Making a newspaper or a magazine is an effective way for students to be able to transfer knowledge from one situation to another and also to edit, annotate, analyse and evaluate information. The construction of a newspaper or magazine front page allows students to chose the key information from a wider selection [using headlines and trailers] and then develop the narrative using the main body of the text.

The use of the computer allows this to be done very effectively and efficiently and also allows students to introduce text, graphics, charts and diagrams quickly. As well as the addition of visual elements sound or moving image elements can be added to the 'newspaper' to make a 'Harry Potter' effect. The ease of use should ensure that the aims and objectives focus on the RE questions not on the desk-top publishing (DTP) practicalities.

This could be use for the re-telling or re-versioning of a religious narrative, for the development of an arguments, for the construction on an argument or for the developing of their own reflective narrative.

Practical Issues

Students need to be able to add text, images and moving image to a proforma constructed by the teacher. This may be in Word or in a DTP package such as Publisher, Illustrator or Pages.

Activity Description

This activity took place in a Year 7 class that had been looking at the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. They had already recapped the story and the teacher wanted to introduce them to the idea of the synoptic tales.

In order to do this the teacher split that class into four groups each of which was responsible for putting out the front page of a newspaper for their own audience. These audiences were:

• The Romans, who read the 'Roman Rag'
• The disciples, who read the 'Disciples Daily'
• The Pharisees, who read the 'Pharisee Press'
• The Jews, who read the 'Jews News'

Each group was split into 3 sub-groups. These were the reporters whose job it was to gather the news; the sub-editors whose job it was to decide if the news was relevant and the type-setters who transferred the news to the proforma for the newspaper.

The news arrived in the form of a rolling presentation which included quotes from the gospel stories and some invented prose. The reporters had to make an on the spot decision if this was important / interesting for their readers; the sub-editors then decided how this should be "spun" for their group and the type-setters formatted the front page with the news.

A word and image bank had been developed by the teacher so that text and images could be quickly cut and pasted into the proformas. A newspaper template had also be generated so the the time could be devoted to getting the 'copy' correct and not worrying about presentation which the teacher had found in the past to get in the way when using ICT.

ICT resource used

• Video Projector onto screen or e-WB
• Powerpoint with the text from the gospels (adapted as suitable) - download
• A newspaper template
• A desktop (or laptop) for each group of students
• A bank of text and images for the students to draw on for the newspapers

Learning Objectives

• To reflect on the story as it unfolded
• To consider how text / story was affected by audience
• To develop their understanding of how parallel truth claims could develop from a single story

Commentary on the ICT use

The focus on the newspaper gave the task a sense of 'realness' which the teacher had found missing when they tried to use biblical or sacred text. They students were also more easily able to related the idea of different newspapers giving different accounts of the same story.

The use of the text and image bank meant that the students were able to focus on the content and development of the text and not waste subject time on the presentation (fonts, styles, font size, colour etc...). It also meant they were able to develop the text and change and adapt as new parts of the story arrived on the big screen.

The constantly changing news feed (from the digital projector) added a sense of pace and urgency to the lesson.

• British Pathe - Go 
• Christian Clipart - Go
• Flickr - Go
• Strathclyde Uni RE dept - Go
• Learn-ICT Religious Images - Go