Writing Feature Articles - Step 1 - Lesson 1 | Page 6

Writing Feature Articles - Lesson .
Beginner
Modify Mentor Text:
Use the video and print versions of
“Dogs sniff out peanuts for allergic
kids.” Both versions can be found
in the Online Classroom and in
Prof. P’s Of?ce. The print version is
also included in the Feature Articles
Packet – Beginner (Handout 1.1a.)
Show only the ?rst 2 minutes and 30
seconds of the video.

Experienced
Modify Mentor Text:
Use the video clip, “Turning the Blue
Collar Green” and corresponding
print article, “Saving the Working
Class with Green-Collar Jobs.” Both
can be found in Prof. P’s Of?ce.
The print version is also included in
Feature Articles Packet Experienced (Handout 1.1a).
Alternatively, use “An Olympian of
Sudoku”, also located in Prof. P’s
Of?ce along with a corresponding
article.

© 2010, Teaching Matters, Inc.

Ask students to try to identify the characteristics of a
feature article as they watch a video feature story about a
basketball player’s new line of sneakers. Tell students that
feature articles are found in magazines and newspapers, and
also on television and the Internet. Show the video “NBA Star
Sells $15 Sneakers,” dated April 5, 2007. This video, from the
Today Show website, can be accessed in Prof. P’s Of?ce.
If you are unable to show the video, read the text version of the
story aloud and have students follow along by using the Feature
Articles Packet – Intermediate (Handout 1.1a). Print versions
of feature articles have the advantage of displaying traditional
“features” associated with the genre such as graphs or photos.
Teacher Model
?? After viewing the video, review the text version of the story
“NBA Star Sells $15 Sneakers,” located in the Feature
Articles Packet – Intermediate (Handout 1.1a). Show
students how to look for the four main characteristics of a
feature article.
o First, preview the article by reading aloud the title,
reviewing the photos and captions and looking at the
charts. Connect what you see to any prior knowledge
you have about the topic.
o Based solely on this initial preview, predict whether
or not the article might be a feature.
o Examine the text to see if it agrees with your
expectations based on the preview. Begin by
reading the ?rst section of the article aloud and
then share a summary of the next section of the
article. (Summarizing portions of the article, rather
than reading it aloud, will save time and keep the
focus on the characteristics of the text, rather than
the content. If students want to read the rest of the
article, they can do so during Writer’s Work Time.)
?? Return to the characteristics of a featu ??????????I????)????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????+?
???????????????????????????????????????????q????????????t??????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????q???t????q???t????????+?
???
??????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????()??????????????????()A??????((0