Who, What, When, Where, Why: A Reporter's Five Questions
One morning, the class hamster Pebbles is not in his cage! Ms. Rivera asks the class to become reporters and find out what happened. A reporter is someone whose job is to find out what really happened and tell other people the true story — just like a detective, but for the news.
What You'll Learn
- What a reporter's job is - The five questions every reporter asks - Why reporters check their facts before telling a story - How to ask good questions like a real reporter
What Does a Reporter Do?
A reporter talks to people, looks around carefully, and writes down what they learn. Then they share it so everyone knows what happened — in a newspaper, on TV, or on a website. Reporters do not guess. They look for real clues and real answers, just like you would look for real clues to find Pebbles the hamster.
The Five Big Questions
Every good reporter asks the same five questions about a story: WHO was involved? WHAT happened? WHEN did it happen? WHERE did it happen? WHY did it happen? For Pebbles the hamster, a reporter might learn: WHO — the class pet Pebbles. WHAT — his cage door was left open. WHEN — sometime during lunch. WHERE — in the classroom. WHY — someone forgot to latch the little door.
Next time something happens at home or school, ask yourself the five questions: who, what, when, where, and why. You are thinking like a real reporter!
Which question would help you find out WHERE Pebbles the hamster went missing?
Telling the Truth
The most important rule for a reporter is to tell the truth. Before a reporter shares a story, they check that their facts are correct — this is called fact-checking. If a reporter is not sure something is true, they ask more questions or talk to more people until they know for certain, instead of just guessing.
Before sharing a story, what should a reporter do if they are not sure a fact is true?
Real reporters work for newspapers, TV stations, and websites. Their job is so important that many countries protect a reporter's right to ask questions and share true stories.
Be a Class Reporter
Pick something small that happened in your classroom this week (a new pet, a rainy recess, a lost pencil). Ask a friend or family member your five questions — who, what, when, where, why — and draw or write one sentence for each answer.
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