Perfect for fictional summaries or school newspapers, a newspaper project lets students get creative while recounting events. They're easily adapted to fit any subject, from Science to Social Studies to ELA!
Using one of the newspaper templates, students will create the front page of a newspaper. This example uses events from the popular novel, Elijah of Buxton but this project could be used for any book or topic! Like this example, students could recount a particular event in a book for ELA, but they could also create a newspaper project about a current or historical event for Social Studies or a new discovery or innovation for Science class. Students could even create a front page news story from their own imagination!
To pre-plan, the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) are helpful to think about as a guide. Students can write the answers to those questions using a graphic organizer as they gather facts and information.
For additional templates to include in this assignment, check out our Newspaper Poster and Newspaper Worksheet templates!
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create the front page of a newspaper to recount an event.
Student Instructions:
Requirements:
Support every student by breaking the newspaper project into manageable tasks. Differentiate instructions for varied reading and writing abilities so all learners can participate confidently.
Show real or student-made newspaper examples. Discuss features like headlines, bylines, images, and article structure so students know what to include in their own projects.
Demonstrate how to use a graphic organizer to answer who, what, when, where, and why. Think aloud so students see how to gather and organize information before writing.
Offer sentence frames and headline ideas to jumpstart writing. Encourage creativity while lowering the barrier for students who struggle to get started.
Set up structured peer feedback sessions where students exchange drafts. Guide students to give specific, kind suggestions to help each other revise headlines and stories.
A newspaper project is a creative classroom assignment where students design the front page of a newspaper to recount or summarize events. It's adaptable for any subject, including ELA, Science, or Social Studies, and helps students practice writing, summarizing, and critical thinking skills.
To create a classroom newspaper front page, have students pick an event or topic, brainstorm using the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why), write a headline, add relevant images or drawings, and write a short descriptive article. Using templates can simplify formatting.
Newspaper projects can be used in ELA (book summaries), Social Studies (historical events), Science (discoveries), or any subject where students need to recount or present information creatively.
Guide students to use a graphic organizer and answer the 5 Ws—Who, What, When, Where, Why—to gather facts. Encourage them to choose compelling events and create headlines that grab attention. Visual brainstorming can also help spark ideas.
Yes, there are newspaper templates and worksheets available to make setup easier. These templates help students format headlines, images, and articles, streamlining the creative process and ensuring all requirements are met.