Reading and Writing Workshop
Introduction to Journalism
Objective: Understand the role and importance of journalism in society.
Session 1: What is Journalism? Its Role in Democracy and Society
Essential Questions:
Session 2: Overview of Different Types of Journalism (News, Feature, Opinion, etc.)
Essential Questions:
Session 3: The History of Journalism and Its Evolution in the Digital Age
Essential Questions:
Session 4: The 5 W’s and H – Foundations of Journalistic Writing
Essential Questions:
Culminating Project:Students will write a feature article on a topic of local interest, incorporating:
Objective: Understand the role and importance of journalism in society.
Session 1: What is Journalism? Its Role in Democracy and Society
Essential Questions:
- What is journalism?
- How does journalism serve the public and uphold democracy?
- Excerpt from Public Opinion (1922) by Walter Lippmann
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6456
- Analyze Lippmann’s view on the press as a mediator between the world and the public.
- Write a reflection: In your own words, define journalism and explain its democratic value today.
Session 2: Overview of Different Types of Journalism (News, Feature, Opinion, etc.)
Essential Questions:
- What are the key characteristics of different journalistic styles?
- How does tone and purpose shift between news, feature, and opinion?
- Example News Article from The New York Herald (1865) – Lincoln assassination coverage
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030313/1865-04-15/ed-1/seq-1/ - Example Opinion Piece: The Crisis by Thomas Paine (1776) – Early American commentary
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3741
- Compare structure, tone, and intent of news vs. opinion writing.
- Choose a topic and write a short news brief and a short opinion column to explore the difference.
Session 3: The History of Journalism and Its Evolution in the Digital Age
Essential Questions:
- How has journalism changed over time?
- What are the challenges and opportunities in today’s digital journalism?
- Excerpt from The History of Journalism in the United States by James Melvin Lee (1917)
https://archive.org/details/historyofjournal00leejrich - The Penny Press (Public Domain summary from Library of Congress)
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/presentations-and-activities/presentations/timeline/expref/pepress/
- Create a timeline chart showing key moments in journalism history (e.g., penny press, radio news, digital platforms).
- Write a brief essay: How has the role of the journalist changed from the 19th century to the digital age?
Session 4: The 5 W’s and H – Foundations of Journalistic Writing
Essential Questions:
- What makes information newsworthy?
- Why are the 5 W's and H essential to reporting?
- Elements of Journalism excerpts from early journalism manuals:
- A Complete Manual of Journalism by Frederick Hudson (1873)
https://archive.org/details/acompletemanual00hudsgoog
- A Complete Manual of Journalism by Frederick Hudson (1873)
- Read selected sections on writing leads and reporting facts.
- Practice: Write a news lead using the 5 W’s and H from a fictional or real recent event.
Culminating Project:Students will write a feature article on a topic of local interest, incorporating:
- A strong lead using the 5 W’s and H
- Clear differentiation between fact and opinion
- Evidence of journalistic style suited to the chosen type (news, feature, opinion)