The.news: Newspapers in the Digital Age

The.News online video reports for the.Gov provide high school students with valuable exercises in language arts. Lesson plans are available to support multitudes of videos, e.g., “Cyberbullying: Effects on Teens
Across the Nation." Each lesson plan includes discussion questions, student activities, vocabulary, and primary reference sources on timely issues.

Weblink address (URL):

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives:

Key Objectives:
Students will be able to

trace the history of news dissemination.
evaluate significant developments in news dissemination.
construct an illustrated timeline.
explain the significance of developments in news dissemination.
predict future trends in news dissemination

Students will:

Analyze the changes that print media sources have undergone in the past several years.
Describe how the influx of Internet sources has affected traditional print media.
Predict how the face of journalism will change in the future.
Evaluate whether specific Internet sources can be considered valid and reliable.
Formulate an argument about a journalist’s First Amendment rights.

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level:

Applying

Helpful Hints

Materials:

“Newspapers in the Digital Age” www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thegov
“Changes in Journalism” Background Essay
Highlighters
Consensus Circle graphic organizer
Timeline Template
Color pencils
Rulers
“Journalism in Transition” www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thegov
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics (a PDF version of the file is available at: http://www.spj.org/pdf/ethicscode.pdf
Society of Professional Journalists frequently asked questions about Code of Ethics (available at: http://www.spj.org/ethicsfaq.asp)
The New York Times article about Mike Wise – “Washington Post Suspends Columnist for Twitter Hoax” (available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/business/media/01post.html)
The Washington Post article by ombudsman Andrew Alexander, “The toll of Mike Wise's false tweet on Ben Roethlisberger” (available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/09/03/AR2010090...)
Handout #1: Speech Guidelines – First Amendment Rights for Journalists
Printer-friendly copy of the Constitution and Bill of Rights (available at: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/print_friendly.html?page=bill_...)
Online resources
Paper, pens, and pencils

References

Contributors:

Penny Ferguson

Originator:

Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation