Read All About It: Know News

What’s the news? We’re talking about current events, be it in the neighborhood or across the globe. How does the news get covered and sent? And is all news really newsworthy – and real? These activities can help you know the news.

CONNECT:

• Watch how newspapers care created at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7zYpvtRAlE
• Trace the history of news media at http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/mediahistory.html
• Fake news isn’t new, as you can read in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/11/fake-news-long-history-beware-state-involvement
• Learn about the famous journalist Nellie Bly and her amazing trip around the world in 72 days at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK7GZiv4W4c

CREATE:

• Try these activities to engage children in the news and in The New York Times itself. You may be surprised at just how accessible and enjoyable exploring the news with The Times can be for kids! https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/learning/issues_in_depth/10KidNewsIdeas.html
• Here are more free kid-friendly journalism fames and activities: http://www.wartgames.com/themes/writing/journalism.html
• Learn how to write a news report by watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_NmVtnEEA8
• Create a news broadcast by following the directions at https://www.education.com/activity/article/Daily_News_fourth/

CARE:

• Don’t believe everything her read. Here’s how to spot fake news: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/ngk-sneak-peek/april-2017/fake-news/
• Have you heard the news term “digging up the dirt?” That’s related to the term “muckrakers”, explained at http://www.american-historama.org/1881-1913-maturation-era/muckrakers.htm
• Public Service Messages: BY kids as well as FOR kids: http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/k-12/flatview?cuecard=2089
• Learn how to be a citizen journalist at https://www.schooliseasy.com/2017/09/teaching-kids-start-newspaper-10-citizen-journalism/

CAREER:

Do you have a nose for news? There’s always events happening, so there’s always a career in news: as a reporter, photographer, broadcaster, writer – or any of the people who support the creation and dissemination of news. Become news worthy – even as a kid!

https://careertrend.com/info-tip-8094554-newspaper-jobs-kids.html

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/20136-becoming-a-journalist

https://www.thebalance.com/tv-news-careers-525690

Is It A Fake?

How real is the information you see and hear every day? How can you tell if that information is fake? Don’t get fooled.

CONNECT:

• Here’s the honest truth about fake news: https://ww2.kqed.org/lowdown/2016/12/06/the-honest-truth-about-fake-news-with-lesson-plan/
• News matter; just listen to what these New York students say about checking out the news: http://www.timeforkids.com/photos-video/video/news-matter
• Do you believe in fairies? Some have even claimed to have captured two particular types of fairies - pixies and gnomes on film! Whether you believe the fairy pictures are real or not is entirely up to you...here are some of their fairy tales: https://exemplore.com/cryptids/The-Cottingley-Fairies-Photos-of-Real-Fairies

CREATE:

• Magicians are experts in illusion; they make the false seem real. Watch these kid-friendly magic tricks, and try them on your friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y9ViVn1tF4
• Even early photographs could manipulate images, and with digital tools, it’s easier than ever to fake photos; see if you can pass this hoax photo test: http://hoaxes.org/quiz/phototest/1. 
• Play money can be fun for games and costumes. Follow these directions to learn how to make fake money: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fake-Money

CARE:

• Get smart about advertisements when buying: http://pbskids.org/dontbuyit/
• For parents: why imaginary friends can be good for little children: https://www.highlights.com/parents/articles/imaginary-friends
• Here are ten imaginary friends in children’s and teen fiction that you can read to your real friends: https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/oct/23/top-10-imaginary-friends-in-fiction-af-harrold

CAREERS:

The media industry needs good communicators: literate and ethical. Here are some possible career guides.

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/20136-becoming-a-journalist

https://www.mynextmove.org/find/browse?c=51

https://kids.usa.gov/teens/reading-and-writing/index.shtml#jump-jobs

The Reality of TV

Most families have a television, or watch TV shows online. The U. S.  television industry employs over 85,000 people, has a yearly revenue of $36 billion, and influences billions of people worldwide. Let’s do more than watch TV; let’s look into it.

CONNECT:

• We know what’s in front of the TV; what’s behind it? Find out in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBjBG9Sen0w
• How are weather reports created? Find out from the Weather Dude at http://www.wxdude.com/perform.html
• A lot of people are involved in writing a TV script: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-write-a-tv-script/
• TV is the result of advancing technology; trace those technologies at http://transition.fcc.gov/omd/history/tv/
• Time magazine has covered TV from its early days. You can see the articles of the time at http://www.time.com/time/archive/collections/0,21428,c_television_history,00.shtml
• Explore the history of Sesame Street and Children’s Television Workshop (the parent company) at  http://www.sesameworkshop.org/about-us/40-years-and-counting/ and http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Workshop

CREATE:

• Let’s make a TV show! This wiki gives step-by-step directions: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-TV-Show
• This site from educational TV productions provides filming and editing basics, and explains how to make a newscast, public service announcement, and an instructional video: http://home.utah.edu/~u0288525/videosite/formats/news.html
• You can make your own cartoons at home following these directions: http://www.ehow.com/how_7465832_can-make-cartoon-home_.html
• This BBC site tells beginning writers how to write a script, and what TV producers look for: http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/write-a-script

CARE:

• How do you choose what kind of TV to buy? This video offers some criteria: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/dtv.htm
• We know what’s in front of the TV; what’s behind it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBm9ZyIg3I0  This video shows the money behind television. You should care.
• This site is designed to be both a lesson plan/activity, and at the same time, a valuable resource for educators and parents who want their kids to become media literate when it comes to television and advertising. http://www.frankwbaker.com/toys.htm
• Want to get the word out about a cause you really believe in? This lesson explains how to make a video public service announcement: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/activities-projects/mytube-make-video-public-30157.html

CAREER:
The script website gives you a bit of an idea of how many people are involved in creating a television show: writers, artists, costumers, make-up experts, hair stylists, lighting experts, set designers, props keepers, camera people, editors, reporters, accountants, sales persons, advertisers, technicians, as well as talent. Can you think of others? Explore these sources of career information:
http://www.nab.org/documents/television/NABTelevisionCareersSecondEdition.pdf
http://www.creativeskillset.org/tv/jobs/
http://www.mediacollege.com/employment/television/