This document provides instructions for a 3rd grade current events assignment. Students are asked to find a recent editorial article from within the past 2 weeks to summarize. The summary should include the main points of the article and explain who the article affects. Students are provided sources to find current editorial articles and given a reminder to have a parent proofread their work before completing the final copy.

1. Name: ___________________ # _____ Date: ____________________
March 14, 2011
Current Event:
Editorial Article, 3rd Grade
This week you will be looking for a current event that fits the description of an editorial.
An editorial article expresses the opinion of the editor or senior writer on staff. There are
times that editors answer questions or respond to letters written to them as well. Find an article
that interests you either in the subject that it refers to, or the opinion that it gives, and write a
summary that describes what is being discussed and why. Remember to choose an article that
is no more than 2 weeks old. Great places to look would be the Benicia Herald, the Vallejo
Times Herald, online, or even in magazines. Many newspapers have online versions that they
update daily if you do not subscribe to a newspaper. Another great place to look is the public
library. They subscribe to many of the local newspapers and also have internet access
available.
After you have chosen your story, complete the form on the back of this page to help
you organize your thoughts. Your writing will need to include a summary of the article, explain
why the article is important or who it will affect, and tell about why you chose this story. After
filling in the organizer on the back, you will need to rewrite your information into two separate
paragraphs. One paragraph for your summary, and another paragraph for your other
information. Your final copy should be written in ink or typed. Have fun and happy current
event hunting!
Remember:
• A summary is a paragraph that includes only the main details of the article. Only
include the information that is the most important and leave out the smaller details.
• The story or article you choose must be current! You cannot choose a story that is
more than 2 weeks old.
• Your current events are due Friday. When you turn them in they should include a
completed back page, the article or story / information about the news program, and a
final copy of your information that is written in ink or typed.
• Have a parent proofread your writing to check for spelling and grammar mistakes.

2. Name of Newspaper or Other Source: ______________________________________________
Date of Article or Story: ___________________________________________________________
Title of Article or Story: ___________________________________________________________
Summary (remember to just include the main points!): __________________________________
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You can attach another sheet of paper if you need more space.
Why was this story important and who will it affect the most? ___________________________
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Why did this story interest you? ____________________________________________________
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• Make sure a parent or other adult proofreads your work before you do your final copy!