I Say it My Way
Module 1, Activity 5 - Voice and Tone
Student Page
(teacher version of this lesson)

Introduction:

Journalists have to use the style that fits their audience and the type of reporting they are doing. Saying things in your own unique way and keeping with the definitions of a specific style of writing (editorial, short story) can be challenging. To help you find your writing voices, this lesson starts with some games and ends with a reflective work entitled "My Way".

Activities:

Task One - Words and meaning
Listen to the voice reading the passage and do the accompanying worksheet.

After the listening activity, use this transcript of the story to answer the remaining questions.

Task Two - The speaking voice
Choose a partner. You and your partner need to choose a topic you both have strong opinions on. The type of topic does not matter as long as it is appropriate for school. Each of you should speak for one to three minutes on your topic, while your partner listens. You can speak from notes if you need to, but it is better to speak without them.

While you are speaking, your partner listens to try to find the word choices and sentence structure that stand out.

Objectives:

Students will be able to
- speak to clarify and extend thinking.
- analyze and evaluate their own and others' writing.

Resources:

- Listening activity
- Transcript of the story
- Additional questions
- Voice recording (mp3)
- My Way guidelines and evaluation sheets
* if you do alternate task 2, you will need a microphone and a computer or tape recorder.

Task Three - "My Way"

• You complete task one of "My Way", which includes a writing assignment and a proposal handout..
  
• Be sure you look at the evaluation information to see how you will be marked.