1. news

IN THE NEWS
IN THE NEWS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Introduction
4
Newspaper Scavenger Hunt
5
Ethics in the News
25
Religion in the News
45
Appendix
Written by Ellen Laughlin
for The Gazette in Education
Layouts by Laleah Tanguay
Several of the activities are adapted from the Gazette teaching guide
‘Love and Justice’ (no longer available), written by Reenie Marx, in
cooperation with the Quebec Ministry of Education (Doug Clarke) and
The Gazette in Education (Christine Tutt and Ellen Laughlin).
IN THE NEWS
INTRODUCTION
THE NEWSPAPER AS A TEACHING TOOL
In offering its new course on Ethics and Religious Culture, the
Quebec government recognizes that “Québec society is characterized
by growing pluralism. . . . It is therefore important to develop an
awareness of this diversity and to reflect upon and take actions that
foster community life.”1
These objectives are similar to the goals of a daily newspaper in
today’s free society. The Gazette, for instance:
• Expands the readers’ awareness of the ever-changing world by
following real-life, current issues and events
• Reflects our community’s growing diversity of traditions, customs,
values and beliefs by focusing on a variety of ethnic, cultural and
religious groups
• Encourages critical thinking and problem-solving by including the
diverse opinions of its columnists and readers
The newspaper has long been a valued teaching tool for a variety of
subjects – from language arts and media studies to history, geography
and math. Using the newspaper in class helps provide that ‘missing
link’ between the classroom and the ‘real world’. Virtually every
student finds something of interest in the newspaper, be it comics,
sports, world news or entertainment.
Teachers of the Ethics and Religious Culture course, too, will find
abundant material that fits perfectly with the program’s outcomes
and themes. Every day’s newspaper includes news stories and other
features that relate to ethical and religious themes such as right and
wrong, life and death, tolerance and discrimination, justice and
injustice and many more.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
The activities in this guide are divided into two main sections, one for
Ethics and another for Religion.
The Ethics section features activities that help students explore their
uniqueness and the common needs of human beings; rights and
responsibilities; the benefits and challenges of diversity; and ethical
issues related to themes such as freedom, tolerance, justice and the
future of mankind.
1
Ethics and Religious Culture, approved version, Minister of Education,
Recreation and Sports, p.8.
1
IN THE NEWS
INTRODUCTION
The Religion activities encourage students to look at ways in which
different religious and spiritual traditions affect our lives. The lessons
explore common themes such as rituals, diversity, conflict and
leadership.The lessons in both sections are generally ordered from
simple to more complex, from concrete to more abstract. They have
not been divided into ‘elementary’ and ‘secondary’ because many
of the themes overlap, and activities can often be undertaken by
students at different levels with differing degrees of understanding.
Many activities also overlap with other subject areas and help
develop cross-curricular competencies such as solving problems,
using creativity, communicating appropriately, exercising critical
judgment, cooperating with others, etc.
The activities involve varying forms of dialogue, as the newspaper
is a great source of material for reflection, discussion and debate.
The activities assume that teachers have established rules to ensure
respectful, tolerant behaviour.
While it preferable to use the current newspaper for class discussions
and assignments, many teachers also keep a clipping file of interesting
articles for use at a future time. Many of the themes found in newspaper articles are timeless.
This guide can be used with both the print and digital versions of the
newspaper. Printed copies of The Gazette, available for school delivery
in the Montreal area, may be more practical when computer access is
limited and hands-on activities are preferred. The online edition is
ideal when a computer lab or in-class computers are available, and is
invaluable for schools in remote areas. The digital version of The
Gazette contains everything in the printed edition, as well as extra
features, summaries, archives, search capability, oral reading of each
article and more. Online subscribers also have access to other
Canwest newspapers across the country.
GETTING STARTED
Before beginning to use either version, students should have a basic
familiarity with the content and writing styles of the newspaper. Here
are some ways to begin:
• Give students time to browse through the newspaper, stopping at
whatever interests them.
• With the digital version, explore the various navigation tools and
search features.
2
IN THE NEWS
INTRODUCTION
• As a class, list the different sections of the newspaper and what each
contains.
• Try a Newspaper Scavenger Hunt, either oral or written, to
familiarize students with the different parts of the newspaper.
(See page 4.)
• Introduce some basic newspaper terms, such as ‘hard news’,
feature stories (‘soft news), opinion, editorials, advertisements, etc.
• Give students practice in identifying the 5 Ws and How in news
articles. Ask them to determine where in the article the answers tend
to be found (at the beginning). Give them practice in writing their
own brief news stories, starting with the 5 Ws and How.
• Discuss the difference between fact and opinion, and find examples
of each in the newspaper.
• Examine how opinion pieces are written, and let students develop
their own editorials, editorial cartoons, letters to the editor, columns
and reviews.
• Examine classified and display advertisements and identify the kinds
of information included in each. List the elements of an effective ad.
Have students create their own ads for e.g. an item they no longer
need, their favourite store or a new product they have invented.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The appendix to this guide includes information that may prove
useful in completing some of the activities: The Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (a summary, plus a link to the full text) and a
Problem-Solving Model.
For more information about newspaper content and writing styles,
and introductory activities in a variety of subject areas, check out the
Gazette’s online guide Newspapers in Education: An Introductory Guide.
YOUR COMMENTS
If you would like to send us your comments regarding the activities in
this guide – or suggest other newspaper-based ethics and religion
activities that you have used successfully, please feel free to contact
the Gazette in Education department at [email protected].
We appreciate your input.
3
IN THE NEWS
NEWSPAPER
SCAVENGER HUNT
Find each of these items in today’s newspaper. Write
down what you find and the page on which you find it.
When you are finished, stand up and shout HURRAY!
