Standards work...

Please continue to work on your standards for the weekend... you should look at the other standards and begin thinking about where you have come...

On Monday we will be working on Standard 2
On Tuesday we will be working on Standard 3
On Friday we will be workign on Standard 4

Intereseting stuff...courtesy of NCTE

Censorship Widening, Experts Say
Journalism teacher and high school newspaper advisor Linda Kane was fired from those positions because she and her students refused to change the paper's policy on the use of profanity, an issue that arose over the inclusion in the paper of three controversial articles on marijuana, one of which was an anonymous column containing some profanity. Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2008 ...

views20 Years Post-Hazelwood, Student Freedom of Speechand Press Important As Ever In its resolution "On Students' Freedom of Speech and Press," NCTE emphasizes the importance of student journalists having the right to exercise freedom of speech and the press, as stipulated in the First Amendment of the Constitution.

The NCTE Assembly for Advisers of Student Publications/Journalism Education Association (AASP/JEA) and the Journalism Education Association provide resources on student publications. The Student Press Law Center provides help when student publications are challenged....blogStill Letting TV Work for YouNCTE INBOX blogger Traci Gardner shares a 40-year-old (and still relevant!) example of how you can let TV work for you in the classroom in this week's NCTE INBOX Blog....

ideasFree access to journal articles mentioned in this INBOX is provided for 21 days. After this free access period expires, articles are available to journal subscribers only. Initials in annotations indicate academic level of the resource (E=Elementary, M=Middle, S=Secondary, C=College, TE=Teacher Education, G=General).Exploring Journalism with Students On June 1, 1980, CNN debuted as the first television news network.

Take advantage of the anniversary to explore journalism activities in the classroom. Elementary students can explore and write op-ed pieces, using the resources in the Language Arts article "Exploring Inquiry as a Teaching Stance in the Writing Workshop" (E). The article includes a "snapshot" of a fifth-grade writing workshop and its study of op-ed writing to show inquiry in action. Remember that these pieces are not limited to print publications. Local television stations and radio stations offer "talk back" options.If you work with middle level students, try writing letters to the editor using ideas from the Voices from the Middle article "Going Public: Letters to the World" (M), which includes criteria for effective letters and an exploration of how student writing benefits from writing for a public audience.

Try a similar project with secondary students with the ReadWriteThink lesson Persuading an Audience: Writing Effective Letters to the Editor (S). Don't limit the letters to print publications. Check cable and network news websites for ways to submit students' letters to the news programs. Whether you're advising an extracurricular newspaper or working on a class newspaper project, the English Journal article "So You've Been Asked to Advise a Student Publication" (S) outlines the structures students can use for learning to find, research, develop, respond to, and reflect on story ideas.

The Teaching English in the Two-Year College article "Using Journalism Writing to Improve College Composition" (C) explores news gathering and news writing techniques common to feature writing and outlines a profile writing project. Students might then film YouTube videos of their news stories or post blog entries on the latest information....announcements
Exploring Journalism in Print, Online, and Video Media If you're looking for more resources on journalism in the classroom, NCTE can help.

NCTE's Applying NCTE/IRA Standards in Classroom Journalism Projects: Activities and Scenarios includes activities and vignettes that range from news to editorial writing to work with current and literary events.


Check out the book's sample chapter for a strategy that invites students to research the historical and cultural context of Elizabethan England and then write their own newspaper. Modernize students' presentations further by asking them to film news stories to share with the class or to post online.

Challenge students to look at the subjective influences on televised news programs with the chapter "Deconstructing Broadcast News" from NCTE's Lesson Plans for Creating Media-Rich Classrooms. The book shares 27 field-tested lessons, including activities on photo manipulation, video diaries, visualizing literary texts, exploring video games, analyzing the music industry through an exercise in artist promotion, and exploring the use of the video news release in local and national news broadcasts.

Class standards - where do you measure up?

We have covered a lot of ground in class this year... now is that time of year when we need to reflect on what we learned based on where we came from... what do you know now that you didn't know is September?

We will be exploring the standards in class... please go to the following link and explore the standards for 10th grade ELA. Think about what assignments we've done that shows where you fall on the spectrum of mastery of that standard... do you still need improvement (1), are you approaching (2), do you meet (3) or have you exceeded (4) the standards discussed.

