News Story #1

News Writing - The Process

1. Open and read ​News Prompt 1

2. The Break Down
○ Break down the prompt (with subtitles for each item below in a Google document):
■ 5Ws/1H:​ Answer 5Ws and 1H (focus on the most timely info; not all 5Ws and 1H
have to be answered if something is implied, unclear or not applicable)
■ Lead:​ Write 1-2 sentence lead (be sure to emphasize the most timely info)
■ Quotes:​ Select at least five total quotes from at least three different sources
■ Facts:​ Create a bullet-point list of ​all​ the facts you plan to use in your story
3. Write a double-spaced rough draft (each bullet point represents a new paragraph)
■ Lead: 1-2 sentences based on the 5Ws and 1H from your breakdown
■ 1st Transition: could elaborate on lead, offer additional information you didn’t
think was important enough for the lead, and/or include a paraphrased quote to
set up your first direct quote.
■ 1st Direct Quote: Be sure to properly attribute all of your quotes (use ​this
document​ for more info)
■ 2nd Transition
■ 2nd Direct Quote
■ 3rd Transition
■ 3rd Direct Quote
■ 4th Transition
■ 4th Direct Quote
■ 5th Transition
■ 5th Direct Quote
● Be sure to end on a strong quote. Ideally, your end quote will be impartial
(or at least not overly supportive of one side or the other) and sum up the
main issue of the story. Your end quote will often be from your primary
source (i.e., the expert, authority figure, etc., of your story).
○ REMEMBER: ​Transitions​ provide facts and/or paraphrased quotes that set up the direct
quote that follows. ​Quotes​ provide opinions in the form of thoughts, feelings, and
interpretations.
○ ALSO: If you want to see a sample story, check out the sample based on the
Breathalyzer Prompt on SchoolWeb. It has more transitions and quotes, but it follows the
formula above AND it shows examples of proper quote format.
4. When you’ve finished, compare your story against the ​News Writing Rubric​ and have it peer
edited by at least one classmate.

Be sure your story is titled appropriately (News Story 1) and uploaded the the proper place in Google
Classroom.
 News Story #1
5W’s + 1H:
Who- A group of 20 seniors
What- 20 Seniors were suspended for a day and banned from the senior party
When- Friday, April 3rd
Where- Entertainment center Park Place
Why- They pulled a senior prank releasing 1,000 balloons into the school hallway

Lead:
20 seniors were suspended for a day and banned from their senior party because of a senior prank
they pulled which involved releasing 1,000 balloons into the school hallway; the prank and suspension
was made on Friday, April 3rd, and the party was set to take place on May 1st at Park Place.

Quotes:
- “The seniors are welcome to speak at the board meeting, but the board should not reverse my
decision. I gave ample warnings to the senior class that I would not tolerate any sort of prank
that disrupts the school.” -Vinta Haygood
- “Our punishment is way too extreme. I think the board will listen to us. We didn’t vandalize
anything, we didn’t hurt anyone. We blew up a few balloons and released them. It wasn’t a big
deal, but principal Haygood is turning it into one. Every senior has been looking forward to the
all-night party since the first day of school. I can’t believe this is what she banned us
from.”-Ruby Kanur
- “Let the punishment fit the crime. They were balloons. When my daughter told me what they
were doing, I thought it was a cool idea. These kids have worked hard for 12 years. They
deserve a little fun. - Milly Kanur
- “The hallways were super loud and chaotic during the balloon release.The seniors didn’t mean
any harm, but the prank was disruptive. Almost half of my class was late. It took me more than
15 minutes to get my freshmen calm down. They should have released the balloons at the end
of the day. That would have been much less disruptive.”-Grace Killen
- “The principal’s punishment is too severe. The prank was funny. It wasn’t mean and didn’t hurt
anyone. We were being seniors, having fun and making memories. I don’t regret it at all.” -Alfred
Refugio

Facts:
-Around 20 seniors released over 1,000 balloons in the school hallways between 1st and 2nd period.
-The seniors were suspended the day of the prank, and also banned from their all-night senior party.
-Principal Haywood warned the students throughout the year that she would not tolerate any disruptive
senior prank.
-The school logged 150 tardies the day of the senior prank.
-The students made sure that no one was allergic to latex and would be harmed by the balloons.
-The students were easily identified because the prank was pulled in the school hallways.
-Students and parents plan to attend the next school board meeting to protest their punishment.
 News Story #1
Rough Draft:

Seniors and parents will be attending a board meeting on Tuesday, April 14, to protest the suspension of

twenty students and excludance from their senior party because of a senior prank they pulled on May 1, which

included them releasing 1,000 balloons into the school hallway.

At the board meeting, students and parents alike will attend and plan to voice their opinions on why they

believe the punishment is unfair.

“The seniors are welcome to speak at the board meeting,” principal Vinita Haygood said. “But the board

should not reverse my decision. I gave ample warnings to the senior class that I would not tolerate any sort of

prank that disrupts the school.”

Some seniors were surprised at the backlash they received, as they felt their prank was harmless.

“Our punishment is way too extreme,” senior Ruby Kanur said. “I think the board will listen to us. We didn’t

vandalize anything, we didn’t hurt anyone. We blew up a few balloons and released them. It wasn’t a big deal,

but principal Haygood is turning it into one. Every senior has been looking forward to the all-night party since the

first day of school. I can’t believe this is what she banned us from.”

Teachers expressed that while the prank may not have been dangerous, it was still disruptive.

“The hallways were super loud and chaotic during the balloon release,” teacher Grace Killen said. “The

seniors didn’t mean any harm, but the prank was disruptive. Almost half of my class was late. It took me more

than 15 minutes to get my freshmen calm down. They should have released the balloons at the end of the day.

That would have been much less disruptive.”

Some seniors felt the punishment for the prank wasn’t fair.

“The principal’s punishment is too severe,” senior Alfred Refugio said. “The prank was funny. It wasn’t

mean and didn’t hurt anyone. We were being seniors, having fun and making memories. I don’t regret it at all.”

One parent believed that while the students should have some sort of punishment, this punishment was too

severe.

“Let the punishment fit the crime,” parent Milly Kanur said.They were balloons. When my daughter told me what

they were doing, I thought it was a cool idea. These kids have worked hard for 12 years. They deserve a little fun.”
News Story #1