MNIEC is celebrated National NIE Month in March with a promotional campaign to raise awareness of the valuable resources provided by newspapers to local schools. As part of that effort, we asked teachers to contribute their favorite NIE moments! 
Here's what teachers had to say!

Ah Ha Moment
First, I need to explain that I teach students with significant cognitive delays. I would like to relay an “ah ha” moment I observed during a class period when we were discussing current events. We were reading a story about someone being killed and one of the picture in your paper showed people standing around observing a candle-light vigil for a victim. Sorry, I don’t remember the names or dates. One of my students asked me what they were doing and I explained that they were in mourning. My students not only struggle with a cognitive delay, but also deal with English as a second language issues. After I explained that in the English language there are many words that are pronounced the same or in a similar manner but have different meaning. After I explained that they were sad about the loss of that victim and wrote the two words on the white board, she immediately understood what the difference was between morning & mourning.

Lesson
One of the math lessons I have developed to use with your newspaper is to find coupons like the coupon at the bottom of the last page of today’s newspaper and have students estimate the cost of a product after the discount and then help them to find the exact cost of e product after the discount. We do the math the long way by finding out what percentage of the item we will be required to pay by subtracting the discount % of say 40% from100%. Once we know that we need to pay 60% of the original price, we multiply .60 times the price to get the actual cost after discount. Then hen we compare that actual cost with the estimated cost. Sadly, it is a lesson I have done many times with minimal retention.  Thank you for the NIE program.

“NIE Favorite Moment”
Hi, my name is Peggi Sawicki. I am a special education teacher at GriffinMemorial Schoolin Litchfield, NH. Every Monday, I would go over the paper  with my students. We especially enjoyed reading the story “Petey’s Secret Power.” Every Monday, one student in particular was eager to read the chapter for the week. During the week we would utilize the story and practice writing. He would fill out graphic organizers regarding the story and then write summaries. When the story ended, we cut out the printed story and made a booklet for him to keep. We are entering the booklet in the “NIE Moment” Contest.

Every year a new group of 8th graders enter my learning center. Many of these students have learning and/or reading disabilities. Getting them to read for pleasure has always been difficult. The NIE Program has provided many of these students with the impetus
they needed to begin reading. Some students got hooked on reading about sports. Some found local news fascinating and others found entertainment articles, etc. of interest. They were able to use what they read to answer questions related to who, what, when, where and why. They shared what they learned with their fellow classmates. They loved that what they were reading was up-to-date and factual. Some of the more shy students were able to start conversations at lunch based on what they had read in the newspaper. NIE is working in my classroom! Having the newspaper in our classroom has provided not just one but many favorite moments. Seeing students who had not previously enjoyed reading but who were now excited for the delivery of the newspapers has been rewarding. Thank you from the students in the 8th grade learning center at North Andover Middle School and from me for providing this service and valuable resource to us.

This is my first opportunity to participate in the Newspaper In Education Program. My third graders have worked enthusiastically utilizing the Daily Evening Item.  The newspaper has become a tool to reinforce a concept taught throughout that week. Whenever I announce that we’ll be working from the Item, I hear, “YES!!!”  echoed.  I am delighted to have found an activity in which everyone is eager to participate and readily engaged.  

The newspaper has become a useful instrument to help students gain mastery in various concepts.  They love the idea of using a newspaper.  One of the first activities I implemented was a noun scavenger hunt.  First, students located nouns within the newspaper; then categorized and pasted these nouns into the respective columns, common or proper.  Another example occurred just before the holidays, when I taught main idea and supporting details. I cut out the headline, ‘… 7 Year Old Wants Santa to Know He’s Been Very Good’.  With this, each team brainstormed supporting details that could be included in that article. They wrote amazing detailed sentences! Recently, in Math, we studied polygons. They were astonished to learn that although a block T is not shaped as  a stop sign, by definition, it is an octagon.  After seeing this, they were raring to begin their quest through the Item to find examples of other polygons! This style of differentiated instruction has aided students who need another means of instruction to gain mastery.  

When questioned, the students stated that it is fun to learn and work together with NIE. They have taken an interest in the comics, and the local news.  I  love it because they are excited about learning.  They are also voluntarily reading, and mastering important concepts as outlined by the Curriculum Frameworks.  I am thrilled to have incorporated this routine into my classroom.

THE POET AS REPORTER,  A LESSON PLAN INVOLVING NEWSPAPERS
I use this lesson in my high school classes as an introduction to poetry.

Overview
This lesson helps students to understand how poetry and prose differ in terms of purpose and audience, and how these differences influence how the author chooses tone, voice, selection of detail, and "best words."

