Bronxville Fifth Graders Reflect On Pandemic In Journalism Unit

BRONXVILLE, NY — Bronxville Elementary School fifth graders have been working on their writing skills and delving into the world of informational writing.

As part of a journalism unit in the classes of teachers Deirdre Cococcia and Susan Engelhardt, the students wrote feature articles reflecting on their school’s implementation of in-person and remote learning during the pandemic.

To start off the unit, the students learned about responsible and ethical journalism and gained knowledge about how to incorporate the five Ws – who, what, when, where and why – the fundamental questions that every story should answer.

They also learned what makes a compelling story and investigated the difference between a news story and a feature article. Having gained the necessary skills, the students brainstormed key subtopics related to the topic of in-person and remote learning successes before crafting their feature articles.

Some of the subtopics the students chose to write about included building and safety protocols in their school, classroom setups and lunch and recess safety measures, as well as changes in their art and music classes. They also wrote about using Zoom to learn and socialize.

After completing their feature articles, the students will choose a new, personal topic that they feel passionate about and further explore it independently in writing. Some of the topics include skiing, lemons, Greek myths, Persian food, wildfires and more.

“The students have been working through the journalistic process more independently,” Engelhardt said. “They are inspired and excited to share their passions, interests and knowledge through writing and getting it out into the world.”