Media and News

Lesson Overview

Subject: English
Grade Level: 7th Grade (A2 Level)
Unit: Media and the News
Duration: 45 minutes
Curriculum: US Common Core Standards - Writing (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.)

Lesson Objective

By the end of the lesson, students will organize and draft a descriptive paragraph about a form of media or news in Chile, practicing descriptive language, coherence, and logical organization.

Previous Knowledge Required:

• Students know basic vocabulary related to media (e.g., TV, social media, newspapers).
• Students know high-frequency adjectives (e.g., big, small, important, popular).
• Students have exposure to descriptive language elements such as using sensory details.

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Lesson Structure

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Objective: Build engagement and activate prior knowledge about media.

1. Brainstorm Activity (3 min):

   • On the whiteboard, write the question: "What types of media do people use to get news in Chile?"
   • Encourage students to call out examples of media (e.g., TV, radio, social media).
   • Write their responses under the question, grouping similar examples.

2. Pair Discussion (2 min):

   • In pairs, students discuss: "Which type of media do you think is most popular for news in Chile? Why?"
     (This activates critical thinking but stays brief to fit time constraints.)

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Presentation (10 minutes)

Objective: Teach students how writing descriptions differs from speaking and introduce key structure for organizing ideas.

1. Mini-Lesson:

   • Write on the board:
     "How is writing different from speaking?"
     • Acknowledge students' struggles: "Speaking is faster, we don’t have to think about grammar as much.”
     • Explain: "Writing takes more time, but it helps us communicate in a clearer and more permanent way. Writing is like building something: we need to organize the pieces first."

2. Introduce Graphic Organizer:

   • Distribute a handout with the following structure for organizing ideas:

     • Topic Sentence: What is the medium, and why is it important?
     • Details: Include at least three descriptive sentences about it (e.g., what it looks like or how people use it).
     • Closing Sentence: Why do you think this medium is important for Chileans?

   • Sample Example:
     “Social media is one of the most popular ways to get news in Chile. It is fast, convenient, and fun to use. People often check Instagram or TikTok to find out what is happening in the country. Some news accounts post videos, memes, or articles to explain the news. Social media is important because it helps young people stay informed about the world around them.”

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Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Objective: Support students in organizing ideas for their description using a culturally relevant example.

1. Class Brainstorm (5 min):
   As a group, brainstorm descriptive details for the medium TV news. Write these on the board under headings based on the graphic organizer:

   • What does it look like? (TV screen, news anchors, colorful graphics)
   • How do people use it? (watching during dinner, getting updates in the morning)
   • Why is it important? (gives reliable information, helps families know about emergencies)

2. Paired Writing (10 min):

   • Students work in pairs to create an organized outline for describing TV news.
   • Each student pair writes:
     • A topic sentence.
     • Three descriptive details.
     • A closing sentence.

3. Assist Students with Challenges:

   • Circulate and offer help. For students who struggle, ask probing questions:
     • "What did you write as your first detail? Why do you think that’s important?"
     • "Do you have a closing sentence? What does this sentence tell people about TV in Chile?"

4. Adaptation for Visually Impaired Student:

   • Provide the same handout in large print or digitally resized on their tablet.
   • Encourage the student’s partner to vocalize ideas and collaborate on the outline together to foster inclusion.

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Independent Writing (10 minutes)

Objective: Enable students to practice drafting a description using their outlines.

1. Draft Paragraphs:

   • Students write individually in their notebooks, using the outline created with their partner.
   • To reduce anxiety, emphasize:
     "Focus on getting your ideas written down. It doesn’t have to be perfect yet!"

2. Encourage Technology Use for Writing:

   • Students may use school tablets or laptops to type their work.
   • Online dictionaries are allowed to help students find better vocabulary.

3. Challenge Question for Higher-Level Thinkers:

   • For quick finishers or advanced students, write the following challenge on the board:
     "Compare TV news with another type of media. Which one do you think is better for young people in Chile? Why?"

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Closure (5 minutes)

Objective: Review and reflect on the writing process.

1. Peer-Share (3 min):

   • Ask students to briefly read their drafts aloud to their partner.
   • Partners provide feedback by answering “What detail was the most interesting or vivid?”

2. Whole-Class Reflection (2 min):

   • Close with a guiding question:
     "How did organizing your ideas first help you write your description? Was it easier than starting to write right away?"

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Anticipated Patterns of Thinking & Responses

Student Challenges

1. Low Motivation / “This is boring.”
   Response: Use culturally relevant models (TV news) and combine oral collaboration (pair outline task) to sustain interest.

2. “I don’t know what to write.”
   Response: Scaffold ideas with the whole-class brainstorming and graphic organizers.

3. "Why do we have to write if we can just talk?"
   Response: Emphasize that writing is a lasting tool for communicating clearly with a larger audience, unlike spoken words.

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Materials Needed

1. Graphic organizer handout (large print version for visually impaired student).
2. Whiteboard, markers.
3. Student notebooks and tablets/laptops.
4. Digital/online dictionaries for expanding lexical repertoire.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visually Impaired Student: Provide enlarged text materials and pair them with a collaborative partner.
• Low-Lexical Students: Allow use of bilingual dictionaries. Highlight high-frequency adjectives in brainstorming to scaffold vocabulary.
• Advanced Students: Provide optional comparative question during drafting phase for a deeper challenge.

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Reflection Question for Teachers

• How did structured outlines and group brainstorming improve organization and motivation for reluctant writers?