The Ins and Outs
Module 2, Activity 3.5 - Adding to the Story
Teacher Page
(student page for this lesson)

Introduction:

Students have worked for the previous two lessons to create a news broadcast. In this lesson, they will wrap up the assignment through self-evaluation and a short simulation.

Resources:

- assessment negotiated by class
- news clips including anchor

Activities:

Task One - A Different Element
Students have been given time to write, film and edit a segment of television news. Before they hand in their assignment, it is important for them to review how they will be graded.

As a class, you came up with a negotiated assessment for the newscast assignment in the lesson, Constructing the Story. This evaluation tool includes the elements the students will be graded on, along with a rubric regarding quality.

Students should now be given time to use the rubric and self-evaluate. Each student should watch his video and use the rubric to evaluate his work. At the end, the students should be able to hand in a mark, and a justification for that mark, with their projects.

Having students self-evaluate using the rubric, and having them explain their decisions, gives them the chance to try to look objectively at the quality of their own work.

Task Two - Anchor it Down
To conclude this assignment and introduce the students to the concept of anchoring the news, try having them do a simulation with a partner.
They are going to try to anchor the story of another student in class.

To begin, have students watch a clip from CTV News, anchored by Lloyd Robertson (if possible choose a clip with an at-the-scene reporter that speaks with Robertson after the report). Briefly discuss the purpose of an anchor.

Have students watch each other's news segments to get a feel for the story that their partner presented. After, they will write a lead-in and a lead-out for themselves as the anchor to their partner's story. Along with this, they must come up with at least three questions they want to ask their partner about the story.

At-the-scene reporters are often questioned live by the anchor. This part of the simulation will give the students the opportunity to feel the pressure of the live reporter and the anchor.

The simulation will take place in front of another group within the class. Students will:
1. Give the lead-in
2. Show their partner's news segment
3. Interview their partner as the at-the-scene reporter
4. Give the lead-out
5. Listen to comments from the group viewing them about what was good and what they would want to work on if they were to do this as an on-camera journalist.

Objectives:

Students will be able to
- write various types of news story leads and news stories
- understand how a radio or television production is created
- understand the requirements for reporting news using radio, television, and the Internet
- complete and present a project
- prepare a simulated television or radio broadcast
- evaluate the concept of objectivity
- recognize the importance for journalists of interviewing, researching, and reporting
- speak to inform

Task Two - Continued . . .
This activity will give the students a chance to experiment with the central role within a newscast.

Task Three - Talk it Out
After the simulation, students must consider the role of the anchor. Begin by asking the students how they felt as the anchor and whether they thought it was more difficult being the anchor or the reporter.

Continue the discussion by expanding on the role of the anchor and beginning to introduce the students to the necessity of having an anchor and the pressures on this person.

Anchors control the flow and feel of a newscast.

As students move towards profiling an anchor and creating an entire broadcast, it is important for them to consider the role of the various people at the news station.

Task Two will not be formally evaluated. The group watching the simulation will offer feedback and the discussion following the simulation will allow you to check for student understanding regarding the purpose of an anchor and the difficulty of the job. You will build on these concepts in lessons to come.