Newspaper Article Writing

Overview

This 40-minute lesson supports Year 3 pupils to write a newspaper article based on an event from Charlotte’s Web before chapter 9 (e.g., Wilbur’s escape, or Fern’s ability to hear animals speak). The lesson explicitly targets EAL learners and pupils new to newspaper writing by providing a highly scaffolded, step-by-step approach with a focus on descriptive language, direct quotes, and key newspaper features such as the 5Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why).

This lesson closely aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s English programmes of study for Year 3 writing and grammar.

Curriculum Links

English – Writing (Year 3)

Writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional) – NC PoS: Writing – pupils should
Writing for different purposes, including recounts and reports
Organising paragraphs around a theme (use paragraphing to organise ideas)
In narratives, using simple organisational devices such as headings and sub-headings

English – Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation (Year 3)

Using expanded noun phrases to describe and specify [e.g. the blue butterfly]
Using direct speech correctly, punctuating speech with inverted commas
Using conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and cause (e.g., when, before, after, because)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

Identify important features of a newspaper article, including the 5Ws, a headline, and a quote
Use expanded noun phrases to add description
Write a simple newspaper article recounting an event from Charlotte’s Web before chapter 9, including direct speech quotes
Organise their ideas into short paragraphs for clarity

Resources Needed

Whiteboard/interactive board
Example newspaper article scaffold (with 5Ws boxes)
Sentence starter and vocabulary bank sheets with adjectives and verbs
Charlotte’s Web story excerpt summary (on Wilbur’s escape or Fern hearing animals)
Writing paper and pencils

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

Hook: Ask pupils if they have seen or read a newspaper. What do they notice about the articles? What kind of information do they expect?
Explain they will write a newspaper article about something exciting that happened in Charlotte’s Web (choose escape or Fern’s conversation) before chapter 9. Emphasise it’s a ‘true’ news report retelling an event.
Show a simple example of a newspaper article on the board and point out the headline, opening sentence with 5Ws, paragraphs, and quotes from witnesses.

2. Teacher Modelling: Analysing the 5Ws and Features (7 minutes)

Using the board, write the 5Ws in a table: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
Model filling in the 5Ws for the chosen event with the class, e.g.:
- Who: Wilbur the pig
- What: Escaped from the barn
- When: Early morning yesterday
- Where: The Zuckerman farm
- Why: He wanted to explore and avoid the pigpen
Discuss simple ways to add adjectives and detail (e.g. “early morning” – “the chilly early morning” / “Wilbur the curious pig”).
Model what a quote might look like using a fictional witness, e.g. “I saw Wilbur running as fast as the wind,” said Fern, the kind-hearted girl.
Highlight use of inverted commas to show direct speech.

3. Guided Practice: Sentence Starters and Vocabulary (8 minutes)

Hand out vocabulary banks with adjectives (e.g., curious, frightened, excited) and verbs (e.g., escaped, dashed, whispered) plus sentence starters:
- “Yesterday morning, …”
- “Wilbur the ___ pig…”
- “I couldn’t believe my eyes!” said ___
Pupils work in pairs to generate a list describing the event with at least 4 adjectives and 2 short quotes using sentence starters.
Circulate, supporting EAL pupils with pronunciation and meaning through visual clues or mime if needed.

4. Independent Writing Task (15 minutes)

Pupils write their own short newspaper article about the event following this structure:
1. Headline (e.g., "Wilbur’s Great Escape!")
2. Opening paragraph answering the 5Ws
3. One or two paragraphs describing the event with adjectives and details
4. Include at least two direct speech quotes with correct punctuation
Encourage pupils to organise their ideas into paragraphs and underline or highlight their use of adjectives and direct speech.

5. Share and Reflect (5 minutes)

Invite 2-3 volunteers to read parts of their articles aloud.
Highlight good use of adjectives and correct punctuation of speech.
Recap learning points: What makes a good newspaper article? What did they find tricky and what was fun?

Assessment and Feedback

Formative assessment through questioning during modelling and guided practice.
Review written articles for:
- Inclusion of 5Ws in opening paragraph
- Use of expanded noun phrases (adjective + noun)
- Presence of at least two direct speech quotes with correct punctuation
- Organisation into paragraphs
Provide verbal feedback highlighting strengths and areas for improvement with specific examples, e.g., “I like how you described Wilbur as ‘the clever pig’, and your speech punctuation is excellent!”

Differentiation Strategies

For EAL and less confident writers:

Use the sentence starters and vocabulary bank heavily.
Encourage drawing or labelling pictures if stuck before writing.
Partner writing supports oral rehearsal before writing.
Pre-teach key vocabulary and phrases with visual prompts.

For more able writers:

Challenge to use more than two quotes, varied sentence openers, or to add a short concluding paragraph.
Encourage more complex adjectives or similes (e.g., “Wilbur dashed like the wind”).

Extension Ideas

Create a class newspaper front page combining all pupils’ articles alongside illustrations.
Record oral newspaper reports to develop speaking and listening skills.
Explore writing headlines using alliteration or enticing words.

This lesson plan is designed to be clear, manageable, and highly effective for mixed-ability Year 3 pupils, enabling all children including EAL learners to experience success producing a structured and descriptive newspaper article aligned to the National Curriculum for England.

Teaching Instructions