Mind Hooks
Submitted by: Tina Wyatt JTWyatt@compuserve.com
1. Read your story or selection for the day. This could work for nonfiction such as a social studies reading assignment.
2. Have students get into groups. Give each group a "mind hooks" worksheet. This has a series of rectangles drawn on it with a little hook drawn beside each. The rectangles are labeled who, what, when, where, how, how many. At the top, students write the author's name and the title of the work or chapter.
3. Tell the students they are preparing an episode for CNN breaking news (or whatever) and they are to use the events in the reading to prepare a live broadcast. They fill in the information. The "how many" is simply a number and its significance in the reading. For example, "The original flag had thirteen stars," or "Three detectives arrived on the scene."
In addition to the stated information, each group must MAKE UP a quote from a bystander or one of the characters about the events from the reading. What MIGHT someone have said who was on the scene? Make sure students use proper format in writing their quote. This whole step generally takes only a few minutes.
4. Give students a few more minutes to prepare their newscasts. Some will do a question and answer format, some will d a traditional Dan Rather style, and some will bring on their bystander for an eyewitness account (quote included!) Each group performs their "breaking news." Fun!