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Slam Dunk
Module 1, Activity 2.4 - Elements of a Sports Story
Student Page
(teacher lesson for this page)

Introduction:

The sports beat can be one of the most difficult beats to cover. In this area of writing, you must be very knowledgeable in the sport you are covering, keep detailed notes on every aspect of the game, meet hard and fast deadlines and find an interesting angle to tell your story. Each game or event not only has the story of who won and who lost, but also the story of the people who are playing the game. In this lesson, you will determine the characteristics of a sports story, through a comparison to the elements of a new story, and attempt to write your own sports story.

soccer game Question to consider:
Is it just the game that is covered or does the author try to cover more than the game?

Activities:

Task One - Review
Each type of article that exists in a newspaper requires different things from the writer. Before beginning a discussion of sports stories, you will need to review the elements of a news story. Take a piece of paper and divide it in half, lengthwise. As your teacher is reviewing elements of a news story, students jot down these elements on one side of your piece of paper.

Task Two - What to cover
In any type of news writing, you must first decide what is important and what must be covered. With a partner look at several (4-6) sports stories and answer the assigned questions.

Once you have answered these questions, you and your partner need to make a list. Based on your answers, what are the most common things to be covered in a sports story? Write these elements on the other side of the piece of paper that you have written notes on elements of a news story.

 
Objectives:

You will be able to
- write clear, informative sports stories
- recognize the differences between a news story and sports writing
Resources:

- assigned questions
- "Casey at the Bat" (external link)
- sports chart

Discuss, as a class, all the common elements in a sports story and the differences between the two types of stories. Create a list of characteristics of sports stories that is agreeable to everyone. Once you have created the list, record the elements of a good sports story in your notebook.

Task Three - Finding the details
Read the poem "Casey at the Bat" or another sports poem chosen by your teacher. Fill in the chart provided. Be sure to be specific .

Task Four - Writing the Story
Write a rough draft of the sports story that includes Casey and his game. Remember that you must include all pertinent information and find an interesting angle to tell the story from. Because this is a fictional story, you can take creative liberties and make up quotes to use in your article. This would not be acceptable if you chose to write about a real event.
Alternate Task Three

You could choose to cover a sports event in your own community using the chart provided. 		shift

If you choose to do alternate task three, remember to research the story and conduct ethical interviews. You cannot make up details in a non-fiction piece.
 

Last Updated
May 30, 2005

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