Newspaper Discussion Questions

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These discussion questions can be used with any class, with any copy of the newspaper. They help students think and discuss all that is happening in the news and the impact these events have on our lives.

1. What is the most important story of the day in terms of national well-being? Why?
2. What is the most tragic story of the day for all mankind? Why?
3. What is the most important article for citizens of western Wahsington?
4. What is the best news of the day? Why?
5. What story makes you want to read more?
6. Select one newspaper article and pretend that same information is going to be covered by another form of media. How might the coverage be different?
7. What is the main idea of a specific news article?
8. What is the sequence of events in a given news story?
9. Why is it important for us to know the information in a specific news article?
10. Name the Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? of either a news article or a photo.
11. Are there any vocabulary words used on the Opinion page that are new to you?
12. Select a news article and name someone you know who would also be interested in that article. Why would he or she be interested?
13. After reading an article, tell what you would like to learn next about this topic.
14. Why do you think the editor put this article in the newspaper?
15. Find an article that is connected to something you’re learning in school.
16. Locate a diagram, chart, table, or map in your newspaper. Is the information easier to understand in this format rather than in words? Could you easily summarize this information in written form?
17. Find a news article about our government. Why should citizens have this information? What might happen if they didn’t have this information?
18. What do you think is the most important section of the newspaper? Why?