In The News

Historical FictionMany of the events in Out of the Dust are based on events that happened in real life. This type of writing is called “historical fiction.”

• Some of the historical information in the book could be used to write articles and features for a newspaper:

• News Article• Editorial• Classified Ads• Comics or Cartoons

News Article• The purpose of a news article is to provide facts and details about events.• These articles answer the questions who, what, where, when, and why,

(and sometimes how) about the subject.• In a straight news article, the basic facts are presented in the first

paragraph, in order of their importance to the story.• Additional details and information are given in following paragraphs.

“A whiskey-intoxicated man in north Pampa saw it and thought the world was coming to an end: he began hunting for a church and accidentally sobered up…Some man who was dressing after a bath had put on one shoe: when he reached for the other, he couldn’t see it, nor could he see his had in front of him…”

Editorial• This is an essay that expresses the opinion of the writer, usually the editor of

the newspaper.• Editorials are used to comment on events, state an opinion, educate or

influence the reader, or to show appreciation.

“The harsh treatmentof prisoners in the U.S.causes much controversy,yet in our publicschools, institutionalizedviolence is commonplace.”

Classified Ad• A wide variety of goods and services are listed in

the classified ads of a newspaper. The categories include:• jobs• Business opportunities• Lost and found• Housing for sale, or rent• New and used goods• Products for sale• Services available

• Most newspapers charge a fee to people who want to advertise, based on the amount of space the ad takes up. Important details must be included, abbreviations are often used.

Comics or Cartoons

• These are hand-drawn pictures used to express an opinion or to amuse and entertain readers.

• Such features may be found in the entertainment, editorial, business, or sports sections of the newspaper.

Assignment1. In your group, choose one of the selections of the newspaper to write, using

information from Out of the Dust.

2. You may need to do additional research on your chosen project.

3. Write your rough draft on the paper provided.

Citations

http://www.highplainsyesterdays.com/2011/10/17/merciless-mother-nature/

"Public Engagement - Eric Thomas Weber's Professional Web Page." Public Engagement - Eric Thomas Weber's Professional Web Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014.

"HudsonJet.net." Hudson Motor Car Company Dealerships A-C. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Aug. 2014.

Clark, Sarah K. "In the News." A Guide for Using Out of the Dust in the Classroom: Based on the Novel by Karen Hesse. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Materials, 1999. 18. Print.