Writing · Talking
Newspaper report: an ill wind
In a small news team, invent an event where bad luck for some turned out well for someone else, and write it up as a front-page report.
- 40 minutes
- Small group
- Ages 9–12, Ages 12+
- Classroom
- Printable: writing page
What to do
- Read the saying and its meaning: it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
- In groups of three or four, invent a local event. A storm, a power cut, a road closed for a week. It must be made up, not a real news story.
- Decide who it was bad for, and who it turned out well for.
- Give everyone a job: editor, writer, checker, headline writer.
- Write the report on the sheet. Start with a headline, then answer who, what, where, when and why. Add one made-up quote from a person in the story.
- Read your front page to the class. The others say who the ill wind blew good to.
Questions to talk about
- Is it fair to call something lucky when it was bad for someone else?
- Can you think of a small example from your own life?
You will need
- The printed writing page, one per group
- Pencils
- Scrap paper for planning
Make it fit
Simpler: Write the headline and three sentences only, and draw a picture for the front page.
More of a stretch: Write a second, shorter report about the same event from the point of view of the person it was bad for.
Printables
The instructions card is for the adult running the activity; the worksheet is for the children. Prints on A4 or US Letter at 100% / actual size; colour is optional.
The writing page
Newspaper report: an ill wind
Name
Write your front-page report. Headline first.
- Headline: ...
- Yesterday in ..., ...
- It was bad news for ..., but ...
- "...," said ...
The instructions card
How to run it · Writing · Talking
Newspaper report: an ill wind
In a small news team, invent an event where bad luck for some turned out well for someone else, and write it up as a front-page report.
40 minutesSmall groupAges 9–12, Ages 12+
What to do
- Read the saying and its meaning: it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
- In groups of three or four, invent a local event. A storm, a power cut, a road closed for a week. It must be made up, not a real news story.
- Decide who it was bad for, and who it turned out well for.
- Give everyone a job: editor, writer, checker, headline writer.
- Write the report on the sheet. Start with a headline, then answer who, what, where, when and why. Add one made-up quote from a person in the story.
- Read your front page to the class. The others say who the ill wind blew good to.
You will need
- The printed writing page, one per group
- Pencils
- Scrap paper for planning
Talk about
- Is it fair to call something lucky when it was bad for someone else?
- Can you think of a small example from your own life?
Make it fit
Simpler: Write the headline and three sentences only, and draw a picture for the front page.
Stretch: Write a second, shorter report about the same event from the point of view of the person it was bad for.
Goes with the printable writing page.