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27 Writing Feature Stories

Page
245
from
Write on Course 20-20

Writing Feature Stories

Start-Up Activity

Ask students about their scariest weather-related experience. Were they caught outside in a hailstorm? Or have they seen a flood? Or did they see a tree get struck by lightning? Ask several students to tell their dramatic weather stories.

Then let students know that writing feature stories is about reporting events in a way that is exciting and make the reader want to find out more. Feature stories combine some elements of informational writing with other elements of storytelling.

Think About It

“Everyone is necessarily the hero of his own life story.”

—John Barth

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.10

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3.E

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.B

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.C

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.D

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3.E

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.RI.1.1

LAFS.6.RI.1.2

LAFS.6.RI.1.3

LAFS.7.RI.1.1

LAFS.7.RI.1.2

LAFS.7.RI.1.3

LAFS.8.RI.1.1

LAFS.8.RI.1.2

LAFS.8.RI.1.3

LAFS.6.W.1.2

LAFS.6.W.1.3

LAFS.6.W.3.7

LAFS.6.W.4.10

LAFS.7.W.1.2

LAFS.7.W.1.3

LAFS.7.W.3.7

LAFS.7.W.4.10

LAFS.8.W.1.2

LAFS.8.W.1.3

LAFS.8.W.3.7

LAFS.8.W.4.10

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.5.F

110.22.b.8.D

110.22.b.8.D.i

110.22.b.6.D

110.22.b.8.D.iii

110.23.b.5.F

110.23.b.8.D

110.23.b.5.G

110.23.b.6.D

110.23.b.5.H

110.24.b.6.C

110.24.b.8.D

110.24.b.8.E

110.24.b.6.D

110.24.b.8.D.i

110.24.b.8.E.i

110.24.b.8.D.iii

110.24.b.8.E.iii

110.22.b.10

110.22.b.11.B

110.22.b.11.A

110.22.b.12

110.22.b.11

110.23.b.10

110.23.b.11.B

110.23.b.11.A

110.23.b.12

110.23.b.11

110.24.b.10

110.24.b.11.B

110.24.b.11.A

110.24.b.12

110.24.b.11

110.22.b.10.A

110.22.b.10.B.i

110.23.b.10.B.i

110.23.b.10.B.ii

110.24.b.10.B.i

110.24.b.10.B.ii

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 246 from Write on Course 20-20

Feature Story

Have volunteers read each paragraph of the sample feature story and any associated side notes. Ask what makes the lead dramatic. (The tension of the robot battle.) Ask why the news thread is not at the beginning. (The writer wants to hook readers' attention before giving the main point of the story.)

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.RI.1.1
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.5.F, 110.22.b.8.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.1.6.e, LA 6.1.6.g

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative WritingExplanatory Writing
Form:
News Feature
Theme:
TechnologyEducation
English Language Arts:
Reading

Page 247 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Feature Stories

Help your students come up with interesting feature topics by asking these questions:

  • Who do you know who does something remarkable?
  • What new and exciting thing is happening at your school?
  • Where is your favorite place to go and why?

Point out that their answers could be the seeds for great feature stories. They just need to think of an angle that will make readers say, "Wow!"

Once students have found feature topics, send them out as reporters to gather details: attending events, interviewing people, observing closely, and writing down notes. If your students are familiar with interviewing techniques, review the three bullet points in the middle of the page. If they are unfamiliar, see page 252 for more information.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative WritingExplanatory Writing
Form:
News Feature
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessPrewriting

Page 248 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing, Revising, and Editing

After students have done their reporting, lead them through the tips for writing an effective first draft. Help them understand the lead-body-ending structure.

When they have completed their first drafts, provide the revising and editing checklist to help students improve their stories.

Consider publishing the news stories in a classroom newspaper.

Downloads:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Narrative WritingExplanatory Writing
Form:
News Feature
English Language Arts:
Writing ProcessWritingRevisingEditingTraits of WritingStrong IdeasLogical OrganizationEffective VoicePrecise WordsFluid SentencesCorrect Conventions