1. The fourth item on the front-page index
Item: _____________________________________________________ Page _____
2. A word that describes you
Word: ___________________________________________________
Page _____
3. An ad for something you’d like to have
Item: ____________________________________________________
Page _____
4. The weather in another country
Country: __________________ Weather: ____________________
Page _____
5. A mention of religion
Item: ____________________________________________________
Page _____
6. A sports hero
Name: ___________________________________________________
Page _____
7. A comic strip about someone with a problem
Comic strip: ______________________________________________
Page _____
8. A news story about someone who is in trouble
Headline: ________________________________________________
Page _____
9. An item that deals with birth or death
Item: ____________________________________________________
Page _____
10. Someone who is making others’ lives better
Who and why: ____________________________________________
Page _____
4
IN THE NEWS
1. All About Me
Create an ‘All About Me’ collage using pictures
and words from the newspaper.
In a small group, share collages. Take turns telling
each other why you chose each item on your collage.
When everyone is finished, talk about ways in which
you are similar and ways in which you are different.
Find one thing that is unique about each of you – and
one thing you all have in common – to share with the
rest of the class.
2. Highlights
Newspaper headlines tell the main idea of a news story.
Describe the highlights of your life so far in a series of
5 headlines. Before you begin, examine newspaper headlines
to see how they are written. Here are some tips:
• Most headlines answer the questions Who? and What?
(Sometimes they also add When? or Where? or Why?)
Example: Smith family gets baby girl for Christmas
• Headlines are usually written in the present tense, even if the
event took place in the past.
Example: Sue Smith wins skating trophy
• Certain words, like ‘a’ and ‘the’, are left out of headlines.
Example: Stray cat moves into Smith home
Share your headlines with a partner. Are any of your
headlines similar?
5
IN THE NEWS
3. Differences
Look through today’s newspaper and choose a
picture or article about someone who is different
from you in some way. Glue the newspaper item
onto a piece of paper, or save it to your computer.
Underneath, write how this person is different from
you. Now list five things that you and this person
might have in common. Share your ideas with a
partner or group.
4. Interview
Pretend you are a reporter for your school newspaper.
You have been asked to Interview someone in your class
whom you don’t know well. Before you begin, write down
5-10 questions to ask. Try to include questions that the person
will have to answer with more than just a ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
For example, instead of asking “Do you have any brothers or
sisters?” you might say “Tell me about your family.”
Interview your classmate, and write down the main ideas of
what he or she says. What is the most interesting thing you
learned? What makes this person unique? Use this information at
the beginning of a newspaper-style story about your classmate.
Remember to answer the 5 Ws (Who? What? When? Where?
Why?) and How?
6
IN THE NEWS
5. Needs and Wants
With your class, discuss the difference between
a need and a want.
With a partner, divide a large piece of paper in half.
At the top of one half, write ‘NEED’, and at the top of the
other half, write ‘WANT’. On each half, paste or describe
newspaper pictures and words that show things you
need or want.
Do you and your partner always agree on where to put
each item? If not, why not? Are there some items that
could be both a need and a want, depending on the
person or situation? (For example, a man might need a car
for his job, while a teen wants a car to impress his friends.)
6. I Need You
One of the things people need is other people – to
care for them, to share things with, to learn from, to
have fun with, to help them if things go wrong, etc.
Make a list of some of the people you need and why.
Find a newspaper picture or story about someone
who needs another person or group for some reason.
Write a sentence summarizing whom this person
needs and why.
Thankisng
for beu!
yo
7
IN THE NEWS
7. Groups
List all the different groups to which you belong
(family, class, friends, clubs, etc.). Beside each, write
down some of the different reasons you belong to
each group. Share your thoughts with a partner.
As a class, find newspaper stories about groups.
Discuss why you think each group exists. How do the
group members benefit from being in the group?
Does the rest of the community benefit from the
group’s existence? Why or why not?
8. Families
In a group, list all the different kinds of families
that exist today. Discuss how they are different from
the families of yesterday. How are they the same?
Look through several issues of the newspaper to see
how many different kinds of families are represented.
Create a collage. Which kinds of families are shown
most often? Which are not represented? Why do you
think that might be?
8
IN THE NEWS
9. Children’s Rights
What do you think every child in the world
deserves to have? Enough food? Proper clothing?
What else? With your class, develop a list of Children’s
Rights. Post it in your classroom.
Now find newspaper stories about children from around
the world. How do their lives compare to yours? Do the
children in each of these stories enjoy all the rights you
listed? If not, why not? What do you think should be done?
Is there anything you could do?
Follow-up
:
Develop a
li
Students’ st of
Rights or
Friends’ R
ights.
10. Responsibilities
As a class, discuss the meaning of the word
‘responsibility’. List all the responsibilities of a
student (e.g. to listen to the teacher, keep your desk
tidy, do your homework, etc.).
-up:
ed or
Follow Help Want ight
r
Othe ads you m e:
r
d
e
Car e write inclu ter,
h
o
g
try t Son/Dau ter,
s
i
d
Goo Brother/S t
s
Good Parent, Be r
Good , Teacher o
Friend al.
p
Princi
Write a Help Wanted or Career ad for a ’Good
Student’. Include the qualifications needed, the
responsibilities, the hours, benefits, etc. Check
Career ads in the newspaper to see how they
are written.
9
IN THE NEWS
11. Switching Roles
List all the things you are responsible for during
the week. Include school, chores, activities, etc.
Now choose an adult in your life, and write down
all of his or her responsibilities. If you were to
switch roles, which responsibilities do you think
each of you would find most difficult?
Imagine you are making your own movie in which
you and this adult switch roles. Write a description
of the movie, and design a movie ad to promote
your film.
12. Irresponsible
As a class, discuss what it means to behave
‘irresponsibly’. Have you or someone you know ever
been told you behaved irresponsibly? Why?
