Asking the Questions (The Climate Beat for Student Journalists #3)

Positives

• This lesson can be incorporated into an English language arts class, a journalism class, a science class, or a student newspaper club.

• This lesson provides multiple opportunities for students to express voice and choice and participate in hands-on, self-directed, and collaborative activities.

• Students explore exemplary reporting about climate change, as well as authentic resources used by professional journalists.

• Students practice critical thinking and communicative skills that can transfer to other topics and disciplines.

Additional Prerequisites

• This is lesson 3 of 4 in our 9th-12th grade The Climate Beat for Student Journalists unit.

• It will be helpful, but not necessary, for students to complete Lesson 1, Pitching the Idea, and Lesson 2, Getting the Truth, prior to completing this lesson.

• Students should have a basic understanding of climate change.

• Students will need access to the Internet and a device to complete the readings in the Investigate section. Alternatively, the teacher can print out and distribute the articles.

Differentiation

• To shorten this lesson, students can each choose a different climate change topic then work in groups to interview each other about their opinions and experiences related to the topic. Interviewers follow best practices and identify the role of students in the school (such as members of the student government, sports teams, clubs, theater, etc.) and follow the tips covered in the lesson.

• Instead of using the articles given, students can choose their own, more recent climate change articles from Inside Climate News or Grist to analyze.

• Teachers can extend the Investigate section by having students role-play interviews in order to practice techniques such as follow-up questions.

• Teachers may need to extend the Inspire section to multiple class periods or assign the interviews for homework.

• Students can turn in the work on their Student Document, including the interviews they conduct, for a grade. For example, the work can be assessed for adhering to instructions, following best practices, thoroughness, and meeting deadlines.

• At the end of the lesson, the teacher can return to the Learning Outcomes slide in the Teacher Slideshow, and students can assess their own progress.

• To watch best practices for climate change journalism in action, students can view the hour-long documentary Burning Questions: Covering Climate Now.
  

This lesson emphasizes how crucial it is to conduct interviews in order to obtain accurate narratives free of bias. Students choose methods for drafting inclusive interview questions and create reports on climate change-related topics. Although there was no science to review in the materials, the lesson passed our science review procedure since the content and sources were appropriately attributed.

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.

Supporting Standards

• English Language Arts
  • Speaking & Listening (K-12)
    • SL.9-10.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any false reasoning or distorted evidence.
    • SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
  • Writing (K-12)
    • W.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
    • W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
    • W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • Writing: History, Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
    • WHST.9-10.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
    • WHST.9-10.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
    • WHST.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Note On Standards:

This lesson is aligned to SubjectToClimate standards. Review the aligned standards directly in the lesson plan document and teacher slideshow.