A News Attitude: Year 5 Students Become Journalists
In Year 5 at Santa Maria College, students have taken on the exciting role of journalists as part of their English topic, ‘A News Attitude.’ Over the course of six weeks, the girls explored a variety of news articles, both online and in print, giving them the opportunity to connect with stories in meaningful ways. To culminate their learning, they created their own newspaper articles, applying the layout and language features they had studied.
Jennifer Oaten Shares Her Expertise
The students had the chance to write about familiar fairy tales, sporting events, and College activities. These topics allowed them to sharpen their writing skills while reporting on stories that felt personal and relevant. A standout moment for many of the girls was when our Principal, Jennifer Oaten, shared her expertise on blogging. The students loved the idea of writing for the College website, adding an extra layer of excitement to the project.
A Panel of Experts
A highlight of the unit was a special panel discussion featuring Jennifer Oaten, Tim Stewart, Director of Corporate Services, and Amanda Huxtable, Head of Dance & Drama. The panel provided exciting insights into the new Cultural Centre being built on campus, a development that will have a direct impact on the students’ time at Santa Maria. Reporting on this real-life event gave the students a sense of pride as they realised their writing could reflect the very changes happening around them.
Reporting on Real News
Year 5 teacher, Lindsey Fitzgerald, explained how timely the panel discussion was, saying, “This year the timing of the Cultural Centre unfolding aligned so perfectly with our panel. The girls loved being able to report on real news that they could see happening on our grounds. The incredible growth within the student’s writing demonstrates the power of engagement and authentic writing opportunities.”
Students Reflection on their Learning
The girls reflected on what they had learned throughout the project. Neala shared, “I have learned that you can share news by news blogs, newspaper articles and live news.” Mia added, “From the start of this topic, I have improved on using more interesting and excited noun phrases and words to enhance my writing. I have also improved in writing in past tense and not in present.”
Jessica and Isla also highlighted how much they had grown as writers, with Jessica sharing, “Some highlights have been when we interviewed the panel for the article about the Cultural Centre,” while Isla noted, “It was nice to see the changes and improvements we have made from when we wrote our ‘Once Upon A Time‘ article.”
Finally, Genevieve summed up the value of the topic perfectly: “It’s good to have different resources to tell us about what is happening in the community.” By learning how to communicate news in a variety of ways, these Year 5 students have gained valuable skills that will serve them well beyond their time at Santa Maria College.
- Blogging, CulturalCentre, Curiosity, EnglishProject, Featured, Journalism, StudentWriting, Year5
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
Weekly Wrap Up – Week 10, Term 3 2024
A Blend of Science, Art & Culture
