Newsroom Lesson Plan

Objectives

1. Students will explain the term "value-added" as applied to farm products.
2. Students will describe why export markets are important to the farm economy.
3. Students will utilize search strategies employing keywords such as "export and farm products" or "value-added products corn or soybeans" when searching Web-based agriculture news sources for current information.
4. Students will practice note-taking strategies during the research process and complete the news analysis worksheet.

Activity Summary

Teams of students will research what's happening in the farm economy today. Students will complete a K-W-L-H chart prior to reading the background information and beginning the research process.

After completing the news analysis worksheet, students will summarize their findings in a written reflection and answer the following questions:

1. What do you think is the most important issue facing farmers today?
2. In your opinion, why is this issue the most important?

Teacher Resources

Using Graphic Organizers

Visual Learning Using Inspiration®
Describes how concept maps and story webs assist students in visually structuring ideas and relationships between concepts. Provides examples of visual brainstorming tools for developing writing plans and problem solving.

Electronic Graphic Organizers: Are They for You?

Inspiration®
The templates under the categories Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Teacher Planning, and Thinking Tools include bubble diagrams, tree maps, flow maps, Venn diagrams, and other structures for students to use when organizing information into an outline or concept map.

Teaching Beginning Journalism

Paper Lake Times
Take your students to the Newsroom to learn the right way to use quotes, how to determine what makes something newsworthy, and the importance of objective reporting.