In a smaller group, choose a news story about someone who
has behaved irresponsibly. Discuss the following: What did he
or she do that was irresponsible? Was a rule or law broken? Did
he or she put someone’s safety at risk? Why do you think this
person did what he or she did? Do you think everyone would
find this behaviour unacceptable? Are there any circumstances
in which it might be acceptable?
Elect a group leader who, with your help, will write a brief
summary of your discussions and share it with the rest of
the class.
10
IN THE NEWS
13. Great Advice
Read several advice columns in the newspaper (e.g.
Annie’s Mailbox) to see how they are written. Now
write a letter to an advice columnist about someone
who is not living up to his or her responsibilities at
home, at school or in their group. (For example:
“I share a room with my brother. He refuses to pick up
his stuff and my mom yells at both of us for having a
messy room. What should I do?”)
Switch questions with a partner and give each other
advice, orally or in writing.
14. No Rules
Imagine that for one day there were no rules
or responsibilities in your home or classroom.
What might happen? Write a news story or
draw a cartoon strip about the day.
Note: M
remembe ust
5 Ws & r the
How...
11
IN THE NEWS
15. Quebec Diversity
Use different parts of the newspaper (news,
entertainment, food, business, sports, etc.) to
create a collage or scrapbook showing that
Quebec is home to people from many different
backgrounds. Share your work with a partner or
small group.
With your class, make a list of ways in which
people who are different from us can enrich our
lives.
16. Diversity News
Create a school newspaper focusing on diversity.
Use the content and writing styles of your daily
newspaper for ideas. Include news, opinion, ads,
entertainment, sports, etc.
For example, you might include a profile of someone
from another culture, a recipe for an ethnic dish, news
about culturally diverse clubs at school, a comic strip
reflecting cultural differences, information about
upcoming religious holidays, etc.
12
IN THE NEWS
17. Conflict
Differences between individuals and groups can
sometimes lead to conflict. Discuss why you think
this is so.
Find a newspaper article dealing with a conflict resulting
from differences between people. With your group,
identify what the conflict is about and who is involved.
Try to determine the motivations behind each side in
the conflict. Make a list of possible solutions and their
probable consequences. (See the ‘Problem-Solving
Model’ in the Appendix to this guide.)
Follow-up:
If this is an
ongoing story, use the
newspaper to follow the
events as they unfold. Is
the issue resolved? If so,
how? What are the
consequences?
18. Stereotypes
Follow-up:
Can you find
stereotypes being
used in advertisements
in today’s newspaper?
What are the stereotypes?
Why do you think
they are used?
Discuss the meaning of the word ‘stereotype’.
What are some of the stereotypes we have of the
following individuals:
• people who wear thick glasses
• people with red hair
• guys with lots of muscles
• guys with no muscles
• beautiful girls with blond hair
• people who dye their hair green
• people who wear black leather and chains
Look at the comics in today’s newspaper. Do any of them
reflect stereotypes? If so, how? Explain why you think the artist
used these stereotypes. Now draw your own cartoon or comic
strip showing discrimination being taken to an extreme – e.g.
a waiter refusing to serve someone because he has a wart on
his nose.
13
IN THE NEWS
19. Discrimination
Sometimes individuals or groups of people are
discriminated against because they stand out as being
different. Discuss the meaning of the word ‘discrimination’.
Find a newspaper article that shows an example of
discrimination in your area.
Discuss: What kind of discrimination does the article show –
race, religion, language, gender, age, sexual orientation,
physical handicap, etc.? List the views of those who are
discriminating vs. those of the individual or group being
discriminated against. How do you think the individual(s)
ing
p:
escrib
u
d
l
w
a
i
o
being discriminated against felt? Have you ever been the
r
l
Fol an edito
the
t
u
o
e
b
victim of discrimination? Have you ever discriminated
sing
Writ ou feel a
xpres he
y
e
y
w
b
o
against anyone else? If so, why do you think you did it?
t
t
h
. Star (without pport
e
l
c
i
t
r
a
What can we, as individuals, do to prevent discrimination?
su
on
then
opini
your ‘I think’), facts, and
h
s
word pinion wit e to what
o
a
r
p
de
s c
you
ome g. Conclu
s
e
t
o
dev
sayin of your
s are
r
e
ry
h
t
o
mma
u
s
a
with hts.
thoug
20. Around the World
Look through the newspaper to identify
places around the world where discrimination
is a problem. Discuss what kind of discrimination
is involved and how severe it is. Are steps being
taken to correct the situation? Do you think these
cases affect you in any way? Do we have a moral
responsibility to defend people in other countries
against discrimination? If so, what might we be
able to do?
14
IN THE NEWS
21. Universal Freedoms
Discuss what you think it means to live in a
‘free’ society.
Review the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for a list of
the rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled.
(A summary of the text is included in the appendix to this guide,
along with a link to the official text.)
Use items from today’s newspaper to create a poster showing
that we live in a free society. Under each item, identify the
appropriate right from the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. For instance, real estate ads show that we have the right
to own property, and travel ads reflect our right to travel inside
and outside our country.
Now find newspaper stories that show that not all countries are
as free as ours. In each story, which rights are being denied?
Why? Are there times when human rights are being denied in
our own country?
22. Freedom of the Press
Freedom of the press is a valued right in our
society. Imagine we lived in a society where newspapers
were not allowed to print anything that criticized the
government. With a highlighter, mark all items in
today’s newspaper that would have to be deleted or
rewritten in such a society. (Or, if you’re reading the
digital newspaper, list all of the ‘offending’ items.)
15
IN THE NEWS
23. You be the Editor
An individuals’ right to privacy in his or her
personal life sometimes conflicts with what the
media maintains is the public’s right to know.
As a group, can you find any items in the newspaper that you
think should not have been printed, because they infringe on
someone’s privacy? Why do you think they were included?
