Journalism Lesson Plan

Overview: The US population hit 300,000 million Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2006. It’s a milestone and shows just how quickly population is growing. The nation reached 200,000 in 1967. In less than 40 years, how has that growth impacted us?

Suggested time allotment: 2 –3 days for research online and in periodicals for background, brainstorming in a “maestro group” about the various stories, statistics and information a package about bullying in your school could contain, then an additional one – two weeks to research, survey and write the articles, develop the infographics and other visuals.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Research the overall census changes since 1967, but focus on
a. Change in the size of the local community
b. Change in the size of the school
2. Form a maestro team of reporters, photographers, graphics artists and page designers to put together all the information in a way that tells a compelling and visual story for the readers.
3. Consider sidebars like interviews with students who graduated in 1967
4. Work as a team to collect data that will make good

Standards: National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association Standards for English Language Arts:

4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written and visual language (e.g.,conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
12. Students use spoken, written and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion and the exchange of information).

Resources and materials:
Web sites with information. Many show how various media covered the event. Although it will be a little old, the milestone still works for several months in student publications.

• The U.S. Census Bureau is a good site for lots of info. Press releases contain some news-oriented facts, such as “Census Bureau Data Show Key Population Changes Across Nation,” Aug. 15, 2006.
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• It’s not just babies that upped the U.S. population. The Migration Information Source, a project of the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., has extensive information on its site. In particular, the “US in focus” section has useful information.
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• “A nation of 300 million,” by Haya El Nasser in USA Today, July 28, 3006. This includes good graphics about population and links to various state data.
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• MSNBC’s Web site covered the topic under, “U.S. population makes it s way to 300 million: Environmentalists grapple with a nation,” Oct. 16, 2006. Several interactive maps are included.
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• The Daily Kent Stater pulled some numbers about campus changes since 1967. See how they used the concept in Elise Franco’s “300 million,” Oct. 17, 2006.
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