Newspaper Outline Step 1

[John Bailey]

Name: ________________

Writer’s Craft Newspaper Unit

Introduction: Part of the Writer’s Craft class is dedicated to publishing Western’s Hidden Agenda. This is the school newspaper that is now several years old. This semester’s edition will be a special “international” edition that will be issued with a private Canadian school located in Neufchatel, Switzerland.

Process: To prepare our part of the paper, we will divide into three groups that will each create their own mini-paper. Once these mini-papers are complete, and we have mastered the publishing website,  we will select the best material and combine it with the material proposed by the European group.

Tasks: Each person within the group will have to take on at least two tasks, writer/reporter  (of at least 2 stories) and some other aspect of production. This includes editor, photography,  graphics, layout and design. (20 marks)

Departure Points: The focus of the paper is Western and its students, staff, and community, but since it is an international edition, we can expand our mandate. Here’s a list of suggested elements the newspaper could include: hard news, sports, interviews (new teachers, principal, workers, staff), opinions (what courses are working, what aren’t, why? what courses would you like to see at Western? Why?), reviews of movies, music, books, web sites, iphones, technology, games, international news, the people in the community, the stores in the community, the people on Bloor Street, the services in the community, surveys, school, blog reviews, horoscopes, recipes, school reviews, university/college life, tips for teenagers regarding everything - what to buy, what to wear, what not to take to your date, how to get a date, blogs to follow, students to follow...There are thousands of things that you could explore and write about that are connected with this building, its location, and the people in it.

Procedure: In your groups each person commit to writing 2 articles - one short (150 -200 words, 15 marks) and one longer (400-600 words, 30 marks). Also throw around ideas regarding the look and tone of the paper. Decide who can work as an editor, who can work as graphics designer and layout and then who will troubleshoot for production and computerization.

Fill in the following sheet outlining the proposed news stories  (short and long) of everyone in the group as well as their secondary role.

Each reporter will have to focus their topic and decide on where they will get their information from. Once the stories are written, then you must assemble them using the best graphics and layout that you can find.