Characteristics of Arthropods: A Newspaper Project

based on an assignment designed by Judy Jones, East Chapel Hill High School

Brief Description: This project involves researching information about animals in the Class Insecta.

The following representatives are suggested:            
Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets)
Order Diptera (flies)
Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
Order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Order Blattodea (cockroaches)
Order Coleoptera (beetles)

Focus of Research: Your research will stress structural characteristics of the organisms found in class Insecta; structural and functional differences among the orders of insects, lifestyles and behaviors of the orders of insects.  You may also want to include systems (digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, excretory, muscular, skeletal, nervous, endocrine).  You may also want to include descriptions of reproductive systems, development of the young, and behaviors associated with reproduction.  Some insects also have interesting individual and group behaviors you may want to research.

Types of Articles and Items for your newspaper:

Requirements                  

Lead Story                                     

Feature Story                                               

Personal Interest Story                                  

Editorial                                                      

Review                                                         

Letter to the Editor                                        

Puzzle                                                            

Optional (two of the following)
Editorial Cartoon
Advice Column
Obituary
Cartoon Strip
Wedding or Birth Announcement
Want Ad
Horoscope
Weather

Police Log

Advertisement

Requirements:

Personal Interest Story - This includes a mock interview with an organism, but one from a different Order as the feature story.  You will deal with the same topics as the previous article, but you will write it up as an interview.  You can use the Q/A format if you wish.

Editorial - This is where you will argue some ethical issue involved with insects.  Editorials are written in essay form and express the opinion of the editorial board.  An editorial usually has four parts: opinion about something, examples, conclusion, and suggestions for actions the reader might take.  For example, you might want to write about spraying insecticides to kill mosquitoes; you could discuss whether habitat destruction is affecting insect species; you could discuss the economic and environmental ramifications of raising butterflies for collections.

Review - This review is of a magazine article, movie, or chapter in a book about insects.  You need to read a magazine article, watch a movie, or read a chapter in a book about insects.  Then, you need to review the item.  You should state the title, author, date, and any other relevant information.  Next, summarize the information.  Finally, you will state whether you liked the item or not and why.

Letter to the Editor - This will be from someone who argues the other side of the ethical issue discussed in the editorial.  This letter should also use examples.  This will be written from the point of view of some character that you invent.

Puzzle - This crossword puzzle or word jumble should include biology terms related to insects. 

Optional Items (Choose two):

Editorial Cartoon - This editorial cartoon should be related to insect behavior.  Editorial cartoons express opinions using humor.  They are often ironic or sarcastic.

Advice Column - This is a column where you will write a question from the point of view of an insect and then answer that question from your point of view.  For example, you might write, "Dear Dr. Bug, I am a lonely female praying mantis.  I have just eaten the head off my mate and am left with all these children.  I would like a new mate.  What should I do?"  Make sure you answer the question.

Obituary - The obituary will be about someone who was important in insect studies.  You will tell about the famous person and describe their career, discoveries, and awards, as well as a little about their personal life.

Cartoon Strip - This original work will focus on insects.  You can use characters from pages of a real newspaper, but you should credit the source. 

Want Ads - This could be something that an animal is selling and could be related to its behavior, structures, or lifestyle.  Ex: "Rotting log for sale.  Tunnels carefully carved out in a winding pattern by an expert Bess beetle".

Advertisements - The ad should be for a product related to insects.  Ex. "Sale on Cicada Exoskeletons.  Too much stock in 2004!"

Sports - This article is about insect athletics.  Write it up as a real sports article using insects as the competitors.

Wedding Announcements or Birth Announcements - Proud mother Tsetse fly announces birth of one live maggot.

Police Log - News briefs of insect crime.  Ex. "Can of Raid responsible for ant death in Raleigh suburb" or "Assassin bug mimics flower to catch unsuspecting prey".

Horoscope - This will provide what an insect could expect on a given day depending on its sign.  Ex. "Virgo fireflies should keep close to home so as to avoid competition for mates".

Weather - This will provide the weather for the day from an insect's point of view.  Ex. "95 degrees and high humidity....perfect for mosquito breeding".

Other details you should include in your newspaper:

Masthead and Banner - runs across the entire width of the top of the first page and gives the name of the paper, the day of the week, the date, and the cost.

Index - table of contents should be in a box somewhere on the first page.

Headline - each story should have a title over the story that summarizes it.

Byline - each story should have the name of the writer placed above the article and under the headline.

Pictures - there should be at least three pictures in your newspaper.

Caption - each picture should have an explanatory note above it.

Credit line - you should give a source for each picture.

Cutline - below each picture should be a more detailed description of what is in the picture.

Writing Tips:

• In the first one or two sentences of your articles you should give the who, what, when, where and why of the subject.   You should also try to "hook" your audience.   Find something unique or clever or surprising to start with.  
• Be sure to include details and examples.  Quotes are useful.
• Have a concluding paragraph that ties everything together.  A memorable last sentence can conclude a news article nicely.  Avoid words such as "In conclusion" or "To finish". 
• Use active words - verbs that are exciting!   "The man dashed headlong into the crowd" is better than "The man ran fast".
• Generally, for your main feature articles, you should write in the 3^rd person.
• Keep your articles focused on the topic - don't include unrelated information.
• In your interviews, use some verbs other that "said".   You could use words such as commented, uttered, declared, voiced, etc.  (Use a thesaurus!)
• Do not use flowery descriptions in news articles.   Those types of descriptions are for novels!
• Create your headline AFTER you have written the report - you will be better able to create a catchy headline, then.
• You should use graphics and pictures - very important in newspapers!  You can even use your own artwork.
• BE SURE YOU DO CAREFUL research so that you know what you are talking about.
• DO NOT copy work from the internet - this writing must be original.

Evaluation Rubric

1 = Low, 4 = High

Meanings of 1, 2, 3, and 4

Rating of 1

Written expression and form are weak

Language is not appropriate to newspaper writing

Article is lacking depth – too short, no examples

Organization of article is poor

Grammar, paragraphing, spelling errors

Graphics and/or pictures are missing

Rating of 2

Written expression and form are average

Language is usually appropriate to article

Article needs more depth – length and examples

Organization could be improved

A few grammar, paragraphing, spelling errors

Graphics and/or pictures are limited

Rating of 3

Written expression and form are good

Language is generally appropriate to article

Article is about the right length and has examples

Article is fairly well organized

Only 1-2  grammar, paragraphing, spelling errors.

Graphics and/or pictures are good.

Rating of 4

Written expression and form are excellent

Language is very appropriate to article

Article is a perfect length and has good examples

Article is extremely well organized

No grammar, paragraphing, spelling errors

Graphics and/or pictures are excellent