Develop a list of guidelines you think a newspaper editor
should follow in deciding whether or not to include
information about the personal life of a public figure.
Share your ‘code of ethics’ with the rest of the class.
24. Standing Up
Some people feel it is important to stand up for
what they believe in, regardless of the consequences.
Find a news story describing such a situation.
Discuss: What does this person believe in? How is he or
she trying to change things? What are the short-term
consequences of this person’s actions? What do you
think will be the long-term consequences? Do you
agree with what he or she is doing?
Are there things you believe in very strongly? What are
they? Would you be willing to stand up for your beliefs,
regardless of the consequences? Write a paragraph or
two describing your thoughts.
16
IN THE NEWS
25. Top 5 Values
As a class, list all the values you think are
important in our society (honesty, compassion,
hard work, etc.). Discuss why each is important.
Find a way to decide on the five most important
values.
Write a news story about the results. Describe the
decision process, the results, and the reasons
behind the selections. Remember to answer the
5 Ws and How.
26. Comic World
Follow-up:
Discuss how
different this world
is from the one in
which we live.
Read the comics page in the newspaper for
several days. Now imagine that there was a world
inhabited only by comic characters from this page.
With a group, write a play showing what you think
this world would be like. What values would be
important to the inhabitants? What laws or rules
would govern their actions? Who do you think would
be the leader? What conflicts do you think would
arise? What would be the best things about this
world?
Perform the play for your class.
17
IN THE NEWS
27. Autonomy
Find a story in the newspaper about a group or
area of the world that is seeking independence.
Write a summary of the situation. Include answers
to the 5 Ws and How. (Where is the situation taking place?
Who is involved? When did the issue of independence arise?
Why do these people want independence? What is
happening in the dispute? How can the conflict be
resolved?) You may need to do some additional
research.
Pretend you are a TV reporter, and present your summary
as if you were appearing on the evening news.
28. Globalization
Discuss what it means to be globally
interdependent. How are we dependent on other
countries, and they on us? Use examples from the
newspaper.
Now list five newspaper articles dealing with world
issues or events. Beside each, write a paragraph about
how this issue or event might affect your life. Is there a
direct link? If not, can you think of a situation in
which it might affect your life?
18
IN THE NEWS
29. Power
Gather newspaper stories about different
leaders from around the world. With your class,
discuss their leadership styles. Do they make decisions
alone (authoritarian), or do they study the ideas of
others before deciding (democratic)? Are they very
structured and follow procedures (bureaucratic) or
charming, energetic and inspiring (charismatic)?
Which leadership style do you feel is most
effective? Why?
30. Tolerance
t
-up:
or no
Follow s whether e for
s
c
Discu g toleran ces
n
n
i
e
r
w
ing
e
sho
al diff ng everyth re
u
d
i
v
i
pti
the
ind
es. Is
s acce
mean ne else do ing too
e
o
some thing as b why not?
a
r
such t? Why o ents in the
n
tolera ues and ev .
s
s
Use is s example
a
news
As a class, discuss the meaning of the word
‘tolerance’. Do you think Quebecers are basically
tolerant of each other’s differences? Use newspaper
articles to support your position.
Write a poem or rap song describing what you think
about the state of tolerance in Quebec.
19
IN THE NEWS
31. A Just World
Write your own definition of ‘justice’.
Compare it to the dictionary definition. Discuss
whether or not it would be possible to have a
totally just world.
Choose a page from today’s newspaper and rewrite
the headline and lead paragraph of each story as
they might appear if we lived in a totally just world.
32. Justice/Injustice
Divide a large sheet of paper in two.
At the top of one half, write ‘JUSTICE’; on the
other half, write ‘INJUSTICE’. Under each heading,
glue or list items from the newspaper that you think
show justice or injustice in action.
Which side has most examples? Why do you think this
is so? Are there any items that could go on either side,
depending on your point of view? (For example, a story
about a poor person jailed for stealing food might be
considered justice by one person, injustice by another.)
Discuss your selections with your classmates. Do they
agree with your choices?
20
IN THE NEWS
33. Star Justice
Find a newspaper story about a famous person
(a sports hero, for instance, or a movie star) who
has broken the law.
Discuss: What did he or she do? What was the
punishment? Do you think this person was treated
differently from others because he or she is famous?
If so, what do you think would have been an
appropriate punishment? Rewrite the news story
as you think it should have appeared.
34. Court Case
Follow-up:
Follow the real
court case in the news,
and compare your
verdict with the
actual verdict.
Find a newspaper article dealing with a current
court case. Identify the two sides involved. Choose
someone to play the person on trial and others to be
the plaintiff, the defending and prosecuting attorneys,
the judge, witnesses, jury and media. When both sides of
the case have been heard, the jury should reach a verdict.
If the person is found guilty, the judge should determine a
sentence. The students representing the media should
report the outcome in a newspaper-style article.
21
IN THE NEWS
35. Choices
Sometimes people who are basically good make
bad decisions. They do something they know is
ethically wrong, and it gets them into trouble. A teen
tells a lie in order to get a job and is found out, for instance,
or a parent gambles away the family’s rent money.
Find an article that describes a situation in which someone’s
choices led to problems. Discuss: What decision or choice
did the individual make that got him or her (and perhaps
someone else) into trouble? Why do you think this person
did what he or she did? What would you have done in
this situation? Do you think the consequences were
appropriate? Why or why not?
36. Earth’s Rules
Follow-up:
Try the same
activity using
only the comics
page.
You are a visitor from another planet. You have
been sent to discover everything you can about
the rules, regulations and laws on Earth to help
establish a system for your own planet. Your only source of
information is one copy of the newspaper. What can you
learn about the following:
• the rules and regulations on Earth
• people’s rights and freedoms
• people’s responsibilities
• ways people are punished
• who is in charge of law enforcement
• who makes legal decisions
• how people are deterred from committing crimes
Prepare a report to take back to your leaders. Make
recommendations about what parts of Earth’s system to copy.
