Newspaper Article

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Inside a Newspaper Article

Open with the idea that headlines help readers predict what a story might be about. Link this to how newspaper articles are organised to grab attention and share information clearly.

Learning goal

I can identify the main parts of a newspaper article and analyse its content to compare key features.

What words make a newspaper headline catchy?

Use the word cloud to gather prior ideas such as short, bold, exciting, mystery, clear, powerful, or surprising. Link the biggest words to the headline features taught next.

What makes a headline work?

A strong headline is designed to make readers want to know more.

• short and clear

• creates interest or mystery

• hints at the main topic

• uses powerful words to catch attention

You can refer to the sample mystery headlines from the lesson plan and briefly model how readers make predictions from word choices such as 'silent', 'last', and 'vanishing'.

The main parts of a newspaper article

Most newspaper articles include a set of key parts that help readers find and understand information quickly.

• headline - the title of the article

• sub-line - extra detail under the headline

• byline - the writer's name

• body - the main information in paragraphs

• visuals - pictures or images

• dialogue - direct words spoken by someone in the story

Keep the terms consistent all lesson: headline, sub-line, byline, body, visuals, dialogue. This slide establishes the vocabulary that students will use later in comparison work.

Headline, sub-line and byline

These top sections help readers understand the article before they begin the full story.

• headline grabs attention

• sub-line adds a little more information

• byline tells who wrote the article

Explain that these parts come first because they guide the reader quickly. You may point out that the byline builds trust because readers can see who is reporting the story.

The body of the article

The body is where the full report is written.

• arranged in paragraphs

• explains what happened

• includes important details and evidence

• may contain both facts and quoted speech

• keeps the writing formal and clear

The plan mentions a body of three paragraphs in the model article. You can note this as an example without suggesting all newspaper articles must always have exactly three paragraphs.

Visuals and dialogue

Writers use extra features to make an article stronger.

• visuals help readers picture the story

• dialogue gives direct quotes from people

• both features add detail and interest

• they can make the report feel more real

Clarify that dialogue in a newspaper article usually appears as direct quotations from interviewees or witnesses, not as a full conversation like in a story.

Which part tells who wrote the article?

A

sub-line

B

byline

C

visuals

D

headline

Checks key vocabulary from the article structure slides. A common confusion is between headline and byline.

Complete the newspaper article description

A newspaper article usually starts with a headline to catch attention. Under it, the sub-line gives extra detail. The body contains the main information in paragraphs, and dialogue adds direct quotes from people.

headline

sub-line

body

dialogue

byline

visuals

tone

opinion

All blanks come from the first teaching block on article parts and features.

Reading a report about rhinos

A news article about an endangered species can include different kinds of information.

• a clear headline about the issue

• facts about rhino poaching and protection

• quotations from experts or people involved

• visuals that show the rescue work

• a serious tone because the topic matters

This slide bridges from article structure to article analysis. Use the rhino article as the class model for finding the parts and discussing content.

Facts and opinions

Facts

Opinions show feelings, beliefs, or judgement.

• 'It is brutal and heartbreaking...'

• 'They don't deserve to be darted, collared and dehorned.'

• 'I think it probably has, to a certain extent.'

Opinions

Facts can be checked and proved.

• nearly 10,000 rhinos have been killed in the last decade

• about 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild

• rhinos are dehorned using equipment such as dart guns and chainsaws

Emphasise that quotations can contain either facts or opinions depending on what is being said. Students often assume all quoted speech is opinion, so this distinction is worth making clearly.

How to spot a fact or an opinion

When reading a newspaper article, look for clues.

• fact - can be measured, counted, or checked

• opinion - uses feelings, beliefs, or personal judgement

• numbers often signal facts

• words like I think, sad, or deserve often signal opinions

Link this slide directly to the examples from the rhino article so pupils practise using evidence from the text, not just guessing from tone.

Which sentence is an opinion?

A

About 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild.

B

Nearly 10,000 rhinos were killed in a decade.

C

Rhinos are dehorned with dart guns and chainsaws.

D

It is brutal and heartbreaking.

The first three can be checked or proved. The correct answer shows feeling and judgement.

How can you tell a fact from an opinion?

Expected answer elements: a fact can be checked, counted, measured, or proved; an opinion shows feelings, beliefs, judgement, or personal views. Encourage students to mention clue words such as numbers, I think, sad, or deserve.

Comparing article features

A comparison helps readers notice how articles are built.

• dialogue

• visuals

• facts

• tone

These features can be compared across two texts or two parts of the same page.

Set up the idea of a T-chart without mentioning classroom activity. The purpose here is to frame comparison as a reading skill.

Dialogue and visuals in comparison

Main rhino article

• includes direct quotes from experts, volunteers, and a farm owner

• uses dramatic images of rhino rescue work

• visuals and quotations make the report feel immediate

• includes official quotations from government sources

• no separate visual of its own

• relies more on statement and policy than strong imagery

Side article

Use the comparison from the teacher notes. Stress that different article sections can use features in different ways depending on purpose.

Facts and tone in comparison

• gives policy details and hunting quotas

• tone is official and political

• focuses on debate and decision-making

• gives numbers about poaching and rhinos left in the wild

• tone is urgent, sad, and serious

• focuses on danger to the animals

Side article

Main rhino article

This is a useful place to show that two texts can both be about the same issue while sounding very different because their purpose is different.

Why comparison matters

Comparing features helps us read more carefully.

• we notice what information is included

• we see how writers shape tone

• we identify where facts are strongest

• we understand how visuals and dialogue affect the reader

Tie this back to the lesson objective: identifying parts is only the first step; analysing how they work helps students compare articles meaningfully.

Which feature is compared by mood or feeling?

A

tone

B

visuals

C

dialogue

D

byline

This checks whether pupils understand that tone is the feeling or attitude created by the writing.

Complete the comparison summary

When we compare two article sections, we look at features such as dialogue, visuals, facts, and tone. This helps us notice how the writer affects the reader.

compare

dialogue

tone

reader

headline

opinion

body

writer

This echoes the final comparison slides and reinforces the purpose of using a T-chart.

How does the main rhino article differ from the side article?

Expected answer elements: the main rhino article uses dramatic visuals, direct quotes, strong facts, and an urgent or sad tone; the side article uses official quotations, policy details, little or no separate visual, and a more political or official tone.

What is one thing you learned about newspaper articles?

Invite short reflections about learning, not correctness. Likely responses: article parts, facts and opinions, tone, comparison, visuals, or dialogue.

Which part of today's lesson helped you most?

Encourage pupils to reflect on which support helped most: examples, comparison, quotations, visuals, or group discussion.

Glossary

headline - the title of a newspaper article

sub-line - extra information placed under the headline

byline - the name of the writer of the article

body - the main part of the article written in paragraphs

visuals - photographs or images used with the article

dialogue - direct words spoken by a person in the article

tone - the feeling or attitude created by the writing

Glossary

fact - a statement that can be checked or proved true

opinion - a personal belief, feeling, or judgement

quotation - the exact words spoken or written by someone

formal language - careful, standard language suited to serious writing

evidence - details from a text that support an idea

compare - to look at how two things are similar or different