Go-at-your-own-pace: Writing as Journalists
A 4-week experience learning to read and write as an investigative journalist! Learn about the world and how to critique it while increasing your research, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills.
What's included
7 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentProjects
1 hour per week. An article or personal essay that shows you know the rules of objective nonfiction writing!Certificate of Completion
1 after class completionClass Experience
US Grade 6 - 8
Intermediate Level
Let's learn how to use our critical thinking skills to share our thoughts clearly and accurately. We'll do this by learning reading and writing through journalism, a skill that helps us understand how to research, fact-check, and use the appropriate tone for the message we're sharing. We'll also cover the basics of grammar, sentence structure, genres, and point-of-view, since this will help us understand what people are telling us and decide what we want to say in response. Get ready to read about people, places and topics from around the world, and tell exciting stories about what you've learned!
Learning Goals
Critical ThinkingNonfiction Writing
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)7 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
On Grammar
Parts of Speech
Diction & Writing Style 1 assignment
Lesson 2:
Syntax and Semantics
Point of View
Author's Purpose 1 assignment
Lesson 3:
Syntax (Advanced)
Writing for Clarity & Quality 1 assignment
Lesson 4:
Reading Comprehension
Point of View
Author's Purpose Other Details
Parental Guidance
Media content and any reading materials used in this course will be age-appropriate. Since we are learning to read and write through the eyes of journalists, topics dealing with equity and diversity in society may be covered.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
Sources for materials include newspapers (e.g. New York Times, New York Post, etc.), television news programs (e.g. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC), and teen-targeted magazines (e.g. Teen Vogue).
Joined September, 2023
Teacher expertise and credentials
I'm a journalist and a former ELA teacher! So this experience is very relevant to what I've lived and done during my career. I also have a book being published on this curriculum in 2025 with Routledge Eye on Education, and I can share more information on this soon! Lastly, during my time as a teacher and private tutor, I had 96% of my students pass state ELA exams.Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$10
weekly or $40 for all content7 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Choose your start date
Ages: 11-14