Justify your decisions.
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IN THE NEWS
37. 50 Years from Now
For several days, gather newspaper articles dealing
with challenges that will face human beings in the years
to come (environmental issues, poverty, access to health
care, crime, etc.). Do you think we will find solutions to
any of these problems in the next 50 years?
Why or why not?
Create the front page of a newspaper as you think it
might appear 50 years from now. Include what you think
will be the main political, social and environmental
stories of the day.
38. Solving Problems
For several weeks, collect newspaper articles
about charitable organizations helping to solve
social problems. Which do you think are most effective?
Why?
Design a half-page newspaper advertisement appealing
for funds for one of these charitable organizations,
or for another charitable group of your choice. Include
information about what the money collected is to be
used for. Look at advertisements in today’s newspaper
for good design techniques.
23
IN THE NEWS
39. Youth Solutions
Find a newspaper story about a young person who
is doing something to solve a problem in his or her
community. What is the problem? What is this young
person doing? Do you think it will make a
long-lasting difference?
Write a letter to this young person
congratulating him or her on the
accomplishment(s).
Follow
discus -up: As a cl
a
s
make how you c ss,
a diffe
ould
your c
rence
o
i
individ mmunity, n
e
u
ither
a
lly o
group
. Put r as a
o
ideas
into a ne of your
ction.
40. Equality Day
Hold an Equality Day in your class or school.
Some of the day’s activities might include:
• A panel discussion on how to promote tolerance and harmony
• Speakers from the community talking about discrimination,
tolerance, human rights, etc.
• Unveiling a list of Students’ Rights and Responsibilities for your
school, developed by students in consultation with teachers
• Announcing the winner of a poster contest promoting equality
Create ads to promote these and other Equality Day events.
Invite family members and the media to participate.
Write news articles and opinion pieces based on the day’s
events, and prepare a four-page newspaper to share with the
other students.
24
IN THE NEWS
1. Celebrations
With your class, talk about different ways families celebrate
important events such as the birth of a child, becoming
an adult, weddings, the New Year and other holidays.
Think about a special event that is celebrated in your family.
Write down the answers to the following questions.
(These questions are known as “The 5 Ws and How”.
All newspaper stories answer these questions.)
• Who celebrates this special event?
• Where do you celebrate?
• What are you celebrating?
• Why is this celebration important?
• When does the celebration take place?
• How do you celebrate?
Use your answers to write a paragraph or two about the
celebration. Add a picture.
2. Special Events
Find a newspaper picture about someone who is
celebrating. Who is in the pictures, and what are
they celebrating? Is it something that is celebrated
by many people, or just by this individual or
group? How are they celebrating?
Write a sentence or two describing the
picture.
25
IN THE NEWS
3. Birth Notices
Parents sometimes place a birth notice in the
newspaper to celebrate the arrival of a new baby.
Read some newspaper birth notices to find out the
kinds of information they include. Write a birth notice
for yourself, as it might have appeared after you
were born.
Now read a story about the birth of Jesus or another
religious figure. Write a birth notice for him as it might
have appeared in a newspaper at the time.
Follow-up:
Using newspaper
obituaries (death notices)
for style, write an obituary
for Jesus or another religious
figure as it might have
appeared following
his death.
4. Holidays
As a class, create a list of important holidays
celebrated by various religious groups (e.g.
Christmas, Passover, Ramadan, etc.)
From the list, choose one celebration from a religion
with which you are unfamiliar. Find out as much as
you can about this holiday, and write a news story
about it. Remember to include answers to the 5 Ws
and How. If possible, interview someone who
celebrates this holiday and include a quotation
or two about what the holiday means to him or her
and how the family celebrates.
26
IN THE NEWS
5. Traditional Food
Many religious holidays are celebrated with special
foods. As a class, discuss why you think food is
such an important part of many celebrations.
What special foods are part of your family’s
celebrations? Why?
In the newspaper, find a recipe for a holiday dish.
Prepare the recipe and share it with the class.
Follow-up:
Discuss why you
think other religious
holidays – such as
Ramadan – involve
abstaining from food
and drink.
6. What’s On
Newspapers include listings of cultural and religious
events happening in your community. They might
list times for church or temple services, for instance,
or a concert by a gospel choir, or a lecture by a
visiting religious leader.
With a partner, create a ‘What’s On’ listing of
religious activities – or cultural events influenced by
religion – that are happening in your community in
the coming weeks. Compare your list with those of
your classmates, and create a master list to post in
the classroom.
27
IN THE NEWS
7. Buildings & Momuments
Identify various religious buildings and monuments in
your community. Choose one, and learn as much
about it as you can. Design a travel ad encouraging
tourists to visit this site. Include a brief history of the
building or monument, where it is located, why it is
important, what makes it special, etc. Add a picture.
Before you begin, examine newspaper travel ads for
design ideas.
Fol
Crea low-up:
ad o te a tr
ave
rw
story rite a tra l
ve
ab
relig
ious out a l
bu
or
in an monumilding
othe
e
r cou nt
ntry
.
8. Music
Music is an important part of many religions, and religious
music has inspired many of our most famous classical and
contemporary composers. With your class, make a list of all
the kinds of music you can think of that have been inspired
by religion. Do you know of any current singers who got
their start singing religious music? Listen to several pieces
of religious music.
Now, individually, listen to a CD of music that has been
inspired by religion. What do you feel and think about as
you listen? Write a newspaper-style music review of the CD.
Include the name of the musician(s), the style of music, what
you think of it, etc. Would you recommend it to a friend?
Why or why not? Examine some newspaper music reviews
for style.
