Headline – Short, catchy, and clear; grabs attention.

Lead – The opening sentence/paragraph that answers the who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Body – Provides supporting details, quotes, background, and explanation.

Closer – Wraps up the story, leaves the reader with something to think about or ties back to the lead.

1. How to Structure a News Article

a. Headline

• Definition: A short, attention-grabbing title.

• Example:

  • ✅ “Local Students Launch First School Newspaper”

  • ❌ “Students Are Going to Make a Newspaper for the First Time and It Will Be Very Exciting” (too long!)

b. Lead

• Definition: The first sentence/paragraph that tells the most important facts (who, what, when, where, why, how).

• Example:

  • ✅ “On Monday morning, CHEAR students met in Room 207 to begin work on the first issue of their brand-new school newspaper.”

c. Body

• Definition: The middle of the article—gives details, quotes, background.

• Example:

  • “The idea for the newspaper came after students expressed interest in sharing school news and events. Journalism tutor Danielle Smallwood explained, ‘We wanted a way for students to practice real reporting while also building something meaningful for our community.’ The newspaper will feature stories, photos, and even comics created by students.”

d. Closer

• Definition: A sentence that wraps things up or leaves the reader with a final thought.

• Example:

  • ✅ “The first issue will be released in October, marking the start of a new tradition for CHEAR.”