Iowa Public Television

Challenge Question Number 1 for Newspaper Reporter #1047

Clearly describe what you expect from the students:
Here is an example, based on "Little Red Riding Hood." You can choose any fairy tale you want.

"Grandma's Cottage, The Woods"

A 10-year old girl was rescued Saturday from an attacking wolf by a woodcutter who was walking past the girl's grandmother's house. The girl, who gave her name as Little Red Riding Hood, told authorities that the wolf was inside her grandmother's house and was wearing the elderly woman's clothing. Deputy Sheriff Bob Grimm said that Miss Hood apparently was uninjured although she was being observed at a local hospital for possible hysteria and shock following the encounter. Sheriff's deputies were unable to confirm her bizarre tale. However, Woodcutter Johnny Lumberjack, in an interview with the Fairy Chronicle, said that the wolf indeed did seem to be wearing women's clothing. "It was the darndest thing. I was walking through the woods when I heard a child screaming in this cottage. I rushed inside and found a wolf on the bed, about to attack this little girl. The girl was all tangled up in a long red cape, so I jumped between her and the wolf and swung my ax at the wolf." Sheriff's deputies found Miss Hood's grandmother, Martha Hood, bound and gagged in her closet. Miss Hood told authorities that she believed that her granddaughter might initially have mistaken the wolf for her. Sheriff's officials would not comment on whether the child was visually impaired. The wolf, which was slain by the woodcutter, will be tested for rabies, officials said.

In order to give the teacher some guidance in evaluating the student's project(s); list some tips that may help to assess the student's work:
-Instead of telling the story chronologically, did students put the important actions or events (the news) in the first paragraphs? -Did students answer the questions: Who? What? When? Where? or Why? towards the beginning of the story? -Did the story have attribution? (Who gave you the information?) -The student's opinion of the news story or any of the characters shouldn't be included