Young Offenders CANNOT be named by the Canadian media.

They are protected by the YCJA.

Name:

Date due:
Touching Spirit Bear: Newspaper Article

For this task in our novel study, you will take on the role of a journalist and create a newspaper
article that covers one of the following events:

Cole being mauled by the bear OR Cole being convicted to banishment

Remember that newspaper articles are meant to inform the reader of an event that has taken place
so your article should focus on the facts that are presented in the novel. Your writing should be to
the point but still keep your reader interested. Start with the most important information and then
include more specific details towards the end.
Your article should be formatted as follows:
Title of the Newspaper: Be creative! Consider who might be reading about this event
Headline: an intriguing title that will catch the attention of your audience and tell them what the
event is
Lead: your first paragraph should convey the who, what, when, and where in a concise way
that makes your reader want to know more
2nd Paragraph: Details of the event. Should tell the why and how
3rd Paragraph: More specific details. Should discuss a specific person or group. Include a

quotation from that person or group

4th Paragraph: Final specific details. Should discuss a different person or group. Include a

quotation from this person or group

Conclusion: Wrap up your article. How might this event influence what is going to happen in the
future?
Plan:

Please self-assess your article according to the following rubric. Provide a justification for your
assessment in the space below.
Excellent

Good

Basic

Incomplete

Young Offenders CANNOT be named by the Canadian media.

They are protected by the YCJA.
The ideas
The ideas
The ideas
presented by the presented by the presented by the
student are
student are
student are
perceptive
thoughtful
appropriate
and/or carefully and/or sound.
and/or
chosen.
Supporting
predictable.
Supporting
details are
Supporting
details are
specific and/or
details are
precise and/or
apt. The writing relevant and/or
original. The
is considered
generic. The
writing is
and/or
writing is
confident and/or elaborated and
straightforward
creative and
draws the
and/or
holds the
readers interest. generalized and
readers interest.
occasionally
appeals to the
readers interest.

The ideas
presented by the
student are
overgeneralized
and/or
underdeveloped.
Supporting
details are
irrelevant and/or
scant. The
writing is
confusing and/or
lacks validity
and does not
interest the
reader.

Organization

Events and/or
details are
developed in a
judicious order,
and coherence is
maintained.
Closure is
effective and
related to the
focus.

Events and/or
details are
developed in a
sensible order,
and coherence is
generally
maintained.
Closure is
appropriate and
related to the
focus.

Events and/or
details are
developed in a
discernible
order, although
coherence may
falter
occasionally.
Closure is
related to the
focus and is
mechanical
and/or artificial.

The
development of
events and/or
details is
haphazard
and/or
incoherent.
Closure is
ineffectual or
missing.

Conventions
(spelling,
grammar,
punctuation)

Vivid word
choice. Free of
any errors.

Good word
choice. A few
minor errors that
do not impede
meaning.

Basic word
choice. Several
errors that
distract from
intended
meaning.

Word choice is
inappropriate.
Multiple errors
that impede
meaning.

Content

Comments: