Drafting News Articles

Overview

This is lesson 8 of 10 in the Reading, Writing, Publishing unit. Students apply their analysis of news article structure and language from earlier lessons to draft an original article from a teacher-provided event brief, focusing on an engaging headline, a clear lead, logical development, factual detail and appropriate vocabulary.

Learning intentions

• WALT develop a news article for a specific audience and purpose.
• WALT construct an informative lead and connected paragraphs.
• WALT use factual detail, precise vocabulary and sentence patterns to create clarity.
• WALT apply a drafting process and respond to targeted feedback.

Success criteria

• I can write a headline and lead that communicate the main news clearly.
• I can organise information into logical paragraphs, adding relevant details and explanations.
• I can use factual, precise vocabulary and varied sentence patterns appropriate for news readers.
• I can reread and improve my draft for structure, accuracy, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Curriculum links

• Develop ideas in writing using stylistic and written conventions: students sequence and build connected ideas for a defined audience and purpose.
• Demonstrate understanding of specific aspects of studied text: students transfer knowledge of news structure, language features and purpose from studied examples.
• Demonstrate understanding of significant aspects of unfamiliar texts: students use understanding of language, structure, audience and purpose when shaping their own article.
• Key Competencies: managing self; using language, symbols and texts; participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (90 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook and retrieval. Teacher displays a deliberately weak headline and lead on the opening news prompt and asks, “Would you keep reading? Why or why not?” Students identify what is unclear, missing or ineffective, then recall the typical purpose, audience and structure of a news article.

2. 8–20 min · Model the article shape. Teacher uses the article structure and model text slides to revisit headline, lead, body paragraphs, quotations or reported information, and ending; the teacher thinks aloud while turning an event brief into a headline and lead. Students annotate the model, identifying the five Ws and H, factual details, transitions, precise vocabulary and sentence patterns.

3. 20–32 min · Model paragraph construction. Teacher live-writes one body paragraph from the event brief, demonstrating a topic sentence, factual detail, explanation or context, and a linking sentence; teacher deliberately revises a vague verb and a repetitive sentence pattern. Students help suggest improvements and jointly construct a second paragraph, explaining why each detail belongs where it is.

4. 32–42 min · Plan the draft. Teacher distributes the news article drafting worksheet and explains that students will write for a local teenage audience using one of the supplied event briefs. Students select or receive a brief, record the key facts, decide on an angle, draft a headline and lead, and sequence at least three body paragraphs before writing.

5. 42–76 min · Independent drafting conference. Teacher sets a quiet writing period, circulates with a checklist and holds short targeted conferences: ESOL students receive vocabulary, oral rehearsal and sentence-frame support; students needing literacy support receive paragraph-by-paragraph prompting; students ready for challenge refine syntax, rhythm and viewpoint. Students write a complete first draft, using their plan and checking that every claim is supported by the event brief rather than invented.

6. 76–86 min · Peer response and revision. Teacher directs students to exchange drafts with a partner and use the response prompts on the peer feedback and revision slides: “The clearest part is…”, “I wanted more information about…”, and “One sentence or word to improve is…”. Students give specific feedback, then revise at least one structural feature, one vocabulary choice and one written convention.

7. 86–90 min · Exit reflection. Teacher asks students to complete the final prompt on the plenary slide before collecting drafts. Students write one strength in their article, one priority for lesson 9, and identify the paragraph or sentence they most need to improve during editing and publishing.

Resources

• the complete news drafting slide deck
• the news article drafting worksheet
• Teacher-prepared event briefs with accurate facts
• Model news article and deliberately weak headline/lead
• News article drafting and peer-response checklist
• Highlighters or coloured pens
• Devices or exercise books for drafting
• Timer and board/projector

Assessment

• During retrieval and modelling, check whether students can identify the purpose, audience, five Ws and H, lead, paragraph functions and language choices in the model.
• During drafting conferences, record students who need support with sequencing, factual accuracy, paragraph development, vocabulary or written conventions.
• Collect the first draft and exit reflection. Check for a clear headline and lead, developed and logically sequenced ideas, appropriate stylistic choices, and conventions that do not impede meaning.

Differentiation

• Provide ESOL learners with a visual word bank, bilingual dictionary access where appropriate, oral rehearsal with a partner, and sentence frames such as “The event took place…”, “According to…”, and “As a result…”.
• Support students with literacy or language-development needs by chunking the task into headline, lead and paragraph stages; allow speech-to-text, teacher scribing of initial ideas, or a reduced minimum of three developed paragraphs.
• Offer the planning worksheet with key facts already sorted for students who need reduced cognitive load, while still requiring them to choose vocabulary and construct sentences.
• Extend confident writers by asking them to control reader interest through varied sentence openings, integrate a well-selected quotation or reported detail, and shape the ending to leave a clear significance or consequence.