On Thursday and Friday in class, you will be working on each individual standard and you will be doing a full write up and reflection of where you are... detailed directions to follow.

For now, just explore the below link:

http://www.nylearns.org/standards/standard_tree.asp?StandardID=18655&lev=gradelevel

go into each standard (there are 4 - reading, writing, speaking and listening) each link will explore specific things you should be able to do... be ready to talk about these standards on Thursday...

landmark cases for student press rights

I'm taking a journalism advisor's course online and I've been reviewing some landmark cases that all journalism students should be aware of about student press rights and student rights.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=319&invol=624

Spirit Week - 5/19- 5/23

Monday
wear WJPS Spirit week t-shirts
pep rally in the morning
Sports Night Volley Ball game - teachers vs students

Tuesday
Clash day - students wear mismatched topsy-turvy outfits that incorporate the school uniform

Wednesday
Academic Day -
Jeopardy style games in each class
Wear clothing related to a profession of their choice (astronaut, brain surgeon, reporter), incorporating the school uniform

Thursday
Old School Day- students wear clothing of a decade of their choice (60s, 70s, 80s, etc) incorporating the school uniform

Friday
Field Day
Wear your grade's color - no uniform required
We will be at the park competing in various events
Luau Dance - 6:30-9

current events reflections

make sure you address what the article makes you think of... do you have any lingering questions you wish could be answered? Does it remind you of anything else you know about?

Then address what you learned and how you could apply it to your own writing. Remember author's craft is the point of this assignment... how can you use what you learned?

Ms. Sackstein's sample Current Events

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/nyregion/06closed.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=high+school+lunch&st=nyt&oref=slogin a link to the actual article

Headline: "Fatal Accidents Erode Perk of Off-Campus Lunches"

Bi-line: Winnie Hu

Newspaper and date: New York Times, Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Section: NY/Region - The Metro Section

Structure: Feature Story - Timeless, high interest

Summary: Due to the high number of fatal car accidents in Smithtown and other long island school districts, off campus lunch privelleges are being curtailed.

Analysis:

Headline: the severity of "fatal accidents" catches my attention. I want to know what accidents are happening, how many and why - also it addresses a freedom high school students usually have - "perk" suggests it is in fact an extra.

1st picture: very effective picture of how decrease in student off campus lunches has affected local restaurants and businesses. The place is empty and the owner/worker is just standing around. The decision to not let students leave affects many people.

Lead: Good narrative lead - it paints a picture of a busy pizza place, on that is familiar, "the students used to over flow the wooden booths." Clearly shows a different picture than that of the empty restaurant shown above. efore even reading the article, I can sense that there are major consequences to the situation.

The story continues to talk about in the 2nd paragraph the consequences of the changed policy and the silence fo the kids not coming in. It is effective with the picture becasue ti si showing how people are affected by the changes.

#4 - the serious facts stated at point #4 shows why they cancelled this "perk". Both parents and officials are concerned about cutting classes and traffic accidents.

#5 - Thinking about the idea of the inverted pyramid, the facts in #5 "West Hempstead... Suspended it's open campus policy after two H.S. Students were fatally injured..." It discussed Jericho's pollicy on open lunch. This indirect quote (I know it is an indirect because it says "according to school officials and parents.") These added statistics really solidify the point the author is trying to make.

Over the next few paragraphs, the author takes the issue from very local districts to more higher levels of government, creating a policy to prohibit driving during lunch periods. More information from the state assemblyman adds authority to the matter. Moving through to more districts then across the country to Texas and Arizona.

#6: is a direct quote from a parent in Arizona. I'm not sure it helps further the argument, but it does help address the opposing view likening closed campus lunches to "incarceration" or jail time.

#7: is another indirect quote this time from a college professor which also supports the opposing view. He understands why the rules are imposed, but feels that taking away choice is a bad side effect. This quote really makes me consider the effectiveness of being "over protective," children will do what they want anyway.

The article ends with an excellent quote that leaves me thinking - 18 years old "can vote," "die in war." if they want to go out for lunch, is it for us to decide?