28
IN THE NEWS
9. Art
Pretend an exhibit of religious artwork has come
to a local museum. You are the newspaper’s art
critic, and have been asked to review one of the
masterpieces. Choose a painting, drawing or
sculpture with a religious theme, and write a
newspaper-style review of it. Who is the artist?
When was it created? What does it represent?
What do you think of it? Read some art reviews
for style.
10. Clothing
Those who belong to various faith groups often wear
special religious clothing. Divide the class into groups,
with each group researching the special clothing worn by a
particular faith (Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Natives,
etc.). Show your results in the form of a newspaper fashion
page. Include a description of each article of clothing, its
history, what purpose it serves, who wears it, etc. Examine
the newspaper’s fashion section for design ideas.
-up:
s in
Follow news storie thing
Follow religious clo flict
n
which ource of co f a
s
o
is the e wearing
h
g
t
(e.g. hile playin tify
w
n
hijab . Try to ide
)
s
t
r
e
th
spo
ides in
both s t.
c
confli
Share your newspaper page with the rest of the class.
Discuss why you think different faith groups wear different
kinds of clothing. Why might the clothing change over
time? What are the advantages and disadvantages of
wearing religious clothing?
29
IN THE NEWS
11. Native Spirituality
Before Europeans brought Christianity to Quebec,
the land was inhabited by native peoples who led a rich
spiritual life. Native spirituality is based on the belief
that all forms of life are inter-connected. The greatest
importance is placed on the land, Mother Earth.
Find newspaper articles showing that man is or is not
showing respect for the natural environment. With your
class, discuss the attitudes towards nature that human
beings are showing in these articles. Do you agree or
disagree with the way they are behaving?
12. Historical Figure
tner’s
our par apery
e
s
U
sp
up:
Follow- to write a new ious
g
s
answer file of the reli ost
o
m
r
p
e
h
style
t with t rtant thing
r
a
t
S
.
e
figur
n.
impo
ting or out this perso
s
e
r
e
t
in
r
rned ab
is or he
you lea facts about h ents,
m
Include accomplish What
in
.
a
c
t
m
e
life,
versies, idual
o
r
t
n
o
any c
indiv
id this s of the
d
t
c
e
f
f
a
ve
n the li
have o f Quebec?
o
people
Pretend you are a journalist sent to interview a
religious figure from Quebec’s Catholic past. List
5-10 questions you would like to ask this person.
With a partner, gather information about the
historical figure from your library or the internet.
Use your questions and the information gathered
to role play an interview, with your partner acting
as the historical figure.
30
IN THE NEWS
13. Catholic Heritage
Until the late 1950s, the Catholic Church had a strong
influence over all areas of Quebec life, from politics and
education to culture and family life. Evidence of
Quebec’s Catholic heritage is still all around us.
Look around your own community. What evidence
can you find of Quebec’s Catholic heritage (churches,
hospitals, street names, museums, cemeteries, religious
symbols, music, etc.)? Write a news story sharing your
findings. Add pictures and a headline.
14. My Class
During the past 50 years, more and more
immigrants have come to Quebec from other
countries, bringing with them many different
religious traditions – Islam, Hinduism, Judaism,
Buddhism, etc.
How many different religious traditions are
represented in your class or school?
Design a questionnaire and carry out a survey.
Use the results to write a newspaper story about
the diversity in your class. Include a graph or
other illustration.
31
IN THE NEWS
15. A Different Faith
Interview an adult from a faith that’s different from
yours. Before you begin, write down 5-10 questions
you want to ask this person. (When you are talking with
him or her, you don’t have to stick to these questions,
but they give you a starting point.)
Write a newspaper feature story about this person
and his or her faith. (A feature story starts with the
most interesting information, and contains more
description than a regular ‘hard news’ story.)
16. Religious Diversity
Imagine that you are a journalist visiting a very special school.
Each class consists of students from a wide variety of religious
backgrounds, along with students who have no religious
affiliation. Everyone celebrates different holidays, has different
prayer rituals, wears different clothing, etc. The goal is to learn,
work and play together in harmony.
Discuss with your class: What would be the advantages of such
a school? What would be some of the problems? What rules
would have to be established to make sure that everyone gets
along and learns as much as possible?
Write a newspaper column (opinion piece) about the benefits
and challenges of this special school. Remember, a column
allows you to include not only the facts, but also your thoughts
and feelings about those facts. Read several newspaper columns
before you begin.
Not
e
In T :
he G
colu
azet
to in mns ten te,
pho clude a d
t
the ograph
colu
mni of
st.
32
IN THE NEWS
17. Religious Conflict
Sometimes religious diversity can lead to conflict.
Find a news story that provides an example of
religious conflict and discuss it with the class. What is
the conflict about? Who is involved? What does each
side of the conflict claim? Do you think the conflict
could be resolved if each side listened to and understood the views of the other? Why or why not?
Make a list of possible solutions to the conflict.
18. Dear Annie
Imagine that someone in your class is being bullied
because of his or her religion. Why might the bullies
be picking on this student? How do you think it
makes the victim feel?
Write a letter to Annie’s Mailbox asking for advice
about how to help resolve this situation. Give your
letter to a classmate to answer.
33
IN THE NEWS
19. 10 Tips
With newspaper items for inspiration,
list 10 things we could do to become
more tolerant and respectful of the
religious beliefs and practices of others.
20. Leaders
Follow-up:
Do you think the
current leaders will
have a long-lasting
influence on their
followers? Why or
why not? Write an
editorial to explain
your views.
Remember to back
up your opinions
with facts.
With a group, choose one of the great religious leaders
(e.g. Jesus, Abraham, the Buddha, Muhammad, or a
religious leader from Quebec’s past). Find out as much
as you can about what made this individual a great
leader, and make a presentation to your class. When
all the presentations are complete, list the qualities
these religious leaders had in common.
