News and Media Discussion Task Cards Worksheets
News and Media Discussion Task Cards()

News and Media Discussion Task Cards

News and Media Discussion Task Cards For Google Apps

News and Media Discussion Task Cards

A grade 7-10 media unit in google apps. Use this resource to help give you some direction when teaching your news and media unit. Along with your teaching other resources this will get you started. Use as task cards too.
What news do you watch? Why do you watch what you watch? Listen to what you listen to?
Read what you read?
Everything you watch, listen to or read is having an impact on you. Explain.
In order to write great news feature stories, it is important to read many of them. Explain.
Many news stories help people and many hurt people. A reporter has to decide who and how many it may hurt and make a decision as to whether the risk is too great to report or not. Find examples of
stories that have hurt and helped others.
When does news become an invasion of privacy? Provide examples?
What makes some sources of news more credible than others?
What is the difference between celebrity gossip and celebrity news? Provide examples.
Do you feel that news is always reported accurately and objectively? Explain.
Are Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…) feeds a reliable source of news? Explain.
Explain why it is extremely important to report news accurately and fairly.
Explain how being biased is of concern for reporting news.
People engage with news on blogs and social posts in the form of questions and comments. Explain how this type of engagement can be both helpful and harmful.
It has been said that journalism has been called ‘the first rough draft of history.’ Explain this.
Look at a variety of news headlines and stories. Then, answer the question ‘Who cares?’ After all, news is only news if people are interested.
A news story will often have a broadcast accompaniment and a few social posts. Take 3 current news stories and create a social post and a broadcast for each of them.
Journalists have been called both heroes and villains. Explain.
Why does ‘bad’ news attract more readers and listeners than ‘good’ news?
Make a list of 8 questions to ask a journalist about their career.
Sometimes news is controversial. Identify 3 news stories that are controversial and explain why they would be considered controversial.
Do you think journalists can influence your attitude and values? Explain.
Make a timeline of the history of news and its major developments . Start with the beginning of print to mass communication.
Explain the difference between primary and secondary news sources and provide examples of both.
Identify the top trending stories and classify them by: news, business, entertainment, sports.
Watch a documentary and then write a review for the local news. (Read a few reviews first to understand how reviews are written.)
Write a human interest story that is based on something happening at your school or in your
community. Use both primary and secondary sources.
Listen to the radio news for 20 minutes and classify each news story. Decide if each news bulletin gave you enough information and what questions you still have. (Conflict, celebrity, human interest, research findings, politics etc.)
Take any current news story and re-write it as a radio news bulletin.
Although there is free speech and people’s right to know, there is also protection for individuals and other legitimate areas such as classified information. Find out and explain the main journalism laws in your country.
All journalists must fully understand copyright laws. Identify where you can find copyright laws and identify 5 of them.
Should reporters be allowed to use hidden recorders and cameras? Justify your answer.
Take 3 current news stories. Re-write the story in 50 words or less, focusing on what is most important for the reader to know.
Take 5 news stories, use color highlighter or colored fonts to identify the lead, the body and the tail in each story.
Journalists will usually use an AP Stylebook. Explain at least 10 rules to abide by when writing the news.
Prepare a ‘code of ethics’ for your school’s ne

All worksheets are created by experienced and qualified teachers. Send your suggestions or comments.