Current+Event+Summary

[|Current Event Reading and Writing Goals] Current Event Grading Rubric

Each week we will examine the world around us, read critically to determine importance, and compose a well-organized summary of an event that interests us. Students will then have the opportunity to open their window to the world, express their thoughts, and stimulate conversation amongst their peers across the district.

Non-Fiction Reading CLOSE Reading Checklist How to sign in to NEWSELA - Click on the NEWSELA link below and use option 2 - your google account Your Sign Up Code VW8TCZ INSPIRED CURRENT EVENTS - Week of 1/28/15 (Please sign up for our class NEWSELA account - using option 2.) INSPIRED CURRENT EVENTS - Week of 1/21/15

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subscription has been activated. || 1) To access the Electronic Edition use the following login page:
 * Current Event Blank Template || Example Current Event Summary EXAMPLE using the template  || Click here to find the REPLY format ||
 * Our NIE Denver Post Electronic Edition

2) Choose either the Denver Post or Boulder Daily Camera newspapers in the drop-down menu

3) **USERNAME: "tfalcone@lps.k12.co.us"**

4) **PASSWORD:"80121"** || This is the URL @http://nieonline.com/coloradonie/studentconnect.cfm?whichpaper=denverpost ||

Key questions ("Reading Newspapers: Editorial and Opinion Pieces." //» Chapter » Reading Primary Sources: Newspaper Editorials//. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.)
Regardless of the location of an opinion in the newspaper, it may be worthwhile to consider the following questions when you encounter opinion:

**Whose opinion is being expressed?**
Is the opinion in this part of the newspaper that of the editorial staff, of a local columnist or cartoonist, of a syndicated columnist or cartoonist, or of someone else? What do you know about the person or people whose opinions are expressed? It can sometimes be helpful to read several opinion pieces from the same source to get a sense of the individual or editorial board’s views on a number of issues so that you can start to identify common themes.

**What is the topic of this editorial, column, or cartoon and what opinions are expressed about the topic?**
Of course, you’ll want to make sure that you understand what the column or cartoon is about, which may take some background research, and what the author or cartoonist was trying to say about the topic. It may be helpful to read some news stories about the topic from the same or other newspapers — these may be found in the days or weeks preceding the opinion piece that you are analyzing.

**How does the writer or cartoonist make his or her point?**
Writers and cartoonists can present their opinions in a variety of ways, using logic, humor, appeals to emotion, or other rhetorical devices to present their ideas. They may draw parallels between current events and history or try to use metaphors to make a particular point. They may present specific pieces of evidence (quotations, statistics, historical details, etc.) that support their main arguments. Try to figure out not just what the opinion writer was trying to say, but also how he or she said it and why he or she might have chosen to say it in that way.

**Which readers might find this argument compelling?**
Think about who would be convinced by the opinion piece that you read. Does the column present an argument that would appeal to people with particular ideas (for example, conservatives) but fall flat with people who held other ideas (liberals)? Does the cartoon poke fun at a particular idea in a way that some people might find funny while others might find offensive? Is this opinion piece designed to sway people to the author’s point of view in an inviting and balanced way, or is it a more partisan piece that is written primarily for people who already agree with the author?

**What other opinions might be expressed about the same topic and who might express them?**
When considering an opinion, it can be very helpful to try to imagine all of the other opinions that one could possible hold about the same topic. How might someone who completely disagrees frame his or her argument to refute this opinion piece? What evidence might they use to support that opposite point of view? You may be able to find opinion pieces that present alternative viewpoints and, if so, it can be very interesting to explore several different opinions on the same topic to get a sense of the range of journalistic opinion on the issue.

=Reply to others: CONNECT, EXTEND, QUESTION...CHALLENGE=
 * **CONNECT:** How are the ideas and information connected to what you already know?
 * **EXTEND**: What new ideas did you get that extend your thinking in new directions?
 * **QUESTION**: What is still challenging or confusing for you? What questions or puzzles do you now have?
 * **CHALLENGE:**
 * CREATE A DIFFERENT HEADLINE - If you were to write an alternative headline for this topic or issue what would that headline be?
 * WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

=**Resources and CREDITS:**=

Blogs (Thank you Sheryl Goutell for sharing these awesome videos to guide our students!) How to Create a Blog (Digital Reader's Notebook) How to Change the Design of Your Blog How to Create a Blog Post

Alternate Assignment: Editorial/Commentary/Persuasive Current Event: @http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/archive/editorials-for-students/ Informational Texts for Text-Based Discussions 10/24/14: [|__"Jade Burial Suits"__]

[|__"Black Death"__]

[|__"Coral Reefs"__]

[|__"Harnessing the Wind"__]

Common Core Standard Correlations