Now find newspaper coverage of some of today’s
leaders. List their leadership qualities. How do they
compare with the qualities of the great religious
leaders of the past? Write an essay to explain
your views.
34
IN THE NEWS
21. Quote of the Day
The front page of the newspaper often includes
an inspirational quotation of the day. As you learn
about the teachings of various spiritual leaders, list
a series of 5 inspirational quotes that you think
would be suitable for the front page of the
newspaper. The quotations should apply to
everyone, not just individuals of a particular faith.
22. Obstacles
Many religious leaders overcame great obstacles in their
lives. They suffered everything from the death of loved
ones to ridicule, persecution and physical attacks. As a
class, discuss some of these obstacles. How did these
leaders respond to the challenges?
ou
: Do y o has
p
u
w
Follo nyone wh
a
know me difficult life?
o
overc ges in their h
t
n
challe he story wi an
c
t
Share oup. What h
r
c
g
u
r
ms
you
arn fro
e
l
u
o
y
?
stories
In the newspaper, find an article about someone who
has overcome great obstacles in his or her life to achieve
something special. What were the obstacles? How did
this individual overcome them?
35
IN THE NEWS
23. Community Service
A common theme in religion is service to others.
Discuss why you think this is so. Do you think all
people have an obligation to help those who are
less fortunate? Why or why not? Why do you think
some people don’t help, even if they are able to?
Find a news story about a person or group who is
currently helping people in need. Share it with your
class. What do you think motivates this person or
group? How is it making a difference to those
in need?
Follow-up: Make a list of
things you already do to
help others (e.g. tutoring a
younger child, carrying a
neighbour’s groceries).
When you are finished your
personal list, brainstorm, as
a class, a list of things one
could do to help others on a
daily basis. You could also
contact a local community
service group and find out
how young people can help.
Post the information in your
school.
24. Inspirational Movie
Pretend you are a filmmaker turning a story from the Bible
or another sacred book into a movie. Outline the plot.
(Use the 5 Ws and How.) What is the main thing you want
the viewer to learn from this movie? Who would you cast
in the leading roles? Why?
Create a newspaper ad for the movie. Use movie ads from
the entertainment section for design ideas.
36
IN THE NEWS
25. Ten Commandments
As a class, list the Ten Commandments from
the Old Testament. Break into smaller groups,
and look for news stories that show someone
breaking or keeping one of the Commandments.
Rewrite the lead paragraph of each story,
emphasizing the commandment it deals with.
26. Timeless Themes
Many stories from the Bible, the Torah, the Qur’an and other
sacred writings deal with themes that are still very relevant
today – e.g. good/evil, generosity/greed, peace/war,
justice/injustice, tolerance/prejudice, compassion/jealousy,
honesty/dishonesty, success/challenges, etc.
Choose a story from the Bible or from other sacred teachings.
List the themes dealt with in the story. Now find one or more
stories from the current newspaper that deal with the same
theme. What are the similarities and differences?
37
IN THE NEWS
27. Good and Evil
Divide a large sheet of paper in two. On one half, write
“Man is good.” On the other, write “Man is evil.” From
today’s newspaper, paste or list items that might
demonstrate one statement or the other. Are there
some news stories that could go on both sides? Why?
If you were to use the newspaper as your only source,
would you think that man is basically good or evil, or a
combination of the two? Why? Does the newspaper
reflect all aspects of ‘real life’? Why or why not?
28. Justice
According to the Bible, the main charge against Jesus was
that he claimed to be King of the Jews. Under Roman law,
anyone who claimed to be a king was guilty of treason
against the emperor, and the standard punishment was
crucifixion.
Discuss how our justice system compares with justice in
the time of the early Christians. What do you think would
happen to Jesus today?
Write a newspaper story as it might apear if Jesus were
alive today.
38
IN THE NEWS
29. Eye for an Eye
ss
Discu
:
p
u
Follow i’s idea that only
h
Gand for an eye orld
e
w
e
“an y the whole quote
s
e
h
t e
mak
plain es of
x
E
”
.
blind e exampl
p
iv
and g ns that hel
o
situati e it.
t
illustra
Using examples from the newspaper,
write an essay contrasting the Old
Testament notion of ‘an eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth’ with Jesus’
commandment to ‘turn the other cheek’.
30. Walk a Mile
A Native-American proverb advises: “Never
judge other people until you have walked a mile
in their moccasins.” With a group, discuss how
this saying could apply to a story in today’s
newspaper.
39
IN THE NEWS
31. Other Faiths
Research one of the lesser-known faiths, such
as the Bahá’í Faith, Hare Krishna, Jainism, Rastafari,
Sikhism, the Wiccan Church, Zoroastrianism, etc.
Write a news story explaining the origins, beliefs,
practices, etc. of this faith. Remember to include
the 5Ws and How. Share it with your class
-up:
Follow s the effect
f
s
Discu e support o
e
h
l
that t own peop
s
n
well-k movie star
s
such a faiths like
n
o
or
has
ology
t
n
e
i
c
S
lah.
Kabba
32. Creation, etc.
Use newspaper words and pictures to
create a collage illustrating a religious or
spiritual theme such as creation, faith,
grace, salvation, peace or love.
40
IN THE NEWS
33. Meaning of Life
-up:
Follow y other
an
ls
Watch u think dea
yo
big
movie ne of life’s a
with o ions. Write as
quest the movie
of
in a
review ht appear al
it mig s or spiritu
u
religio lication.
u
p b
Filmmakers have long explored some of the big
questions of life, such as: Where do we come from?
Is there life after death? Is man basically good or evil?
Why does man have to suffer? What is salvation?
What is man’s destiny?, etc.
Examine the movie ads and reviews in today’s
newspaper and identify any movies dealing with
these or related themes. What question(s) do you
think the filmmaker is trying to answer? If possible,
watch one of these movies to find out what answers
the film proposes. Are they plausible?
