New
New
Year 4

Writing the opening of a journalistic report

I can write the opening of a journalistic report on 'Little Red Riding Hood'.

New
New
Year 4

Writing the opening of a journalistic report

I can write the opening of a journalistic report on 'Little Red Riding Hood'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The opening paragraph of a journalistic report provides an overview of the news event.
  2. The opening answers the questions what, where, when and who.
  3. Formal and subject-specific vocabulary is used to write the opening of a journalistic report.
  4. The use of formal language creates a serious, factual and objective tone.
  5. A relative complex sentence allows the writer to provide extra detail about the people involved.

Keywords

  • Opening - the first paragraph of a journalistic report that provides an overview of the event

  • Formal language - language used in certain non-fiction texts involving sophisticated and objective vocabulary without the use of contractions

  • Relative complex sentence - a sentence formed of a main clause and a relative subordinate clause

Common misconception

Pupils may want to include facts that are too specific for the opening.

Make explicit and repeated reference to only including general information. Use the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) to help embed this.

Provide children with a word bank of formal and subject-specific vocabulary to support in their writing of the opening paragraph.
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.
Order these sections of a journalistic report.
1 - opening
2 - recounts section
3 - quotes section
4 - closing
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.
What type of language should be used in journalistic reports?
Correct answer: subject-specific vocabulary
informal language
descriptive language
Correct answer: formal language
Q4.
Match the vocabulary to their formal synonyms for a journalistic report about a crime.
Correct Answer:Mr Wolf,assailant, perpetrator, suspect, accused, offender

assailant, perpetrator, suspect, accused, offender

Correct Answer:Mrs Puckett/ Little Red,victim, target, injured party, innocent citizen

victim, target, injured party, innocent citizen

Correct Answer:neighbour/ woodcutter,witness, bystander, passer-by, onlooker, observer

witness, bystander, passer-by, onlooker, observer

Correct Answer:home/ house,property, residence, scene of the crime

property, residence, scene of the crime

Q5.
What does it mean to write with an objective tone?
writing which is very descriptive
writing in the first person
Correct answer: writing which has not been influenced by personal feelings or opinions
Q6.
Which of these are examples of formal and objective language commonly used when reporting on a crime in a journalistic report?
Correct answer: It is believed...
I think...
Correct answer: Several witnesses have...
Correct answer: As details begin to emerge..
We are sure that...

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of the opening in a journalistic report?
Correct answer: give the reader the key details of the event
give all of the specific details of the event
Correct answer: engage the reader making them want to read on
summarise why the event happened
Q2.
Which of the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) has this sentence answered? An unsettling series of events has left the local residents of Cherry Pot Lane feeling shaken.
Correct answer: who
Correct answer: what
when
Correct answer: where
why
Q3.
Which of the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) has this sentence answered? Yesterday afternoon, police were called to a property there after a violent incident had taken place.
who
Correct answer: what
Correct answer: when
where
why
Q4.
Which of the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) has this sentence answered? A suspect, who is known as Mr Wolf, has been arrested for breaking and entering the property of Mrs Puckett.
Correct answer: who
Correct answer: what
when
where
why
Q5.
Select the appropriate relative clause to add detail to this sentence: The suspect, __________, has been arrested for breaking and entering the residence of Mrs Puckett.
Correct answer: , who is known as Mr Wolf,
, which is situated on Cherry Pot Lane,
, who was walking past the house at the time,
Q6.
Select the appropriate relative clause to add detail to this sentence: Mrs Puckett, __________, is currently undergoing medical treatment.
, who is known as Mr Wolf,
Correct answer: , who suffered extensive injuries from the attack,
, which is situated on Cherry Pot Lane,