Introduction
A publication program encourages authorship and makes involvement in the authoring cycle a functional activity. The essential criteria for publication is that the published document have a real audience and a continuing use that keeps it alive and purposeful in the classroom or for a wider audience. Two types of published documents that students usually seen adults read outside of school are newspapers and magazines. Publishing a class newspaper or magazine to be read by class members, other students in the school, and family members provides students with many more outlets for their writing that are less involved than publishing a book. In addition, publishing a newspaper ot magazine can involve students in many different roles, including reporters, editors, cartoonists, artists, typists, and layout designers.
Materials
-Various kinds of articles and artwork
-Scissors and tape
-Typewriter or computer
-Scissors and tape
-Typewriter or computer
Procedures
1. The student and teacher will decide what type of newspaper and magazine will be published and whether the publication will be school-wide or classroom-based. Once that decision has been made, students will be given time to examine similar publications to generate a list of the kinds of articles and features that are typically found in the publication. From this list, they will make decisions about what they will include in their publication. Some options for types of publication to consider:
a. News reports, messages, announcements, cartoons, puzzles, want ads, movie and book reviews, letters to the editor, and so on.
b. Themes related to classroom study
c. If classroom members have been involved in a special writing experience, these can be collected and published in a newspaper or magazine.
d. The newspaper can be used to report school occurrences to parents. Reports on school activities, messages to parents, future plans, and information such as school menus can be included.
e. A literary magazine can be published within a collection of student writing drawn from Authors Folders or published books.
f. Students can examine local magazines and create their own version for their local community and school.
b. Themes related to classroom study
c. If classroom members have been involved in a special writing experience, these can be collected and published in a newspaper or magazine.
d. The newspaper can be used to report school occurrences to parents. Reports on school activities, messages to parents, future plans, and information such as school menus can be included.
e. A literary magazine can be published within a collection of student writing drawn from Authors Folders or published books.
f. Students can examine local magazines and create their own version for their local community and school.
2. Once the type of newspaper or magazine has been decided, calls for writing to be submitted to the publication are made. A box in a specific location is designated for students' submissions. A sign-up sheet or chart can be created for students to show the articles or other work they intend to submit.
3. Positions that need to be filled are also announced. Sign-up sheets for editors, assistant editors, cartoonists, reporters, and typists can be posted on the Message Board, or students can fill out applications for particular positions. These jobs should rotate among students for each issue of the paper.
4. The class should decide on a name for the publication and create a masthead.
5. Once the copy for the paper has been collected, either from already existing writing or from writing done especially for the publication, outside editors edit the pieces. Th articles are then given to the managing editor (usually a teacher or parent) for typing.
6. The layout designers cut and arrange the typed copy and artwork onto master sheets.
7. The newspaper or magazine is then copied and assembled by students for distribution to the class, family members, or other students in the school.
8. The publication should include an invitation for readers to respond with letters to the editors, suggesting improvements for the next issue and responding to the content of the current issue. These letters to the editors open the way for changes and improvements in subsequent issues and help students to be more aware of their audience. A box or Message Board should be designated for these letters. Subsequent issues should publish both the letters and the editors' responses.
9. The next issue of the newspaper or magazine should be announced so that students can begin to identify and write pieces for it.
3. Positions that need to be filled are also announced. Sign-up sheets for editors, assistant editors, cartoonists, reporters, and typists can be posted on the Message Board, or students can fill out applications for particular positions. These jobs should rotate among students for each issue of the paper.
4. The class should decide on a name for the publication and create a masthead.
5. Once the copy for the paper has been collected, either from already existing writing or from writing done especially for the publication, outside editors edit the pieces. Th articles are then given to the managing editor (usually a teacher or parent) for typing.
6. The layout designers cut and arrange the typed copy and artwork onto master sheets.
7. The newspaper or magazine is then copied and assembled by students for distribution to the class, family members, or other students in the school.
8. The publication should include an invitation for readers to respond with letters to the editors, suggesting improvements for the next issue and responding to the content of the current issue. These letters to the editors open the way for changes and improvements in subsequent issues and help students to be more aware of their audience. A box or Message Board should be designated for these letters. Subsequent issues should publish both the letters and the editors' responses.
9. The next issue of the newspaper or magazine should be announced so that students can begin to identify and write pieces for it.
Variations
1. Some teachers have each student produce an individual magazine as a semester-long or year-long project. Students make enough copies of their magazine so that everyone in the class gets a copy of everyone else's magazine.
2. Individual students or small groups of students may decide to publish a newspaper or magazine focused on their particular interests.
3. Newspapers can be made more participatory by leaving blank spaces where readers can write or draw their own responses to articles or drawings in the newspaper.
4. Newspapers created by preschool children can include both the child's original writing for child audiences and, below that, a conventional version for adult audiences.
5. Newspapers can be created on a weekly or daily basis.
6. Students can create a video "newspaper" by taping news reports in which they read news articles that they wrote themselves about local or national news. These news reports are then made available for viewing in other classes at school.
7. Teachers may want to create a special bulletin board or sharing time for students to bring in articles of interest from the local newspaper for sharing and critiquing. Teachers may also want to have a newspaper delivered to the school for students to read. Many newspapers are willing to provide free newspapers to classrooms for students' use. Students may want to rewrite newspaper items they bring in and publish their own news magazine for other students read and critique.
8. Parents and other people in the school or community can be invited to submit articles, ads, and other items to the newspaper.
9. The teacher should check other newspapers and magazines that publish students' work. Sometimes local newspapers include some writing by children in a weekly section or in a special section during "Newspaper in Education Week".
2. Individual students or small groups of students may decide to publish a newspaper or magazine focused on their particular interests.
3. Newspapers can be made more participatory by leaving blank spaces where readers can write or draw their own responses to articles or drawings in the newspaper.
4. Newspapers created by preschool children can include both the child's original writing for child audiences and, below that, a conventional version for adult audiences.
5. Newspapers can be created on a weekly or daily basis.
6. Students can create a video "newspaper" by taping news reports in which they read news articles that they wrote themselves about local or national news. These news reports are then made available for viewing in other classes at school.
7. Teachers may want to create a special bulletin board or sharing time for students to bring in articles of interest from the local newspaper for sharing and critiquing. Teachers may also want to have a newspaper delivered to the school for students to read. Many newspapers are willing to provide free newspapers to classrooms for students' use. Students may want to rewrite newspaper items they bring in and publish their own news magazine for other students read and critique.
8. Parents and other people in the school or community can be invited to submit articles, ads, and other items to the newspaper.
9. The teacher should check other newspapers and magazines that publish students' work. Sometimes local newspapers include some writing by children in a weekly section or in a special section during "Newspaper in Education Week".