Writing: Teachers & Students

Lesson 1: Getting Started

Lesson 2: The Writing Process

Lesson 3: Writing a Story

Lesson 4: Describing Something

Lesson 5: More Kinds of Writing
- Real Writing
- Write a 'How To'
- Persuasive Writing
- Fact or Opinion
- Two to Try

Lesson 5: More Kinds of Writing

Two to Try

Writing a news article is a good way for you to polish your exposition skills. To begin, think about the elements of a good news article. A well-written news article contains the 5W and H elements. These are the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the event. These facts are important to making sure the reader has all of the facts. Think of an upcoming school or class event. Using the 5W and H as headings, brainstorm the important facts about the event. A sentence or two about each of those elements will make a well-written start to a news article.

Next, be aware of the fact that a good news article is written in what is called an inverted pyramid style. The most important facts need to go into the first paragraph, with other interesting and supporting details being added to second and perhaps third paragraphs. You might want be interested in a newspaper editor's reason for this - if the article needs to be cut shorter due to space restrictions, the editor can simply eliminate the last paragraph or two without cutting out the most important details.

Commercials and advertisements are great examples of persuasion. The point of any commercial is to convince the buyer that the advertised product or service is the best and should be purchased. Watch TV and focus on the commercials. Note the kinds of statements that are used, and which commercials you feel are the most effective and why. What kinds of statements "sell?" You can also look at newspaper or magazine advertisements.

Now, create an advertisement for an imaginary or novelty product. Begin by using your imagination to come up with an idea - or choose a unique product from a novelty catalog.

You might even want to brainstorm some "inventions" you would like to create, and choose from those.

Next, come up with a short advertisement for the product. Focus on what the product does, why it will make life easier, and why everyone needs one!