High School Journalism Unit 1

Reading and Writing Workshop

Unit Plan

Introduction to Journalism – Foundations and Functions

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 1
Unit Duration:
3–4 weeks (12–16 class periods)

Unit Overview:
This unit introduces students to the field of journalism, focusing on its role in a democratic society, the variety of journalistic forms, the evolution of the press through history, and the foundational concepts of reporting including the 5 W’s and H. Students will explore journalism’s impact on public awareness and civic responsibility, examine ethical considerations, and begin practicing basic reporting and writing skills.

Unit Objectives:
Students will be able to:

• Define journalism and explain its significance in society and democracy.
• Differentiate between types of journalistic writing: news, features, opinion, investigative, and more.
• Summarize key developments in the history of journalism and its digital transformation.
• Apply the 5 W’s and H to write clear and informative news leads.
• Reflect on journalism’s ethical responsibilities and its challenges in the digital age.

Essential Questions:

• What is journalism, and why does it matter?
• How do different types of journalism serve different purposes?
• How has journalism evolved over time, and how is it changing today?
• How do journalists gather and structure news using the 5 W’s and H?
• What responsibilities do journalists have to the public?

Key Topics:

• The purpose and role of journalism in democratic society
• Types of journalism: news, features, opinion, investigative, multimedia
• A brief history of journalism and the digital revolution
• Core principles of reporting: accuracy, objectivity, ethics
• Understanding and applying the 5 W’s and H in writing

Primary & Secondary Sources:
Primary:

• Excerpts from early American newspapers (e.g., The Pennsylvania Gazette)
• Broadcast clips from major news stories (archival and current)
• Student analysis of current articles from sources like The New York Times, NPR, and ProPublica

Secondary:

• Excerpts from The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
• Articles on the history of journalism from the Poynter Institute
• Journalism ethics case studies (SPJ and NPR guidelines)

Lesson Breakdown:

Week 1: What is Journalism and Why It Matters

• Lesson 1: Defining Journalism
  Activity: Class brainstorm on the role of news in students’ lives. Create working definition of journalism.
• Lesson 2: Journalism and Democracy
  Activity: Read excerpts from The Elements of Journalism; small group discussion on journalism’s role in democracy.
• Lesson 3: Journalism Today
  Activity: Analyze headlines from different media outlets (print, online, broadcast); discuss who journalists serve.

Week 2: Types of Journalism

• Lesson 4: News Writing vs. Feature Writing
  Activity: Compare two articles on the same topic—one hard news, one feature. Discuss structure, tone, purpose.
• Lesson 5: Opinion and Editorials
  Activity: Analyze an editorial and write a short opinion response to a current event.
• Lesson 6: Investigative Journalism
  Activity: Case study of a Pulitzer-winning investigative piece; discuss research and impact.

Week 3: Journalism’s History and Ethics

• Lesson 7: History of Journalism
  Activity: Timeline activity on key moments in journalism history (e.g., printing press, Yellow Journalism, Watergate, internet age).
• Lesson 8: Digital Media and the News
  Activity: Analyze social media’s influence on journalism; track a trending story through platforms.
• Lesson 9: Journalism Ethics
  Activity: Debate case studies on conflict of interest, plagiarism, and bias; reflect using SPJ Code of Ethics.

Week 4: Writing the News – The 5 W’s and H

• Lesson 10: Introduction to the 5 W’s and H
  Activity: Practice identifying the 5 W’s and H in sample news leads.
• Lesson 11: Writing a News Lead
  Activity: Students write leads based on classroom roleplay or a mock press conference.
• Lesson 12: Putting it Together – Your First Article
  Activity: Students draft a short article using the inverted pyramid style, peer-edit, and revise.

Assessments:
Formative:

• Exit tickets (reflection or comprehension questions)
• Peer feedback on leads and article drafts
• Class participation in timeline, debates, and discussions

Summative:

• Short quiz on types of journalism and history
• News article assignment using 5 W’s and H with a rubric
• Editorial response writing assignment

Suggested Extension Activities:

• Invite a local journalist or media professional to speak with the class
• Field trip to a local newsroom, radio station, or student-run publication
• Launch a classroom news board, blog, or podcast
• Watch and critique a documentary about journalism (e.g., Page One: Inside the New York Times)

Vocabulary:

• Journalism
• News lead
• Editorial
• Feature
• Ethics
• Objectivity
• Inverted pyramid
• Multimedia
• Investigative reporting
• Source

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
Group AI-Integrated Activities
1. AI-Prompted Roundtable Discussion

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Groups prompt ChatGPT to simulate a conversation between historical journalists (e.g., Ida B. Wells, Nellie Bly, Walter Cronkite) about journalism’s role in society. Students summarize and analyze the dialogue.
  
• Purpose: Understand journalism’s evolving role in democracy and society.
  

2. AI-Enhanced Journalism Type Debate

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Groups input sample article summaries into ChatGPT and ask it to identify the type of journalism (news, opinion, feature, investigative). Students then debate and justify whether they agree with the AI’s classification.
  
• Purpose: Deepen understanding of journalism types and develop analytical reasoning.
  

3. AI Timeline Builder

• AI Tool: ChatGPT + TimelineJS
  
• Instructions: Groups ask ChatGPT for a list of key moments in journalism history. They verify accuracy and turn it into a digital timeline using TimelineJS or another tool.
  
• Purpose: Connect historical context to the modern evolution of journalism.
  

4. AI Breaking News Simulation

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Groups prompt ChatGPT to simulate a developing news event (e.g., wildfire, local protest). They receive periodic updates and must collaboratively write and revise a breaking news report.
  
• Purpose: Practice real-time writing, teamwork, and editorial decision-making.
  

5. AI Story Structure Challenge

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: ChatGPT generates a jumbled version of a short news story. Groups must identify the 5 W’s and H and collaboratively reconstruct the article into proper journalistic order.
  
• Purpose: Apply journalistic structure and reinforce the importance of clear organization.
  

Individual AI-Integrated Activities
6. AI Reflection Prompt Generator

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Students ask ChatGPT to generate 3 reflection questions based on journalism’s role in society. They choose one to answer in a written response.
  
• Purpose: Support personal reflection and encourage deeper engagement with the topic.
  

7. AI Genre Writing Practice

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Students choose a journalism genre and ask ChatGPT for guidance on writing a short article in that style. They use the output as a model or a draft to revise.
  
• Purpose: Learn tone, purpose, and structure of different journalism genres.
  

8. AI Interview with a Journalist

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Students simulate a text-based interview with a famous journalist using roleplay prompts (e.g., “You are Nellie Bly. Why did you go undercover at the asylum?”).
  
• Purpose: Build historical understanding and empathy for journalists’ motivations.
  

9. AI-Assisted News Brief Builder

• AI Tool: ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Students describe an event to ChatGPT and ask it to help outline or organize the 5 W’s and H. They then write their own news brief using this structure.
  
• Purpose: Strengthen reporting skills and practice clarity and conciseness.
  

10. AI-Driven Editing and Feedback

• AI Tool: Grammarly + ChatGPT
  
• Instructions: Students input their written pieces into Grammarly for grammar/style review and into ChatGPT for feedback on clarity, structure, and voice.
  
• Purpose: Develop revision habits and refine journalistic writing quality.