All major assignments are to be submitted in hard copy format at the beginning of class.
Editorial Writing Assignment Write an editorial choosing one of the topics brainstormed on the board in class. The topic has to be either teenager or Nerinx Hall related. The editorial should follow the proper format of an editorial.
Lead State position Give background Other side Your side Solutions Wrap up
Lead, position and background could be combined into one lead paragraph. Include 3 specific points in your favor, and counter potential rebuttals. Use reporting/interviewing to come up with info. Also, come up with solutions to the problem. The editorial should be typed and submitted at the beginning of class.
Editorial Checklist
Avoids use of I. Only use “we” and “our.”
Does it follow structure: lead, position, background, other side, your side, suggestions, conclusion?
Make sure the other side is given and facts are accurate.
Does it give suggestions or make the reader want to take action?
Feature Writing Assignment Choose a Nerinx Hall High School freshman and write a feature story on that student. You may not choose the same person as someone else. Remember to use all the characteristics of good feature writing as discussed in class. You must have at least 2 people quoted in the feature. Articles are to be typed with an MLA heading and submitted at the beginning of class.
Review Assignment For this assignment you will review a movie, restaurant, tv show, a book, an album or something of your own choosing, subject to my approval. It should:
Should have brief summary of the event
State an opinion about the product/presentation and point out areas that were delightful or atrocious.
Should explain what makes this piece of work different or worthwhile and conclude that it is or is not worth the audience’s time or money.
Avoid clichés.
Interesting lead
Read past clippings.
Observe and do background research.
If you share the experience with others, share their reactions too.Questions to ask yourself???
Why did I react the way I did?
Why did others react the way they did?
What is it the artist or exhibitor did to make me think or feel this way?
What was the author trying to do?
Was his “failure” due to by bias?
Good reviewers give honest opinions, backed with details about the item being reviewed.
CHECK OUT www.metacritic.com for samples of well-written reviews. Make sure you are reading the professional reviews.
Oral Presentation For this assignment, pick a current event and locate two-three stories about it from two-three separate newspapers. Avoid AP authored stories. Report to the class what makes these stories different. Items to consider comparing include:
lead
length of story
placement in paper (when applicable)
bias
what's left out/what's included
Make sure that your speech has a thesis (a point you are trying to prove), a well organized introduction, body, and conclusion. Make sure that it is INTERESTING for your audiences. Would you be interested in the material, as a potential audience member? Delivery counts! Posture, eye contact, and projection are important. Make sure that your presentation includes a visual aid of some sort. Presentations should be 2-3 minutes long. You must sign up for your stories in advance, as people may not cover the same stories!
Write an inverted pyramid news story using the information below. Rewrite what you need/choose what you need for a great story. Try to use AP style and good grammar (AP basics can be found here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/02/). Material for story:
A student wanted to have internet access at school to certain websites. The student was blocked by the district from these websites. So he set up mikeknoop.com and set up an internet proxy on the site.
The school district blocks certain websites. The student was trying to get past the filters.The school put a block on the proxy on Nov. 27.
Stats: Google Analytics shows that there were 647 hits per weekday since Nov. 27 on mikeknoop.com. On weekends the site has fewer hits.
The district has over 5 pages of computer use policy in the Student Hand Book. Administration believes that going around a filter could be viewed as insubordination. There have never been any reports of students using a proxy to gain access to inappropriate material.
The district receives $460,000 annually from E-rate, a gov’t incentive program, for complying with The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). This act was passed in 2000. The act requires that school have an internet filter to block inappropriate sites for children. Some sites may be needed for research. School officials realize that filters aren’t perfect and want to be less strict in the future.
“I set it up so I wouldn’t have to pay Verizon $40 a month for Internet. Some of my friends found it and they decided they could use it for bypassing filters and such and it took off like that.” senior Mike Knoop.
