Your Newspaper... Get ideas for about content for writing your newspaper project!

Essential Overarching Questions: 1. What does it mean to be a responsible citizen? 2. What is the government’s role in the lives of its citizens? 3. What are the various ways citizens can express themselves (peacefully) in order to help government problem-solve? 4) What role do newspapers (“the press”) play in a democracy? Democracy Unit

What role do newspapers play in a democracy? Newspapers were invented by people who wanted to express their opinions about the problems they saw around them. They wanted to collect news and report to others about events that concerned them. By reporting to others about problems in society, newspapers can help people be informed so that citizens will take action.

Most newspapers are businesses. If a newspaper isn't interesting, (yawn!)...no one will buy it and the business will lose money. Newspapers keep customers by... writing interesting stories being fair and balanced by providing quality details by attracting readers as the best source of news by supplying opinions that support the perspective of the readers

To keep you buying it... Entertainment: comics, games, funny essays! Fashion Updates! Horoscopes! Stock Prices and Business Reports! $$$$$$ Calendar of Events! Sports! Movie Star Gossip! Advice! Classified Ads!

Newspaper Sections... 3> Stock Prices and Business Reports! $$$$$$ 1> International News! 2> Local News! Last: Sports, Movie Star Gossip! Advice!

Newspapers supply facts......and opinions! Editorials! Persuasive Essays by leaders, scientists and professors! Letters to the Editor (from readers like you)!

Facts: articles on first pages Flip forward several pages to find Opinions: look for “Editorials” on page 6 or later. Includes “Letters to the Editor” from readers like you!

What role do newspapers play in a democracy? Editors express their opinions about what should be done on the page for "editorials." Editors collect "opinion essays" from writers and publish them in order to encourage readers to discuss the problems society faces. Readers send THEIR opinions as “letters to the editor” !!!! Wow! There’s a great call to action! Neat ideas!

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, I am shocked by the biased reporting that your reporter Frank Slanted wrote on Tuesday about the leadership of our mayor. He ignored all the important work that our mayor has done to improve schools and highways. Your reporter was only interested in talking about our mayor’s decision to pass a larger tax to pay for traffic signals. Your reporter should try to show both sides of the story. We expect good, unbiased news from your good newspaper or you’ll lose readers! Opinion Page Wow! Good point! I’m glad that reader spoke up!

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Your editorial last Tuesday called, “There’s No Pollution Problem” overlooked the fact that the API was over 200 on six days in the year Your own newspaper has reported on the dumping of garbage into the harbor. Don’t ignore the facts. Hong Kong faces a bad pollution problem! Citizens need to recycle more and consume fewer resources. If we’d just buy less junk that we just throw in trash bins, we’d need to burn less garbage. We’ll end up with less smoke that causes lung disease. Citizens also need to elect strong officials who will punish polluters with higher taxes and prison sentences! Sincerely, Alice Lungshurt Opinion Page I agree! I’ll write a letter to the editor, too!

Be a careful reader! Some newspapers get more readers and more $$$ by exaggerating! Can you believe all that you read? Some newspapers feel desperate to get their point of view expressed because no one else is publishing it. Beware... because their coverage might be biased. Readers slowly get to know the perspective a newspaper has by reading a variety of newspapers and getting to know each one's "slant" or bias or perspective. !!

Writing Articles: stick to facts. Provide “QUOTED” opinion. An article reports facts about events and people. A reporter can also interview people for their OPINIONS and include quotations. Joe Smith is running for mayor. He went to college at Harvard. His professor stated, “Joe is a hard working man. He was one of my best students.” Joe has an interest in good food, but he is not known to be a good cook. He poisoned a guest once with a badly cooked beef stew. His wife, however, says she loves his ham sandwiches.

Writing Articles: stick to facts. Provide “QUOTED” opinion. Facts OPINIONS Joe Smith is running for mayor. He went to college at Harvard. His professor stated, “Joe is a hard working man. He was one of my best students.” Joe has an interest in good food, but he is not known to be a good cook. He poisoned a guest once with a badly cooked beef stew. His wife, however, says she loves his ham sandwiches.

Writing Articles: stick to facts. Provide “QUOTED” opinion. Facts OPINIONS Joe Smith is running for mayor. He went to college at Harvard. His professor stated, “Joe is a hard working man. He was one of my best students.” Joe has an interest in good food, but he is not known to be a good cook. He poisoned a guest once with a badly cooked beef stew. His wife, however, says she loves his ham sandwiches.

Writing Articles: stick to facts. Provide “QUOTED” opinion. Facts OPINIONS Joe Smith is running for mayor. He went to college at Harvard. His professor stated, “Joe is a hard working man. He was one of my best students.” Joe has an interest in good food, but he is not known to be a good cook. He poisoned a guest once with a badly cooked beef stew. His wife, however, says she loves his ham sandwiches.

Your Newspaper... Articles in most of newspaper: Headline Lead: hook and topic sentence Facts and quoted opinions organized into paragraphs Conclusion Opinion Pieces on Editorial Page Title hooks! It shows the topic and the opinion. Topic sentence clearly states the opinion. Details and examples and facts support the opinion in organized paragraphs. Conclusion MENTIONS THE OTHER SIDE… BUT re-states opinion to “end with a bang!”

Smith Promises Protection from Poison Joe Smith, a candidate for mayor, promises to spend tax money to promote good health if he’s elected. He wants to build hospitals with government money. He also wants health inspectors to strictly guide food producers to make sure they don’t sell diseased meat. Joe has an interest in good food, but he is not known to be a good cook. He poisoned a dinner guest once with a badly cooked beef stew. Joe Smith is the first person in our town to announce that he is running for mayor. He went to college at Harvard. He studied government and business. His professor stated, “Joe is a hard working man. He was one of my best students.” Mary Flint is a restaurant owner who does not want higher taxes or too many government rules to follow. She has stated that she will never vote for a leader who will send inspectors to boss her around or fine her. She says her food is safe. Article

Your Newspaper... Get resources for writing your newspaper project! See Mrs. Carpenter’s links from library’s Resources page!library’s Resources page!