Current Events 4/1/10

Objectives:
“I will read and research current events.”

“I will study articles for good writing techniques.”

Please use full sentences and check your spelling, punctuation and grammar.

List your sources. (Where did you find the answer?)

Remember to determine what type of NEWSWORTHY category each person/event could be classified as.

Is there conflict or action? Is it timely or novelty (new or unique)? Does it 'impact' a lot of people? Is it close (proximity) or is it about someone important (prominence)? It could be more than one category.

Describe how this current event might be important to you. Explain why or why not.

1. What legislation did President Obama sign into law this week that will directly affect many current high school students? (HINT: It was part of the health care bill but isn’t related to health care.)

2. Name the four teams in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. Name the states where the teams are from.

3. Why are nine Massachusetts teens facing charges related to the death of a 15-year-old girl from their high school?

4. To what country did President Obama pay a surprise visit last weekend?

5. Some will celebrate Easter Sunday, but what other religious observance began this week?

Creating a news website for Castro

We're going to explore iWeb to design our own Castro news site.

• Open iWeb by finding it on your dock or by clicking on the spotlight in the top right corner of your computer.
  
• Explore iWeb. Take a look at the templates.
  
• Imagine redesigning Castro Cougar Courier to look the way you want it to look.
• Take a look at Atkinson. They use iWeb to create their news website.
  
• We will use elements that we have been using this semester: articles, photos, video.

We will compare and contrast other web sites to ours.

• Take a look at other news websites and decide what sections you want for the Castro news site.
• Look at CNN.com, ESPN.com and more.
  

First task: Create a front page for Castro.

• Think about what do you want people to see first.
• What information should go on the front page.
• You will need writing and photos.

Next: We will create four pages.

• Each page can be something different.
  
• Remember who, what, when, where, why.
  
• Remember what makes something newsworthy: conflict, action, timeliness, novelty, impact, proximity, prominence.
  

Analyzing others' work respectfully

Objective: I will be able to analyze student-created videos and PSAs by deciding if they keep me interested, I learn something and they have a focused topic.

Directions: Please type and discuss your thoughts about the videos. Be respectful and school appropriate. I will be checking your work at the end of our class (remember good time management).

• Open Word
• Click on Table
• Click insert, and table
• Make a table with 3 columns and 4 rows
• In the first top row, type "Title of Video."
• In the second top row, type "Good"
• In the third top row, type "Need to Change"
• Select three videos to analyze.
• Type in what you like or what needs to change
• Think of 3 good things and 3 things to change for each video.
• Use full sentences. Discuss fully WHY you think it is good and WHY you would like to change it.
  

Castro Cougar Courier
Borman Broadcast
Cartwright Community
Downs Dispatch
Harris Headlines

Friday 3/26/10

Friday's Objectives

1. Finish your PSA. Make sure I check it.

2. Finish your current events. Make sure you are including everything you need. Full sentences. Source. Newsworthiness.

3. Castro News. This could either be typed on Word or a new iMovie presentation.

Current Events 3/24/10

Objectives:
“I will read and research current events.”

“I will study articles for good writing techniques.”

Please use full sentences and check your spelling, punctuation and grammar.

List your sources. (Where did you find the answer?)

Remember to determine what type of NEWSWORTHY category each person/event could be classified as.

Is there conflict or action? Is it timely or novelty (new or unique)? Does it 'impact' a lot of people? Is it close (proximity) or is it about someone important (prominence)? It could be more than one category.

1. What country’s leader met with President Obama Tuesday, seeking to ease recent tensions between his country and the U.S.?
Extra Credit: What is this leader’s name?

2. Where did Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other members of the Cabinet go this week to help that country with an increasingly violent drug trade, especially at its border?

3. Of course the biggest news this week was President Obama signing what historic bill?

4. However, not everyone was happy with this bill passing. What have 14 states done to block its enforcement?

5. What government official used an inappropriate word without realizing the microphone was on Tuesday?

6. To what country does Google now direct its Chinese search users to avoid government censors?

7. What will officially launch April 3 that has app developers gearing up to introduce new software just for it?

Castro News

What is going on at your school?

What have you observed/seen/heard?

Is there conflict? Action? Something new?

Write two paragraphs. Include quotes from a friend in class if you can.

When you think you are finished, go back and read your story again. Double-check it for errors, spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentences that make sense.

Then you can go take a picture that will enhance your story.

Review your school's news website:

Borman Broadcast
Cartwright Community
Downs Dispatch
Castro Courier
Harris Headlines

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

What is a PSA?
PSAs are intended to let people know about specific issues. The most common topics of PSAs are health and safety.

What do PSAs do?

• Gets the viewer's attention
• Convinces the viewer that they can make a difference
• Makes every word and image count
• Uses emotions to compel your viewer
• Clearly calls the viewer to action

What are some examples of PSAs?

