Purpose:

Students will be asked to make judgments and draw conclusions about ideas in written materials. They will be reading information that may be biased, one-sided or promotional.

Time:

2 periods, about 45 minutes each

Materials:

• Computers with Internet access to www.newswire.ca
• Paper, pens/pencils
• Highlighters

Overview:

There are many different sources for news. Some just happen, such as a tornado touching down in a populated part of the country, others are tied to government or business decisions. Some of these decisions are announced in news releases. In Canada we have a central agency called Canada NewsWire that posts news releases on a website. This fee-paying service is not to be confused with Canadian Press, a news agency created by newspaper publishers to provide a flow of news across Canada. Canadian Press is co-operatively owned by Canada’s daily newspapers.

The Lesson:

1. In whole class discuss the meaning of bias, one-sided and promotional materials. Ask students to think of examples for each definition.
2. Using the Internet, students will log on to Canada Newswire. The latest press releases will be at the top of the page.
3. Have students scroll down the list, stopping and reading anything they think is interesting. Some of the content will be of little interest to Intermediate students. Encourage them to keep on searching for information they can use in this assignment. If time is short, or the computer lab is not available when you want to teach this lesson, pre-select releases and photocopy them for the class.
4. When students find a press release, have them print it off, re-read it and examine it for signs of bias and promotional claims.
5. Have students write a news story based on the press release. Ask students:
   • What could they do to make it a “fair” story?
   • Who needs to be interviewed?
   • What information should be added?
   • What should they be wary of when a claim or opinion is give

Sample News Release (Adobe Acrobat format)
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Sample 1 - Canada NewsWire - 179 KB

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