This document provides 10 ideas for using newspapers to teach geography: 1) Display front pages from newspapers to analyze how geography is presented. 2) Have students write letters to the editor on geographical topics. 3) Analyze newspaper columns and how they discuss geographical issues. 4) Examine how newspapers present "news stories" about new geographical discoveries or perspectives. 5) Consider how newspaper advertisements depict locations. 6) Have students map out where news stories took place to understand the geographical context. 7) Utilize online newspaper resources to access articles. 8) Develop lesson plans around curated newspaper articles that connect to local geographical issues.

1. “Have I got Geography for you...”
10 ideas for using ‘everyday’
newspapers
Alan Parkinson
Secondary Curriculum Development Leader
Geographical Association

2. 1. Independent Front Pages: display
http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/frontpages/

3. 2. Have I got Headlines for you...

6. 3. Take a letter Miss Jones...
An excellent resource is the LETTERS PAGE
Draft a reply to a letter that has been provided,
or produce a new letter...
Geographical literacy / media literacy – writing
for an audience (letter printed in The Times or
The Mirror...)

8. 4. Insert Column here...

9. 5. The Sun: a quality paper...

10. 6. New(s) stories
Newspapers sometimes have “news”: new stories which
you haven’t come across before, or are presented in new
ways.

11. Observer Food Blog / Monthly magazine
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/water

13. 7. Advertising
Just as the adverts are often the best thing
on the telly, the print advertising in
newspapers can also be used as resources...

14. 8: Mapping the stories...
80% of all data has a spatial component.
100% of news stories have a spatial component:
they happen SOMEWHERE.

15. 9: Online support...
Daily newspapers have websites. Some hung out for
longer than others, but all now realise that it is a way of
supporting and enhancing the news in the printed
document.
It’s also very handy for geography teachers who want to
catch an article that they missed, and don’t want to
part with cash.
I do a daily visit to the Daily Mail, Independent and The
Times (and the News of the World on Sunday...)

16. 10. Stop Press.....
http://generatorblog.blogspot.com

17. Pack of articles
Choose a few to begin to thread
together a plan for an activity...
Could be connected to a local
issue