WRITING A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE!

Headline1. The headline is the title of your news article.2. It is a very brief summary of your news article.3. The headline must grab the reader’s attention by using

exciting and vivid words.4. All important words are capitalized and there is no

punctuation at the end of the title

Students Flood Gymnasium to Learn about SpaceBy Carla Samuelson

Lead Paragraph

The beginning of a news article is called the lead, and it sets the structure for the rest of the article. The most important ideas of the article are included in the lead. A good lead usually answers the following questions: Who? What? When ? Where? Why? And How? (the 5 Ws and How)

The 5 W’s and How are usually covered in the first one or two sentences. The rest of the lead paragraph may include additional details or important information.

1. Who: The subject of the article.2. What: the action of the article3. Where: the place it is happening4. When: the time frame5. Why: explains the “what”, or the action of the

article6. How: describes the sequence of events or actions

This week in South West Calgary Nellie McClung Elementary students met their goal of collecting 1000 nonperishable food items for the Mayor’s Food Bank Drive. For the entire month of December students brought in donations to help stock the shelves of the food bank so no one would go hungry this winter break.

Review: What is a news lead?

• A lead is the opening to your news story• The lead contains the most important information

of the story– The reader should be able to know the basic

information about the story by just reading the lead!• The lead should hook the readers and make them

interested in the story– Many readers don’t bother reading past the lead, so

this is why you want to grab their attention right away

What is in a lead?

• The lead will contain the MOST IMPORTANT details of the story:– Who– What– Where– When

• Leave the why and the how for later on in the story

The who, what, where, and when are simple, yet vital, story details that do not need much explanation

On the weekend a woman was attacked by a cougar on the Nordic ski track in Canmore Alberta. It happened at 6:30 pm. She was alone on the track. A pair of skiers came across the cougar and woman and were able to scare the cougar off. Cougar could still be near by

What happened:• Cougar attack• Woman hurt but

released from hospital• Cougar escapedWho:• Carla Samuelson• Two other skiers• Ambulance drive• Wildlife officers

When:• Friday night

Where:• Canmore Nordic center• On the ski trail

Woman Attack by a Cougar

On Friday night, Carla Samuelson/or a woman was attacked by a cougar at the Nordic Centre in Canmore Alberta. The woman, found by two skiers, suffered minor injuries. The cougar has not yet been located by wildlife officials.

After the Lead – the Body

Write the lead first: who, what, where, when

Then add in the supporting details that are still important to the story: why and how

Info to include AFTER the lead

• Secondary important information:– Why– How (how can also be in the tail)

The why and the how provide readers with important information, but these details might take more words to describe accurately and effectively. Leave the why and the how for the paragraph after the lead.

The Middle/second paragraph (Body)• Give the reader the details. • Write in the third person (he, she, it, they). • Be objective -- never state your opinion. • Use quotes to express the opinions of the person

you were interviewing.

** If you are writing more than one paragraph after the second paragraph the details become less important for each paragraph.

Tail/ending

Write the lead first: who, what, where, when

Then add in the supporting details that are still important to the story: why and how

Finish your news story by adding in quotes and other important facts and details. Finish your story with the least important information at the bottom. This could include “for more information”

Last paragraph (The Tails)• Wrap it up somehow (don't leave the reader

hanging. Please don't say...."In conclusion" or "To finish..." (yawn!)

• Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase.• Use active words (verbs that show what's really

happening.) • Use the notes you took in your interview. • Use the quotes you took from the person

interviewed!