Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- identify tabloid journalism
- summarize the history and characteristics of tabloid journalism
- define 'yellow journalism'
Curriculum Standards
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
Materials
Instructions
- Begin by reading the headlines aloud to the class.
- What do these headlines have in common?
- Does anything stand out about them?
- What adjectives might you use to describe these headlines?
- Pass out the paper copies of the text lesson now, one per student.
- Instruct the class to read the introduction and 'Tabloid Journalism' section of the text lesson.
- Did anyone identify the headlines we read aloud as examples of tabloid journalism?
- How might tabloid journalism have come into being?
- Tell the class to read the 'Origins' and 'The First Tabloids' sections of the text lesson now.
- Why might the term 'yellow journalism' be used to describe tabloids?
- Who can name some modern examples of tabloid journalism?
- Ask the class to read the rest of the text lesson now.
- Pass out the worksheet and have students work independently to complete it.
Activity
- Divide the students into small groups.
- Give each group one of the tabloid newspapers.
- Have each group select several articles upon which to focus.
- Now have each group take turns reading aloud to the group several of the articles from the tabloid.
- Have the students work together to identify language in their selected articles that seems less than authentic, underlining their identified examples.
- Now pass out the examples of reputable newspapers, one per group.
- Have the groups repeat the process of selecting and reading aloud a few of the articles in the paper.
- Now have students identify and underline any inauthentic language they can spot in their selected articles in the reputable newspaper.
- Instruct the groups to respond to the following questions in writing: 'Which publication had more examples of questionable language?', 'Which publication was more fun to read and why?', and 'What strategies can we use to spot tabloid journalism?'.
- Finally, have the groups share their analysis with the class during a discussion.
Extensions
- Have students create a mock tabloid with each students crafting one article to contribute to the whole.
- Ask students to research and report on cases where tabloid journalists have been sued.
