Catchy News Headlines

Overview

Unit Title: Reporting with Zaps!
Lesson Number: 4 of 15
Lesson Title: Crafting Headlines
Age Group: Year 1 (ages 5–6)
Time: 45 minutes
Class Size: 10 pupils
Subject: English
Curriculum Area: Reading – comprehension / Writing – composition
Applicable framework: Key Stage 1 – National Curriculum in England

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National Curriculum Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Develop pleasure in writing by experimenting with short, punchy sentence structures.
• Understand how language can be used for effect (creating interest/excitement in news headlines).
• Learn to identify and write simple captions or headlines based on familiar events.
• Begin to explore how to sequence sentences to form short narratives based on key classroom events.

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Learning Intentions

I am learning to:

• Recognise what makes a headline interesting and clear.
• Use and choose simple words to create my own catchy headlines.
• Reflect on what happened in an event and retell it using a headline.

Success Criteria:

• I can choose one key idea from an event.
• I can write a short, clear headline linked to that event.
• I can make my headline exciting or fun using WOW words.

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Prior Knowledge

In Lesson 3, pupils identified and sequenced key events from a fictional class news story about "Zap the Alien’s Day at School." They practised retelling these events orally using First–Next–Then structures.

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Resources Required

• Printed “Headline Helper” cards featuring high-frequency exciting words (e.g. Giant!, Lost!, Surprise!, Best!, Danger!)
• Sentence strips and large pencils
• Printed copies of last lesson’s news events: simple illustrated comic-style panels
• Board or paper headed “Our Top Headlines!”
• Zap the Alien puppet/soft toy or image (character from class story)
• Glue sticks, scissors
• Mini whiteboards & pens (1 per pupil)
• Sticky notes

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Lesson Breakdown

⏱️ Starter (0–10 mins): What’s a Headline?

1. Interactive Welcome & Hook (2 mins):
   Zap the Alien has returned! He wants to make a newspaper of his fun day at school — but he needs headlines!

2. Mini-Discussion (4 mins):

   • Show two big headlines on the board:
     • “ZAP PLAYS FOOTBALL!”
     • “ALIEN JOINS LESSON!”
       Ask: “What do you notice?” (They're short, fun, they don't tell the whole story.)
       Let children suggest why newspapers use them.

3. Mini Whiteboard Quick Draw (4 mins):
   Each pupil draws something Zap did yesterday, then writes a pretend headline (e.g. “ZAP EATS JAM!”)

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⏱️ Main Input (10–25 mins): How to Write Catchy Headlines

1. Modelling (5 mins):

   • Use the "Headline Helper" cards to talk through key components:
     • Short sentences (4–6 words)
     • No full stops
     • Exciting words
     • CAPITAL LETTERS
   • Model writing a headline as a class together, e.g.
     Image: Zap drops paint
     Headline: “ZAP MAKES A MESS!”

2. Guided Writing (10 mins):

   • Pupils work in small pairs with a picture from last lesson (Event 1, 2, or 3).
   • They choose the main message and use a sentence strip to write a headline.
   • Support children to simplify: "What is the one big thing that happened?"

3. Mini Plenary Share (5 mins)

   • Two pairs share their headlines.
   • Display on “Our Top Headlines!” wall.

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⏱️ Independent Work & Extension (25–40 mins): Zap Headline Challenge!

1. Crafting Zone (10 mins)

   • Pupils write a headline for each of the three key events they studied last lesson using their own headline strip for each.
   • Those who finish early can choose new 'surprise' event cards (made-up mixed-up events with Zap!) and write creative headlines for them.

2. Teacher/TA Focus Group (Meanwhile)

   • Focus group of 4 pupils to guide more deeply on vocabulary: try using WOW words, discuss tone (exciting vs calm).

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⏱️ Plenary (40–45 mins): The Headline Gallery

1. Sticky Star Voting (5 mins)

   • All headlines are now displayed or laid out.
   • Each pupil gets 2 sticky stars to “like” their favourite headlines (not their own).
   • Discuss: “Why do you like this one?” “What made it stand out?”

2. Reflection

   • What did we learn about headlines today?
   • What will we tell Zap when he comes back?

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Observation during pair and independent writing tasks.
• Verbal Assessment: Plenary discussion and sharing.
• Work Sampling: Collect headline strips into a class book or display.

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Differentiation

Support:

• Word banks with visuals
• Adult support with structuring sentence
• Chunked choices (e.g. pick from pre-written headlines)

Challenge:

• Optional WOW Word Challenge (add one ‘big’ describing word)
• Sort silly vs real headlines

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Cross-Curricular Links

• Speaking & Listening: Partner collaboration, sharing ideas
• Art: Creating illustrations to match headlines in future lessons
• Citizenship / PSHE: Owning their voice, celebrating others' ideas

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Teacher WOW Tip 💡

Try letting one pupil act as the official "Zap Editor-in-Chief" who gets to wear a press badge and help read aloud or approve a headline — rotates each lesson! This builds confidence and ownership in even your youngest writers.

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Next Steps

Next Lesson (5 of 15):
Turning headlines into full reports — pupils will learn how to use the headline as a first sentence, then expand using First–Next–Then storytelling.

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📚 Outstanding Literacy Moment:
Celebrate today’s best headline writers with a “News Flash Star” balloon award or sticker, adding extra sparkle and engagement as news journalists in training!

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Prepared by: AI Teaching Assistant (UK Standards Edition)
Date of Lesson: (Insert teacher’s date here)