Today's class...

Wow! I'm so impressed with the work everyone did in class today. I really felt energized when I left. I'm really proud of you all and I'm looking forward to everyone turning in their current events assignment on time tomorrow. I know that you should have at least 1 :-) You should have 10 articles. This is your first official grade of the 3rd trimester.

Remember, you do have to make up work and you should print the missing work from teacherease.

Continue to revise pieces that you may want to put into your portfolio.

Tomorrow you can be working on in depth reporting as well as your editorials...

Anyone who did feature articles from the very beginning of the term, please make sure to turn them in so that we have a second issue of the paper.

thanks again, and congratulations!

Ms. S

2nd trimester musings

Now that we are finishing the second trimester, and are coming into the home stretch a few encouraging words and observations...

We are more than half way done with the school year and this last trimester is your opportunity to show us all what you know. Make a concerted effort to get work in on time. Be consciencious.

If you don't understand something, reach out to one of us so we can help. DO NOT wait for the last minute to do things, so that difficulties arise, you have time to address them.

Each and every student has the ability to achieve success in our class... it just takes good organization and study skills and a willingness to try.

If you are receiving an N, don't forget to print out a copy of your missing work from teacherease so that you can continue to make it up.

No more excuses... take responsibility for your work and take pride in it. Come to class on time with your sourcebooks and other needed materials. Don't leave your materials in class and then use that as an excuse for not being able to do work. Visit the blog every day, so you can see if anything new has been posted.

Very importantly make sure you have pulled your 3 pieces for your portfolio from the second trimester and have written your reflections so that we can get them to your advisors by Friday. Even though parent/teacher conferences aren't until April now, you still need to have finished your pulls for your second trimester work.

In-depth Report assignment

In-Depth Reporting (Investigative Feature) Assignment – First draft due: March 7th

You are a reporter sent to investigate important school matters. Each journalist will be assigned a different school matter.

Reporters will have to:
Interview at least 5 people related to your subject
Survey the class and other members of the school
get statements from at least 5 students not in class
Write an in-depth news report with the results of all of the above (each person in the pair is responsible for writing their own article)

Here are some suggested topics
school nutritional program
sports program
curriculum/scheduling
homework
plagiarism
discipline
school electronics policy
school media
channel 1
college board
after school activities
spirit week
lunch
inappropriate student behavior
student achievement
parental involvement
relationships with teachers
testing
college
careers related to journalism
portfolio assessment
school trips

Top 3 choices
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

Selected topic:

5 people you plan to interview:
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Questions you plan on asking:

more information about the N

After talking to Mrs. Poulos, I just wanted to add another important factor to the N process...



If you are missing a lot of work in the 2nd trimester, you are still responsible for making up the work... you are NOT exempt from it. The baggage gets carried with you.



So if you are missing a project, it will need to be made up. If you are missing homework, it will need to be made up.

Second Chances

Call it a second chance. If you are a student who is currently scoring a D or failing grade, here is your chance to prove that you know what you need to know... You will receive a grade of "N" or needs improvement for the 2nd trimester and then you have a clean slate for the 3rd trimester.

Prove that you can meet or exceed the standards in the 3rd trimester and the grade you achieve by the end will then replace your "N". I have complete faith that those people who either elected to take the N or have been given it out of necessity, will take this opportunity to really start doing the work that is expected of them.


Remember, do the best you can do and that is all I can ask... comparing yourself to others is futile. Good luck.

Second issue - Calling all articles (class and club)

Please email me at mssackstein@yahoo.com with what stories you are working on. I need an idea of what everyone is doing and/or has done recently.

Structure of an editorial and an opinion

Structure of an Editorial

Editorials are written according to a well-established formula.

• Introduction - state the problem
• Body - expresses an opinion
• Solution - offers a solution to the problem
• Conclusion - emphasizes the main issue
  

Here are some additional tips on structuring your opinion story.

• Lead with an Objective Explanation of the Issue/Controversy. Include the five W's and the H. Pull in facts and quotations from sources which are relevant.
• Present Your Opposition First. As the writer you disagree with these viewpoints. Identify the people (specifically who oppose you). Use facts and quotations to state objectively their opinions. Give a strong position of the opposition. You gain nothing in refuting a weak position.
• Directly Refute The Opposition's Beliefs. You can begin your article with transition. Pull in other facts and quotations from people who support your position. Concede a valid point of the opposition which will make you appear rational, one who has considered all the options.
• Give Other, Original Reasons/Analogies. In defense of your position, give reasons from strong to strongest order. Use a literary or cultural allusion that lends to your credibility and perceived intelligence.
• Conclude With Some Punch. Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader to be informed.A quotation can be effective, especially if from a respected source. A rhetorical question can be an effective concluder as well. While it ridicules or makes fun of a subject with the intent of improving it.

How to write an opinion piece

• Think of an opinion piece as a persuasive essay: the writer has an opinion or a point of view on an issue and he or she wants to convince the reader to agree. This is not as easy as it may seem.
• You must research your topic and find out what’s happening and what went on in the past.
• You must know the facts and be able to refer to them in your argument.
• Pretend you are a lawyer and you are making a case before a jury. You will want to convince the members of the jury to believe that your client is right . Therefore you need to present as much evidence as you can that proves the point.
• You can do the same when you write a column or editorial.
• Here’s an example:
• Let’s say you want to write an editorial supporting capital punishment. You want to convince your readers that someone who commits murder should receive a death sentence.
• The first thing you have to do is start collecting the facts.
  When did Canada put an end to capital punishment? What were the arguments used to do that?
  When did people start talking about re-introducing the death penalty?
  What cases have prompted debate on this issue? What examples can they find to support their argument for capital punishment?
  You must also consider the other side of the argument.
  What would people who oppose the death penalty say?
  How would they respond to their points?
  start with a basic premise or theme.
  use facts and details to back up your opinion and help you make your case.
  Leave your readers with a lasting impression -- a strong point that will make them consider your point of view.
  Don’t need to preach to the reader. A good editorial will make readers take notice of the situation and form their own opinions on the issue.
  

Story Topics
The possible topics for editorials and columns are almost endless because everyone has an opinion on everything! They could include:
legal or political issues such as gun control or Canada’s economy, minority rights or international politics.
issues facing people in your own community — such as a decision to demolish a historic building or the controversy surrounding a new law against skateboarding.
LOOK through stories in your daily paper or in monthly editions of SNN.
Form your own opinions. Opinions are based on what you have read and what you already know or believe.
Then you can put those views down in an editorial or column of your own!