you want to read?

back to top

Sample Newspaper Stories (Adobe Acrobat format)
Adobe Acrobat software is required to view these files. To download and install the free Adobe Reader, click here.

Sample 1 - Edmonton Journal - 265 KB

Sample 2 - Chatham Daily News - 338 KB

Sample 3 - The Daily News - Halifax - 249 KB

Sample 4 - The Canadian Press - 263 KB

back to top