Creating our own blogs!

Today, we will be focusing on creating our own blogs! These blogs are for New Media, and are not for personal communication. Follow the prompts and you can have your own blog (be sure to sign up for a Google account first).

Lets Observe!

In class we have discussed the use of details while writing our narrative accounts. Details help the reader to visualize what is going on; in other words, you must show the reader what is going on instead of telling them. In journalism, this technique is very evident in a good article. A reporter needs to show the reader what is going on while simultaneously reporting the facts.

As a reporter, you will only have a few minutes (maybe even seconds) to see certain events. Your observational skills must be turned on!

Task:
You will see an image related to your leads done the previous week. You will have 30 seconds to jot down as much information about the picture as you can.

Inverted Pyramid

Last week we studied the inverted pyramid. We used the SmartBoard to illustrate what sorts of facts go where in the pyramid. Everyone did a really great job using the SmartBoard, and later during the meeting, creating their leads.

Next week we are going to move on to creating and beginning to edit our own stories.










Hector and Felix work on their leads...

How to Write a Lead!

How to write a lead…
The 5 W’s (and 1 H)
(Don't forget the So-what!?)

Who? The owner, a smoker, Henry smith, 29. The age is important. Along with other personal information, such as address and occupation, it differentiates him from other Henry Smiths in the readership area.

What? Fire cause damage estimated by the fire chief at $2,500.

Where? 1705 W. Haven St.

When? The call was received at 10:55 P.M., Tuesday. Firefighters from station 19 arrived at the scene at 11:04. The fire was extinguished at 11:30.

Why? The fire was started by carelessness on the part of Smith, according to Fire Chief Bill Malone.

How? Smith told fire officials that he fell asleep in bed while smoking a cigarette.


If you had asked other questions, you might have learned more from the fire department. This was the eighth fire this year caused by smoking in bed. All last year there were four such fires. Smith said he was insured. The fire chief said no charges will e filed against smith. It was the first fire at this house. Smith was not injured.

Have you figured out the SO-WHAT!?

Assume your editor has suggested you hold your story to only four paragraphs. Your first step is to rank the information in descending order of importance. There are a lot of fires in this town, but eight this year have been caused by smoking in bed. Perhaps that’s the most important thing about this story.

A possible lead to this story might look like:

A Tuesday night fire started by a careless smoker caused an estimated $2,500 in damage to a home at 1705 W. Haven St.

Something is wrong…

Question:
Who said the smoker was careless?

You must remember to keep your opinions to yourself. If the fire chief said this, then fine – say so. Otherwise you must fix the lead.

Fire that caused an estimated $2,500 in damage to a home at 1705 W. Haven St. Tuesday was cause by smoking in bed, Fire Chief Bill Malone said.

What: Fire
Where: 1705 W. Haven St.
When: Tuesday
How: Smoking in bed

We have not answered the Who and the Why yet…let’s keep writing.

The owner of the home, Henry Smith, 29, said he fell asleep in bed while smoking a cigarette. When he awoke 30minutes later, smoke filled the room.
Firefighters arrived nine minutes after receiving the call. It took them about 26 minutes to extinguish the fire, which was confined to the bedroom of the one-story house.
According to Chief Malone, careless smokers have caused eight fires this year.
Smith, who was uninjured, said the house was insured.

Ok, but this seems a little too long…what about the so-what aspect? What is so interesting about this story?

Perhaps an even better lead (and shorter) might sound like this:

A smoker fell asleep in bed ignited a fire that caused minor damage to his home on W. Haven St. Tuesday, Fire Chief Bill Malone said. It was the cities eighth fire caused by smokers, twice as many as occurred all last year.

What makes this lead better?
Well, it is broken down into 2 sentences, which makes it more readable. Also, the so-what has become more important to the story.

Lets continue:

The owner of the home, Henry Smith, 29, of 1705 W. Haven St., said he fell asleep in bed while smoking a cigarette. When he awoke 30 minutes later, smoke filled the room.

Mr. Miller helps Eddie and Brandon on their leads

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