New
New
Year 4

Analysing the features of a journalistic report

I can analyse important features of a journalistic report.

New
New
Year 4

Analysing the features of a journalistic report

I can analyse important features of a journalistic report.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose of a journalistic report is to provide information about a newsworthy event to its reader.
  2. A newsworthy event is something that is interesting or important enough to warrant reporting to the public.
  3. Journalistic reports follow a specific structure; headline, opening, recount, quotes and closing.
  4. Journalistic reports are written using formal and objective language and tone.
  5. Fronted adverbials and complex sentences are key linguistic features of a journalistic report.

Keywords

  • Journalistic report - a non-fiction text that provides information about an event

  • Purpose - the reason for something and the desired impact

  • Newsworthy - the quality of being interesting or important enough to warrant reporting to the public

  • Structural features - how the information is organised and ordered

  • Linguistic features - words and language that a writer chooses to achieve the purpose

Common misconception

Children might struggle to understand how the structure can appear different visually.

Differentiate between structure and layout. Journalistic reports should follow the same structure but may be laid out differently.

Look at different examples of journalistic reports from the current news cycle to offer greater context for children.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a journalistic report?
an opinion piece of writing
a non-fiction text about a person's life
Correct answer: a non-fiction text that provides information about an event
Q2.
True or false? A journalistic report can be written about any event.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q3.
What is 'newsworthy' about the story of Little Red Riding Hood?
The girl went to visit her grandma.
Correct answer: The wolf broke into the grandma's house.
Red took a basket full of comforting goodies with her.
Correct answer: The wolf attacked the grandma and ate her.
Q4.
Match the crimes to their definition.
Correct Answer:stealing,taking another person’s property without permission

taking another person’s property without permission

Correct Answer:assault,physically attacking someone, or threatening to

physically attacking someone, or threatening to

Correct Answer:breaking and entering,entering a building through force without permission

entering a building through force without permission

Q5.
Who would be considered the perpetrator in Little Red Riding Hood?
the grandma
Correct answer: the wolf
Red
Q6.
Who are the victims of the crime in Little Red Riding Hood?
Correct answer: the grandma
the wolf
Correct answer: Red

6 Questions

Q1.
Where can journalistic reports be read?
Correct answer: online
Correct answer: in newspapers
in books
Q2.
Match the keyword to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:purpose,the reason it has been written and the desired impact

the reason it has been written and the desired impact

Correct Answer:structural features,how the information is organised and ordered

how the information is organised and ordered

Correct Answer:linguistic features,the language that a writer chooses to achieve the purpose

the language that a writer chooses to achieve the purpose

Q3.
Put the sections of a journalistic report in the correct order.
1 - headline
2 - opening
3 - recount section
4 - quotes section
5 - closing
Q4.
Which of these does the use of journalistic language achieve?
Correct answer: It creates a formal and objective tone.
It enables the journalist to share their own opinion.
Correct answer: It helps the journalist explain what happened.
Q5.
Which of the following are examples of subject-specific vocabulary you would find in a journalistic report about a violent crime?
environment and climate change
Correct answer: suspect and victim
movie and cinema
Correct answer: assault and injury
Q6.
Which of these are examples of fronted adverbials of time?
Correct answer: At around 6pm,
In the forest,
Correct answer: By the time police arrived at the scene,
At the grandmother's house,

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