Interviewing--the key to good reporting

This is a multi-pronged lesson plan that involves a number of classes. The idea is to instruct students as to how to formulate questions, make observations, formulate more pertinent questions, conduct interviews and write articles/make reports that utilize interview pieces.

Students will have already been instructed in the area of researching to formulate background---whether news or sports. They will have already been instructed in the idea of how to take notes and the knowledge that accuracy is essential in interviewing.

Class #1
The student will be able to:
-review need for prior knowledge of topic areas
-review need for formulation of basic questions
-review need for good note taking
-receive school related topic
-discuss background of issue, news
-formulate basic questions
-discuss questions
-use questions in mock interview with teacher, document answers
-through coached process...discuss follow up questions
-through coached process...discuss building questions from interviewee's answers
-review notes
-write short article

Class #2
The student will be able to:
-pair/share basic interview articles
-critique articles, check for good leads
-discuss various styles of interview articles--within text of article or in Q/A format
-receive news assignment
-conduct basic familiarity steps associated with assignment
-watch raw news segment of news event, take notes (elmo)
-discuss questions
-watch raw press conference, take notes
-write article

Class #3
The student will be able to:
pair/share previous day's articles, critique
-for today's class, prepare questions for press conference with principal
-review/discuss with class
-conduct group press conference with principal
-write newsmaker article via microsoft word--laptops

Class #4
The student will be able to:
-pair/share previous day's interview article
-read aloud to class, critique
-receive "news release" regarding mock arrests
-formulate notes for police, district attorney, the accuse
-take part in mock press conferences
-write detailed article via microsoft word (laptops)

Class #5
The student will be able to:
-share articles from previous day
-critique/discuss
-formulate questions for visiting/new teacher
-take part in press conference with teacher--focus on follow up questions and questions that come from teacher's responses
-write article

Class #6
The student will be able to:
-receive assignment
-conduct familiarity/research work via internet
-access news/sports raw footage of events...take notes
-access corresponding news/sports raw footage of interviews, press conferences
-take notes
-homework--revisit site, take notes, write article

Class #7
The student will be able to present article to class after sharing associated video clips with class
-Students will receive assignments for school newspaper


The next area we will address will be broadcast reporting and interviewing for inclusion on school newspaper website. We will use flip cams and editing materials, as well.