Good News, Bad News
Writing a broadside, working with rhyme

Explain to the class that before television and radio brought people the news, town criers called out in the street, and broadsides, or handbills, were written and sold on corners for a few pennies. You might read aloud a few lines from the broadside on the following page about Bainbridge’s victory over Java. Then have students write some of the facts about the battle they remember from the lesson and work them into a short broadside in the decorative frame on the following page. Ask students to color their frames. This activity can also be done as a “pass along” rhyme. Gather some of the facts from the class and write them on the board. Then go around the room adding the facts to a rhyme started by one of the students. This activity can help reinforce the concept of sequence.

Have on Hand- photocopies of blank broadside frame and crayons (or colored pencils)

Blank Worksheet (pdf)