Information and Inquiry · Term 4

Feature Article Writing

Applying journalistic techniques to write engaging and informative articles on local issues.

About This Topic

Feature article writing combines the facts of news reporting with the creativity of narrative storytelling. In Year 6, students learn to use journalistic techniques like 'hooks', expert quotes, and subheadings to engage readers on local or global issues. This topic aligns with ACARA's standards for creating informative texts that use a variety of language features to sustain interest and provide depth. Students learn that a feature article doesn't just tell you *what* happened, but *why* it matters and how it affects real people.

In Australia, this is a great opportunity for students to investigate local community stories, perhaps an interview with a local Elder, a report on a new community garden, or a feature on a local sporting hero. This topic comes alive when students can act as real journalists, conducting interviews and using peer feedback to 'polish' their stories for a real audience.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the purpose and effect of a 'hook' in engaging a reader at the beginning of a feature article.
• Evaluate the credibility and impact of expert quotes in supporting the main arguments of an informative text.
• Synthesize information from interviews and research to construct a feature article on a local issue.
• Critique the use of subheadings in organizing complex information and guiding reader comprehension.
• Differentiate between factual reporting and narrative elements within a feature article.

Before You Start

Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Details

Why: Students need to be able to distinguish the central point of a text from its supporting evidence to structure their own articles.

Basic Interviewing Skills

Why: The ability to ask clear questions and listen actively is fundamental for gathering information for feature articles.

Paragraph Structure

Why: Students must understand how to construct coherent paragraphs before they can organize them into longer, structured articles.

Key Vocabulary

Hook	An opening sentence or paragraph designed to immediately capture the reader's attention and make them want to continue reading.
Expert Quote	A direct statement from a knowledgeable person on a topic, used to add authority, evidence, and perspective to an article.
Subheading	A short title or phrase used to divide a longer text into smaller, more manageable sections, helping to organize information.
Lead (or Lede)	The opening part of a news story or feature article that summarizes the most important information, answering who, what, when, where, and why.
Feature Article	An informative and engaging piece of writing that explores a topic in more depth than a news report, often including human interest elements.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Press Conference

The teacher (or a student) plays a 'local hero' or 'expert'. The rest of the class acts as journalists, asking probing questions to get 'quotes' for their feature articles. They must then decide which quotes are the most impactful to include.

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Generate mission

Gallery Walk: The Hook Challenge

Students write three different 'hooks' for the same story (e.g., an anecdote, a shocking stat, and a question). They post them on the wall, and peers use 'dot voting' to choose the one that makes them want to read the most.

⏱ 30 min·Individual

Generate mission

Inquiry Circle: Subheading Shuffle

Give groups a feature article with the subheadings removed. They must read the text and create their own catchy, informative subheadings that guide the reader through the different sections of the story.

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Real-World Connections

Local newspaper journalists, such as those at the 'Sydney Morning Herald' or 'The Age', regularly write feature articles on community events, local government decisions, and profiles of interesting residents.

Community radio stations often produce feature segments where reporters interview local figures, like the mayor or a volunteer group leader, to inform listeners about important local issues.

Online magazines and blogs dedicated to specific hobbies or local interests, for example, a blog about Australian native gardening, use feature writing to explore topics in detail for their audience.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

A feature article is just a long news report.

What to Teach Instead

Students often focus only on the 'who, what, when, where'. Use peer discussion to show how adding 'human interest' (like a personal story or a descriptive setting) makes a feature article different and more engaging than a standard news blurb.

Common Misconception

You can just make up quotes if you can't find a real expert.

What to Teach Instead

Students sometimes treat feature writing like fiction. Use a 'fact-checking' simulation to emphasize the importance of accuracy and the ethical responsibility of a journalist to represent people's words truthfully.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with the opening paragraph of a feature article. Ask them to identify the 'hook' and explain in one sentence why it is effective. Collect responses to gauge understanding of engagement techniques.

Peer Assessment

Students exchange drafts of their feature articles. Using a checklist, they identify at least two subheadings and one expert quote. They then provide one specific suggestion for improving the clarity or impact of either the subheadings or the quote.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one local issue they learned about during the unit. Then, they should write one sentence explaining how an expert quote could strengthen an article about that issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can active learning help students write better feature articles?

Writing a feature article is a multi-step process. Active learning strategies like 'The Press Conference' or 'The Hook Challenge' break the task down into manageable, social activities. By interviewing real people and getting immediate feedback on their 'hooks', students learn that journalism is about communication and connection, not just writing in a vacuum.

What makes a good 'hook' for a feature article?

A good hook grabs the reader's attention immediately. It could be a vivid description, a surprising fact, or a personal story that makes the reader care about the topic. It should set the tone for the rest of the piece.

How many quotes should be in a Year 6 feature article?

Aim for 2-3 well-chosen quotes. One should ideally be from an 'expert' (to provide authority) and one from a 'person on the street' (to provide a personal connection). This balance helps make the article feel well-rounded.

What is the purpose of subheadings?

Subheadings act like a 'map' for the reader. They break up long chunks of text, make the article easier to scan, and help the writer organize their different 'angles' or sub-topics logically.