East Detroit Public Schools
Lesson Design

Author: Suzanne Booth
Subject: Newspaper Format
Grade: 7th grade
Course: Publications
Title: The Scoop Through Desktop Publication

Length of Unit: Two 45-minute class periods
Materials Needed:
Power Macintosh G3 computers (in the lab)
printer
several 3 1/2 inch disks
large screen projection system or large TV monitor
access to the Internet
digital pictures downloaded to disks
stories written by students
software programs:
word processing
desktop publication (Pagemaker )

Standards-Based Outcomes (MDE):

English Language Arts:

I. Meaning and Communication

Content Standard I, 2: All students will demonstrate the ability to write clear and grammatically correct sentences, paragraphs, and compositions.

3. Plan and draft texts, revise and edit their own writing, and help others revise and edit their texts in such areas as content, perspective, and effect.

IV. Voice

Content Standard IV, 6: All students will learn to communicate information accurately and effectively and demonstrate their expressive abilities by creating oral, written, and visual texts that enlighten and engage an audience.

4. Document and enhance a developing voice through multiple media. Examples include reflections for their portfolios, audio and video tapes, and submissions for publications.

IX. Inquiry and Research

Content Standard IX, 11: All students will define and investigate important issues and problems using a variety of resources, including technology, to explore and create texts.

1. Generate questions about important issues that affect them or topics about which they are curious; narrow the questions to a clear focus; and create a thesis or a hypothesis.

Prior Knowledge:

• Students must have fundamental knowledge of the computer including how to turn it on and shut it down properly. They must know how to access and use different programs such as a simple word processing program.
• Students must know how to use the digital camera and download photographs to disks.
• Students must know the proper format of news articles as well as the simple layout and design of a newspaper.

Cue Set:

• Together the teacher and students compare and contrast a variety of school newspapers found on the Internet.
• The teacher and students look at previous copies of the school newspaper to gather ideas for layout and design.
• As a result of class discussion, a list (pictures included) of positive attributes found in previously printed newspapers is generated. The list is posted by the computer used for publication of the newspaper.

Best Shot Instruction:

• With the aid of the classroom TV monitor or large screen projection system, the teacher models how to access the desktop publication program and open the newspaper template.
• The teacher gives step by step instruction of the program including:

  1) setting up the template,
  2) placing text, photographs, and clip art,
  3) editing pages,
  4) saving the newspaper,
  5) printing the newspaper.

• The students practice using the desktop publication program while the teacher monitors their progress and understanding, or assists whenever necessary.
• The students work independently on a final project. First the class members type stories with the use of a word processing program. Then each student creates a mock newspaper for layout and design purposes using the stories all the class members have contributed. The student then uses the desktop publication program to place the stories, photographs, and clip art into a newspaper format.

Reteaching and Enrichment:

• Several computers are readily accessible to students in the classroom for further exploration of word processing, desktop publication, and work with the digital camera.
• Various newspapers, magazines, articles, and other publications are posted throughout the room for student use. The students are encouraged to compare the different formats, layouts, and designs of the published materials as well as experiment with new layouts and designs to use in their own work.

Review and Closure:

• Students exhibit their understanding of desktop publication by being able to edit each other’s work for modification, revision, and correction of content as well as layout.
• After finishing the final project, students evaluate their own work with the use of a short evaluation form. They must:

  1) rate the process of designing, composing, and producing the school newspaper;

  2) reflect on the experience and their successes or failures. (What could be improved? What should be changed?)

• Through discussion students are made aware of a wide range of careers where they are able to use the writing process and these computer applications. (Most of the skills used in this lesson will be useful in many careers chosen by the students.)

Assessment:

• The finished newspaper will be an example of the student’s understanding of the desktop publication process and program.
• The score of the final product will be based on the correct format and placement of articles and pictures within the newspaper. Neatness and limitation of grammatical and format errors will be factored into the assessment.

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