Packet Instructions

This is what I need from you next class:

1. Cover Sheet
2. Reflection
3. Final Draft
4. J2 Peer Edits
5. 2nd Draft
6. J1 Peer Edits
7. 1st Draft
8. Notes and Quotes

All the President’s Men

Please Do Now:

1. I want you to reflect on the article writing process as you have experienced it so far.  What went well for you?  What obstacles did you encounter?  What did you find easier – reporting or writing?  Why?  Your response should be short – I want you to write a longer piece for homework tonight.

Today, students will:

1. Watch the first half of All the President’s Men.
2. Make a list of “Black Eyes” and “Feathers in the Cap” – i.e., what did Woodward and Bernstein do well when reporting the story?  What did they do poorly?

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Write a one page reflection on the process of writing your first article.  This should be a “behind the scenes” story behind the story.  It is fine to use the first person (First I did this, but that didn’t work then I had to do this…)  Write about what went well, what didn’t, what you want to work on next time, what you learned in the process, and what you think you still need to learn.  It is also FINE to give me suggestions on what I can do better – I take constructive criticism well.

Peer Editing

Please Do Now:

1. Read the following article: http://beachcombernews.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/class-size-on-the-rise/
2. Fill out the following form: peer-editing-form 0809

Today students will:

1. Practice peer editing
2. Peer edit in groups
3. Share out

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Second Drafts Due Thursday

Putting it all together

Please Do Now:

1. Click on the following article from last year’s Beachcomber to read it:
2. What are the 5 W’s and an H? 
3. Rewrite the lede in your own words
4. Identify one direct quote, front attribution
5. Identify one direct quote, middle attribution
6. Identify one direct quote, end attribution
7. Identify one indirect quote (hint: it’s not from a person)
8. Identify one partial quote
9. Do you think this article is objective or biased?  Why?
10. What is the structure of this article?  Describe it.

Today, students will:

1. Review principles of journalism learned so far (5 W’s& H, Lede, Quotes, Attribution, Objectivity, Structure).
2. Discuss some common pitfalls of student journalism (When asked…  Our / We…  Mr / Ms… Wordiness / Voice… Precision and economy of language)
3. Workshop Helen’s First Draft:   http://hrynor.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/first-draft/

Tonight’s homework is:

1. First Drafts are due Tuesday before class begins.  THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE!
2. First drafts should be approximately 250-500 words in length.  Ask me if you have questions on your specific word limit. 

One more time…

OK so this should be the LAST day I am away like this for a while.

The plan for today is as follows:

I updated your grades last night.  Please check them on the student portal.  Some of you have straight A’s – others are missing many assignments.

Today and tomorrow are your FINAL days to complete any assignments you are missing.  By the next time we see each other, your deadline will have passed and it will be too late.  (Remember, what good would an article announcing the outcome of the 2004 election be today?)

If you are up to date, I would like you to keep working on the first draft of your article.  They will be due for everyone Tuesday.  Pay special attention to the following concepts we have learned in class so far:

1. 5 Ws and an H
2. Lede
3. Proper use of quotes
4. Proper attribution
5. Neutrality / Objectivity
6. Inverted pyramid structure

These are the concepts on which your first draft will be graded.  Your articles receive more weight than your other assignments, so I recommend you spending more time on them.

If you are making up assignments to raise your grade, please send me a MESSAGE over the social network to alert me of the change, so I can look it up and adjust your grade accordingly.

See you soon – I miss you guys!

Best Regards,

Andy Weiss

While the teacher’s away

Hi Guys, I am out of class today hosting a consultant for our nascent IB program.  While I’m away, I want you to work on the following:

Please Do Now:

1. Read the following article: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/684711.html
2. Answer: Invent an ethics policy for The Beachcomber.  What actions should be prohibited?  Which ones should be allowed under special circumstances?  Why?

Today, students will:

1. Read the following wikipedia entry on news style (surprisingly helpful): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_writing
2. View the following diagram: http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson249/pyramid.pdf
3. Also check this out: http://www.jprof.com/writing/invertedpyramidchecklist.html
4. Conduct any outstanding interviews you might have (and fill out notes and quotes sheets)
5. Begin writing your first draft.