Standards
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. 

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Produce clear and coherent writing in the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Draw evidence from literary and informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Procedure
1.  The teacher gives the students three poems:  
 "Norman Morrison" by Adrian Mitchell
"Norman Morrison" by David Ferguson
 "Of Late" by George Starbuck
As students read each poem, the teacher asks "What is the poem about? What is the occasion?  Who is the speaker?  What is the significance of the title?  Paraphrase the poem.  What are its best words? 

Most students will understand by the end of reading the third poem that each poem is about Norman Morrison, an American, devout Quaker, and father of three, who immolated himself on November 2, 1965 outside of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's office at the Pentagon. Morrison brought his infant daughter with him to the Pentagon that day, and his self-immolation was believed to be a protest against the war in Vietnam.  The teacher provides students with a newspaper or other journalistic article about the event (articles are widely available on the Internet).  Ask students to compare and contrast the newspaper article with the poems.  What do the articles say that the poems do not? What do the poems say that the articles do not?  Discuss the figurative language in  the poem and how it makes each poem meaningful and effective.  What are the best words that the authors used and why?

2.  Hand out newspapers to the students and tell them that they are going to write their own poems based on what they read in the newspapers. The poems can emulate a favorite poet, or the students can use their own unique styles.  Encourage students to pay attention to voice, choice of detail, figurative language, imagery, rhyme scheme, and tone.
 
My students did this exercise using the January 3, 2012 issue of The Lynn Item. 

Kristina Aiello, chose the horoscope:
 
"Today's Lie"
 I think of you like I think of a fortune in a cookie,
hopeful, revealing, and sometimes surprising
If you enter my life at the beginning of the day,
you shape all of its occurrences and events.
However, if I forget about you until my day is nearly gone,
you make me think - 'So that's why that happened?'
But today, you just don't seem to be like yourself.
You tell me that today will be the day that I
become popular.
People will want to get to know me.
But you're wrong.
You're a liar.
How will I ever
become popular today?
My dad grounded me.
I have no phone.
I have no computer.
I have no life.
So you finally got it wrong.
And now - I have no favorite section in the newspaper.
 
Michele Rozier chose to respond to a letter to Abby, in which the writer, who had been married eleven years and who had three children, lamented the fate of her frozen embryos:

Men certainly have wickedness within them
But we're all born with a certain degree of innocence
I've been wanting one forever,
He said that  our two rings were empty
We tried and tried but seems as the light from above
has been absent during all our eleven years.
I was desperate; he was too.
Oh, how I hated amusement parks, with their innocent voices
dominating the place
So, finally it came
We went, and our seeds bore fruits,
Two of them,
I remember the joy they brought in my life
Time went by so fast
I really thought people did not need this light from above that
I sought from eleven years
I was convinced that he did not exist . . .
Until in our backyard,
Seeds we did not remember planting also bore fruits.

Nancy Martinez focused on an article entitled "India airs edgier TV shows - but cuts out edge"

It's hard to watch
It makes you frown
But what you don't see
can't hurt you -
                                 Close your eyes for a second.
Maybe you are
a little lost
We left blanks
You're confu -
                                 So that I may be calm.
We just
don't want
you
and -
                                 I won't speak 
                                what you 
                                don't know. 

ASSESSMENT
How well did the poem utilize voice?
Did the poet use appropriate choice of detail?
Did the poet use figurative language effectively?
Did the poem effect an appropriate tone?
How well did the poem expand, develop, or reflect the original article?

I found the Lynn Item to be very useful during a recent class. My class had just completed a lesson on Propaganda, and its use by governments during war.  The two day lesson focused on the types of propaganda and the goals of the government. Students were shown various posters from WW I and WW II. They were given a poster analysis sheet and were asked to analyze several posters.

The following class, students were broken into groups and each group was provided with a copy of the Lynn Item. Each team had to read through the newspaper and cut out advertisements that followed the same propaganda goals that were discussed previously. The students compared the advertisements they selected with the posters they had studied previously. The students realized how
retail, and political, ads use the same devices to attract as the war posters did. The realization that they are exposed to propaganda on a daily basis was very surprising, and insightful, to them.

I am a Journalistic Writing teacher at Amherst Regional High School who deeply appreciates NIE’s act of seeking sponsors to provide daily newspapers for my classroom.  Each day, my students file into class, grab a newspaper from the pile by the door, and settle into their seats for 10-15 minutes of quiet newspaper reading time before class begins. Though they often enter the course with the tendency to jump to the comics or sports page, they undoubtedly become addicted to front page and international news by the course’s end.  As they read, they complete “current events logs,” for which they summarize stories of interest to them and then analyze them—making connections between the articles and their lives, other stories they have read, and the world around them.  

