They play a leadership role in training teachers, coordinating parental involvement and providing resources. The newspaper serves as a medium to develop and deliver an integrated curriculum. Students channel their knowledge of science, social studies, reading, mathematics and computer technology into a challenging and practical experience. The publication of a newspaper improves the information literacy skills of students, including word processing, desk-top publishing, data gathering, and information processing. Tony Oxford, principal and coordinator of the project in Cox's Cove Elementary school, explains how the project is integrated into the curriculum.
Students report on units they have just completed in mathematics and on science projects.
They also include students' poems and short stories. There is a strong emphasis on language arts. Students go through the writing process in the preparation of articles. They learn to edit individually and in groups. In the Grade 5-6 class we have been learning about water drops and its effect on wax paper.