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Make sure all your interviews are complete and the notes and quotes sheets are uploaded onto your blogs.
2. Begin writing your first draft.

More Interviews and Quotes

Please Do Now:

1. Watch the following video: http://www.newshounds.us/2008/09/04/oreillys_efforts_to_sabotage_obama_transparent_but_ineffective.php
2. Explain in your own word what you think of this interview: What are its upsides and what are its downsides?
3. How is a TV interview different from an interview meant for print?

Today, students will:

1. Discuss interview techniques
2. Discuss quoting techniques (Direct, indirect, partial)
3. Discuss “middle attribution”
4. Workshop Nadine’s quotes: http://nadineg2012.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/interview-quotes-2-students/
5. View a NOTES AND QUOTES SHEET: http://weissjournalism1.wordpress.com/forms/

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Read page 117, and answer the questions on page 118 and 119 ON YOUR BLOGS
2. Complete your final interviews.
3. Fill out NOTES and QUOTES sheets for EACH of your interviews.

Interview Techniques

Please Do Now:

1. View the following interview between Tavis Smiley and Congressman John Lewis: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/video/636.html
2. If the video doesn’t work, you can listen to the audio and read the transcript here: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200808/20080828_lewis.html
3. Describe the relationship between Tavis and Rep. Lewis.
4. How does Tavis put Rep. Lewis at ease?
5. What kinds of questions does Tavis ask Rep. Lewis? Fact vs. Opinion?  General vs. Detailed?
6. How do his questions evolve over time?
7. Do you notice a pattern to the questions?
8. How do you think Tavis prepared for this interview?
9. What can we learn about good interview techniques from this interview?

Today, students will:

1. Discuss good interview techniques.
2. Workshop Lena’s interview planners: http://lenacomptonjournalism1.wordpress.com/2008/09/07/interview-planners/
3. Revise interview planners in groups.

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Conduct two of your interviews.
2. Transcribe AT LEAST 5 imporant quotes you might use to write the story from each interview.  Post the transctiptions to your blog.
3. Respond to the discussion thread “beats” inside the Journalism 1 group.

Pep Rally

Please Do Now:

1. Develop 5 questions to ask people during today’s pep rally

Today, students will:

1. Divide into 5 groups
2. Develop questions to ask during the pep rally
3. Interview athletes, SGA people, coaches, students and Ms Rivero
4. Write an impromptu news article on the pep rally.

Tonight’s homework is:

1. MAKE SURE you fill out an interview form for EACH person on your news planner
2. MAKE SURE you post your club beat on your wordpress blog
3. MAKE SURE you fill out your beat sheet
4. MAKE SURE you have replied to the “First Story” discussion post.

Planning Day

Please Do Now:

Read each of the following planners and comment back to the posts.  These planners were selected because they were some of the best ones; however, even the best planner ever in the history of planners can be improved upon, usually greatly!  I find that the stories that are planned out the best ahead of time are almost always the stories that come out the best at the end.

Do NOT just say “great job,” but rather make suggestions for other possible angles the story is missing, additional people the reporter should contact, additional questions the reporter should ask, or ways the story can go into greater depth.  Also, if you have information the author is missing or can answer one of her questions, HARO (Help A Reporter Out)!

1. http://rachelc2012.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/news-planner-drivers-ed/
2. http://nadineg2012.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/news-planner-renewal-of-the-childrens-trust/
3. http://kelseys2012.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/lock-malfunction-news-planner/

Today, students will:

1. Workshop planners
2. Temporarily join the ‘News’ group on Beachcombers Unite!
3. Link your WordPress blog to your Beachcombers Unite page.
4. Discuss ‘Beat’ coverage
5. Assign each student’s first beat
6. Discuss interview techniques
7. Begin filling out interview planners

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Fill out an interview planner for EACH person you plan to interview
2. Fill out your BEAT SHEET