The Newspaper in Education program is a free service from The Press Enterprise

1. Ask students to compare two editorials on the same issue from different publications. Have them explain how the approaches and conclusions of the two editorials differ.

2. Using a news article about a particular court case, have groups of students act as the Supreme Court and rule on the case. Ask students to write their opinions on the case, including dissenting views. Classmates might write news reports and editorials on students’ decisions.

3. After students have read an article about a particular issue, ask them to state their opinions and then write editorials that express the point of view that is the opposite of their own.

4. Analyze an editorial. Focus especially on separating fact from opinion and assessing how the writer makes a case. Write an original editorial on an assigned topic.

5. Ask students to evaluate an article using the following criteria:

1. Does the headline accurately describe the event?
2. Is the account based on fact or opinion?
3. Are opinions clearly labeled as such?
4. Are important facts detailed?
5. Are several sides of a controversial issue adequately presented?
6. Are photographs impartial?

6. Have students predict which problems might be addressed in an issue of The Press-Enterprise in the year 2020. Ask students to explain these predictions.

7. Tell students that they must determine the contents a time capsule. Ask students to list items in The Press-Enterprise that they would choose to best represent current history and explain their reasons for their choices.

8. After students have read an article, ask them to rewrite it as it might appear in a publication with a particular political or philosophical slant (e.g., liberal, conservative, socialist, fascist).

9. Ask students to predict how information in the "Business" section in The Press-Enterprise — or any other article in the paper—might affect a specific group of people (e.g. farmers, service workers, truck drivers, businesspeople).

10. Using editorials, set up a classroom debate and dicuss the pro and con side of the issue presented.