“We could throw the whole range of consequences from the handbook as far as violation of technology. You could never use a computer again in your tenure here at Lafayette.” Assistant Principal Tim Jones
“As we move over to Microsoft from Novell (for our network), we’ll be more able to adjust what high schools get.” Director of Instructional Technology Will Blaylock
“I’m mad about it (the block). Mikeknoop.com is useful for school purposes. I’ve only used it during study hall or at lunch when it’s my own time.” senior Ann Maryniak
“I’ve used it to get to YouTube for a project in Contemporary Issues about Howard Dean.” senior Zach Westfall
“I used it to find fashion articles for my Fashion I class because any site with the word fashion in it is blocked.” senior Ashlen Snellen
“I waited in line for two days for a PS3. No filter is going to stop me from playing my games.” senior Ethan Moore
“You’re here to learn and to participate in the learning process.” Assistant Principal Matt Dieckhaus
“I had to find a pro-anorexia site, all of which were blocked.” senior Ann Maryniak said.
“We don’t have 15 technology people monitoring people right now. We’ve got kids bringing drugs and fighting. We’re not actively going out trying to catch kids.” Assistant Principal Tim Jones
“We don’t encourage or allow students to circumvent that (Internet filter) on their own, because now students can access anything. (Using the proxy to circumvent the system is) directly against the school district policy.” Assistant Principal Matt Dieckhaus
“This isn’t true anywhere else except in America. If schools tell you to do something you have to do it. Legally, you can pursue it and appeal in court. What students do beyond school grounds is beyond school research.” Mr. Adam Goldstein, an Attorney Advocate at the Student Press Law Center
Final Portfolio and Preface (Due the last day of class) A true journalism portfolio consists of clips that a journalist has published and sees as examples of his/her best work, and also as examples of his or her abilities and range. Since this is an eight week, introductory course, your portfolio will not mirror a professional portfolio, but will be a "launching pad" for your journalistic ambitions.
For this assignment, you will need to turn in the graded version of each writing assignment from the course.. Finally, in class, compose a preface to your portfolio on a separate page, making sure that it is titled "Preface." Guidelines will be presented in class.
Editorial Writing Assignment
Write an editorial choosing one of the topics brainstormed on the board in class. The topic has to be either teenager or Nerinx Hall related. The editorial should follow the proper format of an editorial.
Lead
State position
Give background
Other side
Your side
Solutions
Wrap up
Lead, position and background could be combined into one lead paragraph. Include 3 specific points in your favor, and counter potential rebuttals. Use reporting/interviewing to come up with info. Also, come up with solutions to the problem. The editorial should be typed and submitted at the beginning of class.
Editorial Checklist
Feature Writing Assignment
Choose a Nerinx Hall High School freshman and write a feature story on that student. You may not choose the same person as someone else. Remember to use all the characteristics of good feature writing as discussed in class. You must have at least 2 people quoted in the feature. Articles are to be typed with an MLA heading and submitted at the beginning of class.
Review Assignment
For this assignment you will review a movie, restaurant, tv show, a book, an album or something of your own choosing, subject to my approval. It should:
Good reviewers give honest opinions, backed with details about the item being reviewed.
CHECK OUT www.metacritic.com for samples of well-written reviews. Make sure you are reading the professional reviews.
Oral Presentation
For this assignment, pick a current event and locate two-three stories about it from two-three separate newspapers. Avoid AP authored stories. Report to the class what makes these stories different. Items to consider comparing include:
Make sure that your speech has a thesis (a point you are trying to prove), a well organized introduction, body, and conclusion. Make sure that it is INTERESTING for your audiences. Would you be interested in the material, as a potential audience member? Delivery counts! Posture, eye contact, and projection are important. Make sure that your presentation includes a visual aid of some sort. Presentations should be 2-3 minutes long. You must sign up for your stories in advance, as people may not cover the same stories!
News Assignment-helpful hints attached here:
Write an inverted pyramid news story using the information below. Rewrite what you need/choose what you need for a great story. Try to use AP style and good grammar (AP basics can be found here:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/735/02/).
Material for story:
Final Portfolio and Preface (Due the last day of class)
A true journalism portfolio consists of clips that a journalist has published and sees as examples of his/her best work, and also as examples of his or her abilities and range. Since this is an eight week, introductory course, your portfolio will not mirror a professional portfolio, but will be a "launching pad" for your journalistic ambitions.
For this assignment, you will need to turn in the graded version of each writing assignment from the course..
Finally, in class, compose a preface to your portfolio on a separate page, making sure that it is titled "Preface." Guidelines will be presented in class.