Newspapers in theClassroom

The Ultimate Textbook

Kristi Piper

Danbury High School

kpiper@danbury.isd.esc4.net

Why make the newspaper your textbook?To make inferences and draw conclusionsTo use primary, non-fiction sourcesTo encourage elaboration in thought and

writingTo increase depth of observation and

curiosityTo analyze, evaluate and synthesizeTo connect with real world experiences and

current events.

The Chronicle in Educationwww.chron.com/cie

Lesson Ideas Teachers’ Guides Student Guides Free Programs Contests

What do you know?

Entertainment Current Events Sports Local Happenings Politics History Controversial Debates

Front Page PoetryKaye Moon Winters

Kmoonpoet@aol.com

Choose an article to read from the front page.

Pull words and/or phrases that you like.

Create a “Found Poem” using the found words, your words, or a salt and pepper mix.

So many uses…

Editorial Cartoons / EditorialsDear AbbyResearch TopicsMedia ComparisonsCurrent Events Journal

My mom cried the day Ronald Reagan died. She went in her bedroom, sat on her bed, and cried real hard. She hadn’t known him, but his death made her sad. Real sad. It made me think about our leaders today. If Bill Clinton or George Bush died would I be sad? I mean, it’s always sad when someone dies, but would it make me so sad that I would need to be alone to have a good cry? I don’t think so. In fact, I can’t think of one public figure whose death would bring out that kind of response in me. Maybe my mom is just an emotional person, but maybe Ronald Reagan was just a great leader. Maybe he was the kind of leader whose death would have made me mourn him had I been around to experience him. Maybe. I don’t know exactly what that says about our leaders and role models today, but I do know that it makes this article a good addition to our journal. Future students should remember the death of Ronald Reagan because apparently he was the kind of leader that will really be missed.

~Anthony~8th Grade Reluctant Reader and Writer

The real voyage of discovery consistsnot in seeking new landscapes,

but in having new eyes.~Marcel Proust

Yes, you can READ photography.

Don’t forget the funny stuff!

What makes it such a great reading resource? Students connect with what they read in

newspapers. It is a non-threatening reading activity. You will never have a shortage of reading material,

writing and discussion topics, or thought provoking photographs.

It changes every day. It holds their attention and they look forward to

reading it.

How many textbooks can you say that about?