The Newsies

vocabulary, fluency, key idea, inference, figurative language, cause and effect, key ideas, character, plot, explanatory writing

This historical fiction play retells the events of the true Newboys Strike of 1899. It also presents the idea that kids can stand up for their rights when treated unfairly.

The play has eight chronological scenes, a prologue, and an epilogue. Extended captions provide additional information about the time period.

Some language is colloquial, in the voice of the Newsies (e.g. “Why ain’t you at school?”) The play includes some similes and idioms, and a few challenging terms (e.g. sacrifice, compromise).

The concept of a strike and the negotiations on the price of the newspapers might be challenging for some readers.

• Ask students: At what age do you think it’s OK for young people to start working at a job? Whether you are in class or teaching virtually, students can write down what they think and hold up their answers. Call on a few students to explain what they wrote. Then tell the class that a long time ago, some kids had to work instead of going to school. 
• Invite students to browse through the article in print or online. Have them look at the pictures throughout the play. Ask:
• Look at the image on pages 22-23. What do you see? Who do you think the “newsies” from the title of this play are? (The image shows a group of kids holding stacks of newspapers. The style of clothes and the fact that the photo is black-and-white show that it is from an earlier time period. The “newsies” were probably kids who sold newspapers a long time ago.)
• Now look at the images and captions throughout the play. The photos were taken in the late 1800s and early 1900s. What do they tell you about life in the city back then, especially for kids? (It looks like city life was harsh and difficult back then. The photos show crowded, dirty streets. A child is working in a factory. Young orphans are sleeping outside. Protest signs show that many kids who worked wanted to be treated better and wanted to go to school.)
• Show or assign the video “In the Time of the Newsies: 1890-1915.” (It's available in your Resources tab.)

• Show or assign the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words in the play. Reinforce learning before or after reading with the Vocabulary Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab). Highlighted words: bustling, dejected, strike, deserted, sacrifice, crammed, swarm, compromise, murmur
• Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Up Close box for the class.

Assign parts and read the play aloud as a class or in groups. Remote learning tip: If students are learning from home, have them video chat to read the play in small groups, doubling up on some of the small roles if necessary. Alternatively, have pairs of students read it aloud with each other on a phone call. After reading, discuss the close-reading and critical-thinking questions. 

Close-Reading Questions (20 minutes)

• According to the Prologue, who were the newsies, and why were they important? (inference) The newsies were kids who sold newspapers on the streets in the late 1800s. They were important because during this time, the only way to learn what was happening in the world was to read the newspaper–one you could buy from a newsie.
• In Scene 1, the manager at the newspaper office states that the papers will “sell like hotcakes.” What does he mean? Why does he say this? (Note: Hotcakes are pancakes.) (figurative language) The manager is suggesting the newspapers will be very popular, just like hotcakes, and sell very fast. This is because the newspaper’s headline is “America Declares War!” People would want to buy the newspaper to read about this.
• In Scene 2, why does Rose say that war is “good news for us”? What change occurs by Scene 3 that’s bad for the newsies? (cause and effect) Rose says the war is good for them because if the news is dramatic, they will be able to sell more newspapers. However, by Scene 3 the war has ended. Because there’s no interesting news, it’s harder for the newsies to sell their newspapers.
• Why do the newsies decide to strike? What do they hope will happen by going on strike? (key ideas) The newsies decide to strike because the newspaper owners broke their promise to decrease the price newsies paid for the papers once the war ended. The newsies can barely make any money. By striking, they will stop selling newspapers, and the newspaper owners won’t be able to make money. The newsies hope that this will force the owners to pay the newsies fairly to sell newspapers.
• In Scene 6, what do you learn about William Randolph Hearst? What kind of person do you think he is? (character) William Randolph Hearst is a very powerful newspaper owner. He seems like a mean and greedy person, who thinks the suffering, brave newsies are “a bunch of brats.”
• In Scene 8, how does the strike end? Why was the strike effective? (plot) The strike ends when Hearst agrees to buy back the papers the newsies haven’t sold by the end of the day so they won’t lose money. The strike was effective because all the newsies stuck together and refused to sell papers. This caused Hearst to lose money. He had to give in and make a deal with the newsies so that sales of newspapers would go back up and he would make more money again.
• According to the Epilogue, what impact did the strike have on the lives of the newsies? What impact did it have on the future of workers’ rights? (theme) Even though many kids’ lives were still difficult after the strike, the strike gave the newsies power that they didn’t have before. It showed that kids had rights. The newsies’ bravery helped pave the way for kids gaining more protections and rights in the future. Now, most kids have to be at least 14 to work, and all children must attend school.

Critical-Thinking Question

• In Scene 5, Rose says, “Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little up front to get more later.” What happens in the play that supports this statement? (theme) In the play, the newsies take a big risk by striking. They could lose their jobs or be punished by their employer. They also don’t earn any money while they are striking. Later, their sacrifice pays off, because their strike forces their boss, William Randolph Hearst, to compromise and buy back the unsold papers. 

Young Changemakers

The newsies’ strike in this play shows that kids can be powerful even if they are young. Ask: Can you think of other examples of ways kids have taken action to make changes? Have you ever done something to try to make a change or improve the world around you? Perhaps you’re a committed recycler who cares about the planet, or a good friend who tries to help when someone is having a hard time. Answers will vary. Students might have heard of changemakers like climate activist Greta Thunberg or Marley Dias, who started #1000BlackGirlBooks. Closer to home, they might know of kids who have made changes in their school or community. Finally, kids might talk about ways they have helped others during the pandemic or at other times. Remind your students that even small actions can be powerful.

Featured Skill: Theme

Assign the Theme Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab) and have students complete it in class or for homework. This new interactive Skill Builder slide deck will walk students through understanding what theme is and identifying it in the play. They will then be prepared to respond to the writing prompt on page 27. 

• Gather a group in your remote classroom for a virtual play reading. Share the play on your screen and assign parts. To keep track of who is reading which part, students might change their screen names to their character’s name. Then read the play aloud together. Encourage students to be expressive as they read! Repeat with other groups until all students have had a chance to participate.
• Have students write a draft of their response to the writing prompt on page 27 on a Google doc, then exchange drafts with a partner in the class. They can make suggestions on the doc in “suggesting” mode.