Creating an Online School Newspaper

What do we have to do?

Identify Student Skills

• Observe how students interact with the computer

• Survey students• Review last year’s lesson plans• Review last year’s school newspaper

Survey Student Interests

• What are some of the sections (sports, news, entertainment) of the newspaper do students want to include in their wiki?

• What jobs interest students?• How should students be grouped?

Permissions

• Seek permission from the headmaster about creating a school newspaper wiki

• Review parent/student permissions for online photos and publication permissions

National Technology Standards

• Review National Technology Standards to insure that wiki project is in compliance with seventh grade standards

• Review school technology standards to insure that skills will be developed for students

Mini Lessons

• Create a set of mini lessons for students– Creating a wiki banner– How to conduct an interview– Appropriate headlines– Taking good photos– Uploading to wiki– Investigative reporting

Collaborate

• With language arts teacher for editing student work

• With division heads to help guide school policy procedures

• With classroom teachers to gather information for school newspaper

Establish Procedures

• For writing articles• For turning in work• For uploading to wiki• For keep newspaper current• For creating teams

Evaluate

• Student evaluations• Teacher evaluations• Parent surveys• Surveys from students in other grades

Celebrate

• Celebrate the success of the first completed newspaper

• Celebrate the success of the first quarter of publication

• Celebrate the success of the end of the first year of publication