ChalkHour

Year 5 English: Writing a newspaper report lesson pack

A complete, ready-to-teach KS2 lesson on writing a newspaper report. Below is a real sample of what ChalkHour makes: the full pack adds three levels of worksheet, model answers, a teaching explainer and print-ready PDF and Word files.

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Real sample

Extra! Extra! Writing a Newspaper Report

This lesson teaches Year 5 students how to structure and write a formal newspaper report. It focuses on the 'Inverted Pyramid' structure, the use of the 5 Ws, and the stylistic conventions of journalism such as catchy headlines and eyewitness quotes.

Learning objectives

  • Identify the key features of a newspaper report (headline, byline, lead paragraph, quotes).
  • Use the '5 Ws' (who, what, where, when, why) to plan and write an introductory paragraph.
  • Distinguish between direct and reported speech in the context of an eyewitness account.
  • Apply the past tense and third-person perspective consistently throughout a report.

Lesson plan (60 minutes)

  1. Introduction · 10 min

    Starter: Analyse a real newspaper front page. Identify the headline, photos, and columns.

  2. Development · 15 min

    Direct Teaching: Go through the 5 Ws and the inverted pyramid structure using the explainer script.

  3. Independent Practice · 25 min

    Main Task: Differentiated worksheets. Students draft a report based on a provided 'fractured fairy tale' prompt (e.g., The Three Pigs' house blown down).

  4. Review · 10 min

    Plenary: Multiple-choice quiz and peer review of headlines.

Key vocabulary

Headline
A short, catchy title at the top of an article.
Byline
The name of the person who wrote the article.
Lead
The first paragraph that summarises the key facts (5 Ws).
5 Ws
The five questions a reporter must answer: Who, What, Where, When, Why.
Direct Speech
The exact words someone said, marked with speech marks.

Core worksheet (first questions)

  1. Create a catchy headline for a story about a boy finding a golden goose.
  2. Write a 'Lead' paragraph for the golden goose story covering at least 4 of the 5 Ws.
  3. Why do journalists use quotes from eyewitnesses?
  4. Change this sentence to the passive voice: 'Jack found the goose.'

Quiz (sample)

  1. 1. What is the main purpose of a headline?

    • A. To list all the people in the story.
    • B. To grab the reader's attention and summarise the story.
    • C. To explain the ending of the story.
    • D. To provide a space for the journalist's name.

  2. 2. What are the '5 Ws'?

    • A. Who, What, Where, When, Why
    • B. Who, Would, Was, Were, Why
    • C. How, When, Where, Which, Who
    • D. What, Where, Why, Which, How

  3. 3. Which part of the report usually contains the 5 Ws?

    • A. The Headline
    • B. The Byline
    • C. The Lead (Introduction)
    • D. The Conclusion

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