Reflection: It has an effective kicker to the article. I feel like both sides have been addressed even if the opposing view is much shorter. I remember having open-campus rights and it helped make my experience. I feel like the second picture doesn't work as strongly but the caption helps. Overall it works - as an educator, I can see and appreciate both sides. I feel like the author adaquately researched and explained the topic. I do wonder however how many schools have had issues. What else is being done? How do the students feel? How did Channel 1 cover the issue?

I feel like this feature article can help me in my understanding of story or narrative leads. The author really set the tone right away even if it was more about the local businesses. I also thought the variety of quotes really helped the article get its point across. Business owners, students, parents and college professors even assemblymen. The author did a good job.

Reminders:

Tomorrow, current events 9 is due. You should have 5 articles with full analysis as shown in my analysis... to be posted in the next post...

You should also have a draft of your task 3 in already... task 4's first draft is due Monday.

Task 2 is past due...

all missing work should continue to be handed in... we are looking for portfolio ready pieces for the end of the year.

Next week we will be revisiting leads - what they are and how to write them...

Due this week...

Task 2 essays are now past due...

Final drafts of task 3 essays will be due on Friday

Current events are due on Friday, 5/16

We will be working on task 4 this week... the first draft will be due on Monday, 5/19.

Keep setting goals and let's keep conferencing

Writing News: reminders!

Newspaper writing 101

These are tips for beginners on writing newspaper articles. The were written for participants in the Detroit Free Press high school apprenticeships. (Also see Interviewing 101.)
Writing the storyA story is much like a conversation. It begins with the most interesting piece of information or a summary of the highlights and works its way down to the least interesting facts. There are words or phrases that take you from one topic of conversation to another. Before you know it, you're finished.

Inverted pyramid

You should be very familiar with the inverted pyramid style of writing. You'll likely use it every day. For example, when you call a friend to tell him or her about a big date, you begin by telling the most interesting and important things first. The least important information is saved for the end of the conversation, and depending on how much time you have to talk, that information may not get into the conversation.

That concept also applies to news stories. The lead is the first paragraph of a news story. Usually, the lead is one sentence long and summarizes the facts of the news story in order of most newsworthy to least news-worthy. The reader should know at first glance what the story is about and what its emphasis is.

Here is an example:

Bargainers from General Motors and UAW Local 160 will resume talks in Warren this morning seeking to end a day-old strike over the transfer of jobs from unionized employees to less costly contract workers. Who, What, Where, When, Why and How ... The five Ws and an H Depending on the elements of news value, the summary news lead emphasizes and includes some or all of the five Ws and H. Who names the subject(s) of the story.

The who, a noun, can refer to a person, a group, a building, an institution, a concept -- anything about which a story can be written. The who in the lead above are the bargainers from General Motors and the UAW. The what is the action taking place. It is a verb that tells what the who is doing. Reporters should always use active voice and action verbs for the what because they make the wording direct and lively. What are the bargainers doing? The lead says they will resume talks. When tells the time the action is happening. It is an adverb or an adverb phrase. When will the bargainers resume talks? This morning. Where is the place the action is happening. Again, it is an adverb or adverb or adverb phrase. In our story, the where is Warren. Why, another adverb, explains the action in the lead. The bargainers are meeting to discuss the transfer of jobs. How usually describes the manner in which action occurs.

The lead

The lead sets the structure for the rest of the story. If the lead is good, the rest of the story comes together easily. Many reporters spend half their writing time on the lead alone. One guiding principle behind story organization is: The structure of the story can help the reader understand what you are writing about. The structure should lead the reader from idea to idea simply and clearly. The object is to give readers information, and wow them with convoluted style.

News lead

In one of their bloodiest raids into Lebanon in years, Israeli warplanes killed dozens of Muslim guerrillas with rockets and machine-gun fire Thursday as they pounded a training camp of the pro-Aranian party of God.

Quote lead

``I have the worst job in the Army.'' This is an example of a good quote lead because the reader asks, ``What could that possibly be?''

