Publish a Digital Magazine

Students take the lead and design and create their own digital magazine.

Engage

Engage students in a conversation about the magazines they read or have seen at home or in the store. Bring in samples of different types of printed magazines and/or ask students to bring in their own samples. Talk about the various topics the magazines address.

Why are there so many different topics?
What is the benefit of a magazine?

Work together to list common features you find in magazines, such as a table of contents, a letter from the editor, letters to the editor, columns, etc.

Next, ask students if they have read articles online. Give students time to explore examples of digital magazines and work together using a Venn Diagram to compare traditional magazines to online versions.

Venn Diagram

Have students examine and analyze the benefits of including mixed media, links to other sources, and a variety of articles. Evaluate the design, including layout, graphics, colors, and fonts and how these items can add to or even detract from the subject.

You may choose to work as a class to develop a comprehensive single edition magazine around a topic you are studying, create a recurring digital magazine that shares classroom learning, or give students creative control to decide what their message will be each issue.

Before beginning research, students need to determine and define the audience and purpose for the magazine, asking questions like:

• Should we present just one view or both sides of a topic?
• What fresh insight can the editors and writers bring to the issues?
• What elements are needed to create a digital magazine that compels readers to start (or keep) reading?

Create

As a class or small group, develop a vision and organizational structure for the magazine. Determine which articles, letters, advertisements, and/or interviews need to be created and assign them based on interest and ability.

Have each student research information, and/or opinions, relevant to the piece they are creating. If the goal is to build skills in informative and/or persuasive writing, have each student contributes a written article.

Discuss design ideas as a team. Have each team member create a design sketch for the team to choose from. Students can get started from a blank book template and adjust background to create a template for consistent design.

Blank Book Template

To build visual communication skills, have each student develop appropriate graphics to support their text or design advertisements.

Students should share their content with an "editor" before adding to the project. The editor(s) can be tasked with checking for typos and incorrect grammar in written articles.

Share

When the issue is complete, publish it online or export as a PDF for easy distribution. Be sure to verify navigational links and accuracy of the Table of Contents or home page.

If the magazine is a periodical about classroom learning, post it to your teacher site and/or email it to parents and family members. If small teams have created focused magazines that summarize classroom content learning, embed them into your teacher website as a review resource.

Standards

Common Core Anchor Standards for English Language Arts - Grade 6-8

Writing Theme

Text Types and Purposes

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

Production and Distribution of Writing

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.