Today was the start of a journalism unit in my class, and the activity I planned to get their minds in the right place was for groups to perform "live on the scene" broadcasts of fictional events centered around a prop they pulled from a bag. I collected items from around the house this morning: an ice cream scooper, a stuffed bat, a glove with little pink pigs on the ends of each finger, binoculars, and an old-fashioned empty coke bottle. The directions were simple: Answer the six big questions, the 5 Ws and how.
It was hilarious to see how reporting news came so naturally to many of them as they held the microphone out to the various witnesses on the scene. I heard a wide range of accents, saw expressive body language, and each story was unique. News, for my students, included scientific discoveries, natural disaster, crimes in the community, as well as bizarre malformations (born with pigs on hand). On several occasions, I was amazed to hear the voices of some of my quietest students broadcast their news with the confidence of Katie Couric.
I call my unit "Power of the Press", but I underestimated how empowered they'd feel when they got a chance to spread some news of their own.
How awesome that your quiet students really stepped it up with this activity to start your unit! They must feel very safe in the community you have built in your classroom to "broadcast their news with the confidence of Katie Couric." Bravo!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun day!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like so much fun Leah! This is a great kick off to your unit. What are you planning next?
ReplyDeleteI want to be in your class!
ReplyDeleteCool idea! I bet this was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. I could use it in my speech class as a filler activity.! Thanks for sharing it
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me a bit of that show, "Whose Line is it Anyway?" It sounds like this would make for quite the entertaining day.
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