Description lead

Penciled sketches of an air strike, complete with renderings of F14s and Patriot missiles. And on the ground, tiny people run for cover. That's how 8-year-old Jimmy Zayas pictures war in the Middle East... Like a beauty pageant entrant, Donald Hofeditz struts his vital statistics. He curls his thumb in his waistband to show he's a size 36, down from 40. He pats his stomach where 50 pounds used to rest. And he rubs his chest about his now healthy cholesterol level of 177. Hofeditz even relishes showing his ``before'' pictures. The pot-bellied 70-year-old in the early 1980s was unable to cut his backyard grass because of the cumbersome weight.

Bad lead

A reminder to those who enjoy good new records. The library has 22 new records which it is willing to loan out! The students are invited to come and look them over! In the first place, the opening sentence isn't even a sentence. There are times when sentence fragments are acceptable, if you use them effectively, but that first sentence isn't one of them. Is it news that the library is willing to ``loan out'' materials? That's what libraries are for. The word ``out'' is unnecessary. And ``loan'' is an adjective or noun, not a verb. Make it ``lend.'' A better way to express the thoughts in this lead would be: Twenty-two new records have been placed in the school's lending library, the head librarian announced.

Transitions

With one-sentence paragraphs consisting of only one idea -- block paragraphs -- it would be easy for a story to appear as a series of statements without any smooth flow from one idea to the next. Block paragraphing makes the use of effective transitions important. Transitions are words or phrases that link two ideas, making the movement from one to the other clear and easy. Obvious transitional phrases are: thus, therefore, on the other hand, next, then, and so on.

Transitions in news stories are generally done by repeating a word or phrase or using a synonym for a key word in the preceding paragraph. Think of block graphs as islands tied together with transition bridges of repeated words or phrases.

Direct quotes

You should use direct quotes:

an obviously authoritative voice

to answer the questions ``why, how, who, or what?''

Use a direct quote after a summary statement that needs amplification, verification or example. Remember, a direct quote repeats exactly what the interviewee said. If you don't have a person's exact words, you can paraphrase, but you cannot change the meaning of a person's words. And when you paraphrase, you must never use quotation marks.

Putting it all together: News story

By RICHARD A. KNOX

Colleagues of polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk said Wednesday that they are ready to mount large-scale trials of his AIDS vaccine in thousands of people infected with the AIDS virus. The Salk group, which had been criticized for promoting the vaccine without sufficient documentation, this week published the first scientific report of its results. The group's research showed that growth of the human immuno-deficiency virus slowed substantially in infected volunteers given three injections of the vaccine.

The report, in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, comes at a time when researchers are discouraged about efforts to make an effective AIDS vaccine -- either to treat HIV-infected people, such as Salk's subjects, or to prevent infection, such as classic vaccines against polio or smallpox.

``Both approaches have their problems with this virus,'' said Dr. Thomas Merigan of Stanford University, a prominent AIDS researcher. The virus' ability to elude immune defenses ``is the most powerful tool this virus is using against us now.''

Writing leads... reminders and tips... a refresher

http://www.thegully.com/actions/journalism/writing_leads.html

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/journalism/news.htm - for hard news

http://www.poynter.org/resource/35609/PowerofLeads.pdf

Task 3 - Unified essay

Today in class we talked about the unified essay. We went over the directions and we read the two passages and made the chart...

Write a task 3 - unified essay on parenting using the 2 pieces... the memoir and the poem.

The first draft is due on Friday.

Regents info

In your essays... remember to develop your ideas. You can't just state your ideas... explain them. Help us understand the info. Follow what the task is asking of you... 3 parts... explain the situation. Talk about why it must be controlled and then give solutions, ones the article mentions and ones you think that might help.

2nd issue of the paper

Did everyone review it? Which articles were the best? What was done well? What could we do better next time?

I would like our last issue to be 8 pages and I would like at least 1 article from everyone in class to be included in it... not just the folks who are from the club and/or other classes.

Post to this blog, your thoughts.

Make up work

Everyone has work to do in class. I expect to continue conferencing with each of you several times a week.

Task 2 essays

Drafts were due on Monday. Many are still missing.

The final drafts with corrections and varying other drafts are due on Monday, 5/5

Current Events Collection #7

5 articles are due tomorrow in class... with appropriate analysis.

The next collection will be due on May 16 - also 5