Later in the week, these observations are used to fuel an hour of engaging class discussion about news stories of importance. Since the course’s primary aim is to teach students how to write effectively in all styles—news, arts, sports, opinion, feature, in-depth report, and more—reading the paper provides valuable exposure to excellent models.  Though we have a course textbook as well,  the newspaper is our best teacher.  Inspired by the reporters they read regularly, my students craft carefully written pieces of writing for their own newspaper, ARHS’s The Graphic, feeling the real pride that comes from publication.  At the end of the trimester, we all board a bus to Northampton for a field trip to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where we not only meet NIE staff, reporters, and editors, but we also see the paper we have used each day rolling off the presses.

At this moment, I realize I can’t imagine my Journalistic Writing class without NIE and our daily, local newspapers; they are a treasured resource. 

Share a Lesson or Strategy
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my students and I read the Daily Hampshire Gazette for about 10 minutes.
After the students read, I have them write down the following in their writing journals:

a. Why did you choose this article? Or, why do you think Mr. B-G asked you to read this article?
b. What is one interesting thing you learned? (Your response here could be about the people, places, ideas, events, or concepts mentioned in the article.)
c. What is one connection you can make between this article and something else you know about (either from your personal experience, school, a book you’ve read, a movie you’ve seen, or anything else).

Students then discuss the articles they read in small groups. Each group then “shares out” with the class information about one of the articles they read. This activity has been effective in encouraging students to read non-fiction and keep up on current events. It hits on a variety of ELA standards, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Both the students and I look forward to
Tuesday and Thursday, our “newspaper days.” Thank you, NIE, for making that possible!

At the Anne T. Dunphy School in Williamsburg, Wednesday is KID SCOOP Day!
The Newspaper in Education Program has inspired classes to read, write, critique and rewrite. A calendar of “Write On!’ topics and deadlines is given to each of our five classes , and students enjoy choosing topics. They learn that choosing a topic that speaks to them is the step toward a good piece of  writing. I love the excitement of seeing who gets published, and the boost that kind of recognition gives to struggling writers. The pages are displayed for the entire school to see. Besides writing, my third grade artists love
drawing weather pictures, and we look forward to each new Book Buzz selection. My class even wanted to give story time TO the librarians (instead of being read TO), with When Ruby Tried To Grow Candy. Thank you for all the ways you engage my students in learning.

Diana Braman
Anne T. Dunphy
School
Williamsburg, MA

In January my entire second grade class wrote book reviews to the “Book Buzz” reviews and hand delivered them to the Daily Hampshire Gazette while on a field trip to the newspaper.  My class anxiously awaited the arrival of the newspapers we received as a part of the “Newspapers in Education” program the following Wednesday.  Several members of the class had their reviews
published and were naturally very excited to see their work in print.  

The following morning one student came in and said to me, “When I got home last night I cried because I didn’t get published in the paper.”  I told her that every writer and illustrator has had the same thing happen to them at some point in their lives, but there are always other opportunities to get published.  I brought her over the bulletin board in our class where the “Weekly Writing Corner” topics for the next few weeks were posted.  I read her several of the topics and encouraged her to try again to get published.
 
A few weeks later when I picked up my bundle of newspapers on a Wednesday morning the first thing I did was open to the Kid Scoop Page scouring the page to see if she’d been published.  I saw her entry right at the top of the page.  When the kids came into the classroom that morning I showed them that their classmate had been published in the paper.  By the time she walked through the door, it was her classmates who ran over to her saying, “Look, Jane, you got published in the paper!” She was thrilled. 
For a young writer, seeing her name and writing in print made a big impact. 

 I am writing on behalf of the Amherst Regional High School library and twenty classroom teachers who have benefitted from your sponsorship this past year.  Because of your generosity, Amherst Regional High School library and teachers received daily issues of the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  Particularly in these difficult economic times, when our budgets have been cut so dramatically, your contribution makes a real difference.
  Here’s how your sponsorship has made a difference: 

•      “The Daily Hampshire Gazette has been extremely valuable to my students in Academic Skills.  Not only is it important in keeping current with news both local and afar, but we have had many deep discussions about the nature of the world and the events that shape us all.  It is a primary connection with our community, both local and world-wide.  It sets a tone for the day and for how our learning and
discussions will go.  But most importantly, the Gazette has been an integral part of courses in English, political science, social studies, criminal  justice, foods, and even style.
        