34. Controversy
Use the newspaper and other sources to prepare a
presentation (oral or written) on one of the following
controversial topics (or a related topic of your own,
approved by the teacher). Use information from a
variety of faiths. Try to make your report as objective
and balanced as possible.
• The role of women in religion
• Religion and war
• Religion and politics
• ‘Reasonable accommodation’ of religious minorities
41
IN THE NEWS
35. Religious News
With a group, design a four-page newspaper based on
religious books or stories from the past. Include news
articles, opinion pieces, ads, entertainment, sports, etc.
For example, of you choose the Book of Exodus from
the Old Testament, you might include news stories
about the escape of the Israelites from Egypt and how
they received their laws; a profile of Moses or the
Pharaoh; an editorial about whether or not the parting
of the Red Sea was a miracle; a travel ad for Mount
Sinai; a weather report; a horoscope for the Israelites;
and a Help Wanted ad for a chariot driver.
36. Future News
Create the front page of a faith-based
newspaper as it might appear 100 years
from now. Include news stories about the
religious or spiritual issues you think will
be important then.
42
IN THE NEWS
37. Keeping Up
Some religious institutions are trying to ‘keep up with
the times’ and attract young people. A recent newspaper
ad, for instance, described a temple’s services as ‘free and
fun’, and a news story told about a church hiring fashion
designers to give their statue of the Virgin Mary a
‘make-over’. Do you think these initiatives will make
a difference in keeping or attracting young people to
religion? What else do you think religious institutions
could be doing?
Create an editorial cartoon or cartoon strip showing
how you think religious institutions could adapt to
today’s world.
38. Crossword
Examine crossword puzzles in the newspaper to see
how they are created.
With a partner, list 15-20 important words from
your study of religious culture (Hinduism, Buddha,
monotheism, ritual, crucifix, etc.). Write a definition
for each word. Create a crossword puzzle using your
words. Give it to another pair to solve.
43
IN THE NEWS
39. Show You Know
Over a period of several months, gather the
newspaper articles dealing with religion and
spirituality that have been discussed in class. Use
the information to create a quiz show for your
classmates. Come up with a name and a format
for your show. Challenge your classmates to
compete.
40. Religion Today
Do you think religion has a place in today’s world?
Why or why not?
-up:
Follow n editorial
a
Write ing the
ss
e
r
of
exp
point
e
t
i
s
o
opp
did
What m this
.
w
e
i
v
arn fro
you le e?
s
exerci
Write a newspaper opinion piece about the value
of religion in today’s world.
Use issues and events in the news to support
your views.
44
IN THE NEWS
APPENDIX
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
The United Nations is a voluntary association of countries from
around the world. It was organized to keep the peace and to
promote the human rights and freedom of people everywhere.
In 1948, the United Nations issued a Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. This declaration or statement has been recognized
as setting the standards that countries should follow in respecting
people’s rights and freedoms. Unfortunately, not all countries obey
these rules.
This summary outlines the major points of the declaration. For the
complete document, go to
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
• Every person is born free and equal. We all have the same
importance and rights. The only limits that should be placed on
the freedom of an individual should be laws that protect the
freedom and rights of other people.
• All people must be treated in the same, fair way. People can
not be treated differently because of their race, colour, sex, the
language they speak, their religion or political beliefs.
• If people believe their rights have been violated (taken away or
reduced), they must be able to have their case heard quickly
and fairly by a court.
• A person cannot be arrested, held or forced to leave a country
without a reason that is allowed by law.
• Every person who is accused of breaking a law is considered
innocent until proven guilty by a fair trial. This trial must be
open to the public.
• People have the right to privacy in their personal lives.
45
IN THE NEWS
APPENDIX
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION
OF HUMAN RIGHTS (cont’d)
• Individuals must be allowed to travel inside and outside their
country.
• People have the right to seek asylum (safety) in another country
if they are being made to suffer in their own country.
• No one should be forced to marry. People who do marry have
the same rights within that marriage.
• People have the right to own property, either by themselves or
as part of a group.
• Individuals must be free to practice the religion of their choice.
• People must be free to think what they want and to say what
they think. This right includes the freedom to send and receive
information through the media.
• Individuals have the right to form a group and to be a member
of a group.
• People have the right to vote and to run as candidates in
elections.
• Government services have to be available to all citizens equally.
• People have the right to choose where they want to work. They
must also receive equal pay for equal work.
• People have the right to rest and leisure. Therefore, they
must be given certain holidays when they don’t work but are
still paid.
• Citizens have the right to receive help from their government
if they can not earn enough to support themselves and their
family.
• Basic education, such as grade school and high school, should
be available free of cost to all people. Parents should be able to
have some say in the kind of education their children receive.
This text is taken from the Gazette in Education guide What in the World is Going On?,
which also includes summaries of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the
Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.
46
IN THE NEWS
APPENDIX
PROBLEM-SOLVING MODEL
Your daily newspaper includes many articles about current
social issues. To help you make an informed decision or take
an informed stand on an issue, follow these steps:
a. Identify the problem. Ask yourself what conflicting values
the problem represents.
b. Pick one side of the issue to support for now.
(You can change your mind later if you wish.)
c. Identify and study the facts that support the stand you took.
d. Look at the issue from the different points of view
of the persons involved.
e. Make a list of the different actions the persons involved
could take.
f. Think about what might happen in each case if the persons
involved followed that action.
g. Decide what action, if any, should be taken.
h. Find out how others feel about your decision by discussing
it with them. Learn how other communities, cultures or
religions might react to your decision.
i. Take another look at the original stand you took in Step b.
Decide if you wish to change your opinion.
j. Decide what you can do to help solve the problem.
k. Be prepared to support your position and give your
solutions to the problem.
This text is taken from the Gazette in Education guide What in the World is Going On?
47