Aim: What are the different types of leads and when should we use them?

• Do Now: Let’s review some of the five types of leads,
• Describe a Character
• Action
• Dialog
• Emotion
• Detail
• Setting
• Quotation
And how you used them with the topic of your choice that we did yesterday…

Sean's Leads:
Sean Harrison

1. 1.there it was, I’ve always wanted it, right in front of me so greatly sitting there perfect, and I was extremely happy!

2. 2. 3…..2….1….0 boom! The ball dropped and tears strode down my moms eyes and everybody cheered for it becoming another new year, but that’s when I realize that I wasn’t even happy as everybody else.

3. 3.BOOM! BAM! Everywhere was people dying my cousin’s, aunt and I stood in our seats as thrill crossed our eyes

4. we all sat around and was enjoying ourselves it was pretty late at night then we heard a sudden ring at the door.

5. i was so shocked to wake up and find there were no presents under the tree......

Q: Which one is the best?
Q: Do they make you want to read on?

David's leads:

‘the best night of my life’


David can not forget the most crazy(?) night he ever had.


With the happiness of having an early break, he couldn’t go to sleep.



Shoveling up snow isn’t so much fun when you get knocked out.



At Sunday afternoon, he was the victim.



Instead of just chilling and being all happy for school, David was really tight.

Q: Was that effective? What do you think?
Q: Does it make you want to read the story?

Jae's leads:
Topic: Embarrassing Moment in Ski Mountain
5 Leads.

There I was, fearing for the life of me, about to ski down the highest mountain in the city with my friends watching over me. Scared as the squirrels are to humans, no other option was available than skiing down the mountain for the first time in my life.


A breeze just blew by me whispering how I wasn’t going to make it down to the mountain from the pinpoint. I was convinced more than anything it was right and had lost all my spirit to take action in skiing.

The ski mountain seemed almost motionless, so silence, but yet part of me fears this will be the most frightening experience and most embarrassing moment of my life.

Breezy and freezing more than ever before on the peak of the mountain, was I standing getting ready to go down back to earth from space.

How could I have been excited about coming here just a few hours ago? I couldn’t get over the fact how much I had started to regret coming to ski as my friends all seemed courageous like a lion, while I was a mouse.

Q: Are these interesting leads?
Q: Do you want to read the story? Why or why not?

Overview:
Students will learn that people decide to read a story in the first several seconds of reading the lead sentence. A creative and interesting lead will grab the readers’ attention and keep them interested. Students will apply knowledge of various types of leads to create introductory sentences that can be used in essays and stories.

Essential Questions:
1. In the field of journalism, what is a lead?
2. What are the 5 different types of leads?
3. When would you use an “impact lead?”

Warm Up:
Discuss with students that a lead is the introduction into a story and without an interest grabbing lead, readers will move on to the next story. Copy the 5 different types of leads below and discuss with students how they would use them.

1. Question Lead – The most basic of leads that begins with a question. Be careful to not overuse these because readers may already know the answer and move on.

2. Quote Lead – Story begins with a quote that summarizes the story. Music lyrics can also be used in this type of lead.

3. Direct Lead – The standard of informational story leads that answers who, what, where, when and why. This is done in a 1 or 2 sentence opening paragraph and although it may be difficult to answer all questions off the bat, the direct lead will guide readers to answers.

4. Indirect Lead – Also called the soft or delayed read. Indirect leads are more dramatic and written in a story telling tone. It may include a situation, character or humorous or revealing anecdote.

5. Impact Lead – Focuses on the how and why of the story and appeals to reader’s emotions. What is extraordinary about the story or the key people involved?
(5 min.)

Activity 1:
Pass out copies of the sports page to the class. Have students read opening paragraphs to various stories and call upon students to name the leads. Recognizing different story leads will aid students in selecting the best type of lead for their story.

(7-10 min.)

Activity 2: Now I want everyone to take one story from the sports section and practice the different types of leads we have learned about today (15 min.)


Summary: Let’s have a few people share out how they used the various types of leads (10 min.) When would you use an impact lead? Q: When would you use a question lead?