 We use direct access to the paper for specific assignments and papers related to these subjects as resources, evidence, data, and good, informative writing.  I use the paper for teaching writing style and expression. When the kids take journalism courses, the paper becomes a serous focus for learning to write ethical and political perspectives, and for learning how a great paper presents the news in fair, unbiased, and thorough reporting.  I am very grateful for having this access to the Daily Hampshire Gazette, and I  want to say thank you very much for this marvelous opportunity and community service.” 
Colin Harrington, Academic Skills/Developmental English 9

•      “I use the Gazette to keep on top of the local issues that match Constitutional Law and Economics curricula.  For example, it helps me track freedom of expression and religion issues in the valley, as well as relevant economic developments for our discussions of
national priorities and local markets.”  Tom Fricke, Social Studies
 
•      “I use the sports reporting and coverage of high school events to talk with students about their lives outside the  classroom.  We also use the paper in the advanced Latin classes to analyze the grammar of headlines.  Headlines are one of the few places where
English uses participles as widely as Latin does.  Since Latin and English have different expectations about what a sentence is, it is interesting to note how a headline can convey information without being a sentence.”  Sean Smith, Latin teacher

 •      “In clothing and textiles class we use the advertising and marketing campaigns to look at trends and influences in
fashion.  Students evaluate the usefulness of promotions and the power of visual images.  In Foods and Nutrition classes, we use current event homework assignments with reference to recipe preparation, farming, and manufacturing to report to class on areas of interest.”  Maribeth Courtney, Family and Consumer Education Teacher

 •      “The Gazette has been useful for my classes, especially for Oral Communication where the students look for speeches and
readings to attend and think about current issue to write and speak about. Hampshire Life’s 21-27 issue had an article called, “Scared Speechless,” about the fear of public speaking.”  Ellen Reich, English Teacher

•      “I find Gazette’s articles on personal finance, poverty, and consumerism, very useful for Consumer Economics.” 
Shari Abbott, Social Studies Teacher

•      “I work with special education students with a range of abilities, from severely impaired to mild disabilities, which impact
their communication skills (speech-language).  My students have benefitted from the Gazette in many ways.  We have used articles to look at vocabulary (and learning it in context), grammar (compound/complex sentences and the advantage of using a variety of sentence structures), comprehension strategies and self-advocacy (how to understand an article and what to do if you need
clarification), and social communication skills (topic initiation for students with social communication deficits – what should we talk about?  -- the weather, current events, restaurant/movie reviews, cultural opportunities, etc.). A highlight was that one of my students was IN the paper (he participated in the Fashion Show at Thornes).  The write-up of his walk on the runway stating that he “exuded coolness” will be a memorable quote for this young man!  Thank you so much for helping me be a better informed teacher (seeing the headlines each day on my way to sessions and reading more in-depth when possible) and more prepared to make connections to the community for and with my students.  They are gaining newspaper reading skills, world knowledge, and other useful  skills.”
Amy Kalman, Speech-Language Pathologist

And of course, in the library, the Gazette is a magnet.  From the moment we open our doors at 7:15 a.m. until we close the doors at 4 p.m., this  paper is making the rounds among students.  It is not unusual to see a huddle of students hunched over the sports section or to have an administrator or teacher come in looking for a local article of interest. 
 
We are so grateful for the Newspapers in Education Program and in particular to our sponsors who make the program possible.  Again, thank you for your support of our students and community.                                                                                             

Leslie Lomasson, Librarian                                                                        

 On a regular basis, my students are responsible for locating an event  (federal, state, local or worldwide) reading the article and answering specific factual questions (5 W’s) along with their opinion.  They will pore over the papers, trying to understand the current stories before picking one that interests them most.  Usually, it is either from their hometown  or a fascinating crime story. They present these in front of the class. Then days later, they will check the latest papers to see if there is a follow-up or a conclusion to their story that they can point out to me.

The students continually comment about weather, stories such as the tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes happening in the U.S.  This allows for great class discussions, presenting opinions and deciding what is fact or myth about the weather. It opens a lot of opportunity for connected discussions with our hearing-impaired population.

 I have also brought in past issues that reveal the early beginnings of the Springfield area, the early population, some of its businesses and their connection to history (Armory, Indian Motocycles, Smith and Wesson). Serendipitously, at the time when this newspaper had several articles that included information about T. Jefferson, the Amistad Center, the Civil war, we were studying these topics (or will be shortly), in our Social Studies/U.S. History classes.  They made for a wonderful extra resource to show and discuss with the students.
My class and I really appreciate and use the Republican every day.

Anne Cleary, Birchland Park Middle School, East Longmeadow