• Drug Abuse Prevention
  
• Nutrition
• Gun Violence
• High School Dropout Prevention
• Stop Bullying
• Global Warming
• Youth Voter Participation
• Hearing Loss
• Wearing your seat belt

Source: http://www.ivieawards.org/categories/psa/psa.html

Guidelines for your PSA:

• be serious
• have a clear message
• be no longer than 30-45 seconds
• have important information
• have accurate information
• use someone who looks believable
• use someone famous (but does not have to be)
• use someone who is likeable and respected
• use someone who can act ( is credible)
• use someone who is dressed appropriately for the part he is playing
• give statistics (when appropriate, e.g. number of people that die because they were not wearing seatbelts)

Source: TeacherNet

Assignment:
Create your own PSA. It could be about one of the topics listed above or you could make it about something here at school.

• What do you want people to know?

Things you will need:

• Research from the internet (remember where you found it)
  
• Photos that you take or from the internet
  
• You will need to write out what you are going to say and how you are going to say it.
• Video
• Use iMovie to produce your PSA

Objectives:
Students will be able to discuss topics that affect them and others and give information through the use of PSAs and iMovie. Students will be able to analyze topics and create ways to get a specific message out to others through the use of PSAs and the iMovie editing process.

Interviewing and Listening

For your interview, you will work in groups of two or three.

• Write down observations of about your partner and write at least seven open-ended questions (not YES or NO questions).
  
• Ask the questions to your partner.
  
• While asking the open-ended questions, think about two follow-up questions and two challenge questions.
• Ask your follow-up questions and the challenge questions.
• Write an article about your partner based only on your observations and what was said during the interview.
• Take pictures or video that will enhance your interview.
• Consider the aspects of journalism in your interview. Does your partner have a story that involves conflict, action, novelty, prominence, impact?

Objectives: (Language) The students will be able to discover new information by asking their partner's initial questions, demonstrating active listening and asking follow-up/challenge questions.

(Content) The students will be able to write questions, actively listen and write a story based on an interview. Students will be able to extend their interview by using pictures and video.

Standards: Writing S1C4: Editing Identify punctuation, spelling, and grammar and usage errors in the draft.
Journalism 34.7a Conduct an interview, 34.9a Demonstrate improvisational skills, 21.4 Practice techniques to involve each member of the team, 21.5 Demonstrate teamwork


What you should have completed:

A three-paragraph article about your partner, including quotes. Your article should have a beginning, middle and end. Check for correct grammar and spelling. Include pictures or video after you finish your written article.

Photojournalism Survey

Please write your thoughts about your first quarter in photojournalism.

1. What was your favorite part of class?

2. What was you least favorite part of class?

3. What would you like to do in the last quarter of school?

4. What would you like to do in this class to help you prepare for high school?

5. What would you like to do in this class to help you have a great end to 8th grade?

Email me your thoughts please.

Current Events 3/4/10

Objectives:
“I will read and research current events.”

“I will study articles for good writing techniques.”

Please use full sentences and check your spelling, punctuation and grammar.

List your sources. (Where did you find the answer?)

Remember to determine what type of NEWSWORTHY category each person/event could be classified as.

• Is there conflict or action? Is it timely or novelty (new or unique)? Does it 'impact' a lot of people? Is it close (proximity) or is it about someone important (prominence)? It could be more than one category.

Current Events Questions:

1. The U.S. Postal Service lost $3.8 billion last year, partly due to e-mail and the recession. What is one service it says it might have to cut?

2. Where was the earthquake Saturday that registered 8.8, one of the largest ever measured?

3. Although that country needs medical personnel, it also had to send troops to some hard-hit cities to deal with what?

4. The Olympics ended Sunday with which country winning the most medals?

5. What comedian is now back on late night television after an unsuccessful run in an earlier time slot?

6. What well-known comic book character is going to face real-world problems in the issue that comes out this week when he loses his day job as a photographer?

Question of the Day, Part III

Discuss your thoughts on hard work.

What do you think it means to work hard? When you work hard, what do you get?
What happens when you don't work hard? What about people who don't work hard, but still get good things. Have you seen or heard of that happening? Can you search for a story about someone not working hard and getting something good? Can you find a story about someone working hard and getting something good?

Use full sentences.
If you search for stories on news websites, list your sources.
Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Email me your two paragraphs.

Question of the Day, Part II

Thank you for responding to yesterday's questions about tests.

Today's Topic: Music

Please write two paragraphs about music.

Here are some questions to think about.

What music do you listen to?
Why do you think you listen to it?
Do you like the words, the tune or the beat?
Do you listen to a certain kind of music because everyone else does?
Do you think you will still listen to the same kind of music 10 years from now?

Write two paragraphs. Full sentences.
Please edit your grammar, punctuation and thoughts.

Email me your two paragraphs.

Grammar and Testing

Open WORD

Write one paragraph about why tests might be good
Write at least three details explaining why

Write one paragraph about why tests might be bad
Write at least three details explaining why

Email me your two paragraphs.

When you finish, go to:

http://www.newsroom101.com/

Find NEWSROOM EXERCISES

Click on SET 1

Do Newsroom 1 through 5 and the Newsroom 1-5 Review