Media Literacy Assignment #2

In working with newspapers, news broadcasting, fair vs. biased news, and real versus fake news, something that really got me interested is the potential for student to explore the different broadcasting techniques of these outlets while connecting them to a text or a piece of literature read in class. One thing it is important to stress to students in an English class regardless of what they're writing is to identify their audience and purpose. This activity will help students explore those concepts in relation to the text as well as develop an understanding of media literacy. From this assignment, students will get experience with the publishing world, with the novel itself, and with understanding the difference between writing for entertainment and writing for information.

1. After a short discussion of the difference between newspaper and tabloid newspaper, students will be given copies of both (i.e. Star Tribune and World Daily News)
2. Students will examine each type of newspaper in depth, and determine how each uses/exhibits:
- featured stories
- length of stories
- layout
- headlines
- pictures
- perspective/bias if any

Then determine: audience, and purpose (to exaggerate, to inform?)
3. In pairs, each student will report the differences they noticed in the newspaper sources, where and if any bias occurs, and the purpose of entertaining or informing and WHY.

4. Students will then refer to the novel read previously or currently in class to create a newspaper spreadsheet in both traditional newspaper and tabloid form reporting the important (or unimportant) events of that novel. They will need to consider featured stories, length of stories, layout, headlines, pictures, and audience and purpose for each type of newspaper.