Feature Leads

Please Do Now:

1. Read the following documents:
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. Try writing a minimum of three different features leads for your story, using some of the devices recommended above.

Today, students will:

1. Peer edit in groups of 4.  Pay special attention to the attribution of polls.

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Second drafts due Monday on your blog.

Writing Day

Please Do Now:

1. Read the following feature article: http://www.slate.com/id/2203154/
2. Comment: What sort of information is found in this article?
3. What are the strengths of this sort of reporting?
4. What are the weaknesses of this sort of reporting?

Today, students will:

1. Finish reporting for features articles
2. Write first drafts of features articles

Tonight’s homework is:

1. First drafts due Thursday on your blog

Interview Day

Please Do Now:

1. Answer as a comment to this post.
2. 

Today, students will:

1. Conduct polls
2. Conduct Interviews
3. Peer Edit
4. Begin First Drafts

Tonight’s homework is:

1. All Notes and Quotes due Tuesday

Q1 Grades

A: XXXXXXXXXXXX

B: XXXXXXXXX

C: XX

D: X

F: X

Poll Day

Please Do Now:

1. Answer by commenting back to this post:
2. 

Today, students will:

1. Take the following poll:

1. Learn to create their own online polls
2. Conduct polls
3. Conduct interviews

Tonight’s homework is:

1. 2 Notes and Quotes on blog by Thursday
2. ALL Notes and Quotes on blog by Tuesday

Happy Friday!

Please Do Now:

1. Read the following article:
2. Answer the following questions as a comment to this post:
3. Whom did this reporter interview in order to write this article?
4. What other sources did the reporter consult?
5. What other information would have been useful to the reader?
6. How would the reporter have gathered this information?

Today, students will:

1. Read the following profile:
2. Discuss what kinds of people would make good profiles at this school or in this community.
3. Discuss how to supplement profiles with background information.
4. Peer edit Features planners.
5. Design polls for articles if you plan to include one (recommended).

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Finalize your article’s poll (on blog).
2. Fill out interview planners (on blog). 

Features Day

Please Do Now:

1. 
2. 
3. Answer the questions by commenting back to this post.

Today students will:

1. Brainstorm Features
2. Peer Edit Features
3. Fill out Features Planners

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Features Planners due Friday

Writing Workshop

Please Do Now:

1. 96
2. 97
3. 98
4. 99
5. Read the above pdfs and answer the questions by commenting back into this post.

Today, students will:

1. Review common errors from final drafts.
2. Discuss the differences between news writing and features writing.
3. Brainstorm Features story ideas.

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Join the Features group on Beachcombers Unite
2. On your blog, post 3 ideas for features stories. Describe the angle you intend to take and what information you will need to report each story.  Pitches should be approximately 1 paragraph long.

Grade Breakdown

I thought this might be helpful for the class:

FINAL DRAFT GRADES:

A: XXX

B: XXXXXXX

C: XXXXXXXX

D: XX

F:

Z: XX

OVERALL GRADES SO FAR:

A: XXXXXXX

B: XXXXXXXXXXXX

C:

D: X

F: XX

In addition, 2 new students need to set up their webpages immediately.  The instructions are in earlier posts of this blog.  Please ask a classmate or a friend if you are having trouble.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

1. How have my grades changed over the course of the past 7 or 8 weeks.  Why?
2. How do my grades compare to the grades of my classmates?  What is causing this difference?
3. What can I do to improve my grade?

Final Movie Day (Ever)

Please Do Now:

1. This month’s center spread is going to be Miami Beach: Candyland, a review of all the best and worst places to go and things to do on Halloween.
2. Comment back to this post with AT LEAST one positive and one negative review.  Say where the house (or event is), what is is all about, and why is is great (or horrible).
3. Example:  Old Man Jones on Harding Ave in North beach is notorious for giving kids pennies for trick or treat.  Stop by this year to watch the toilet paper gather in his trees.
4. Example:  Saw V opens tonight at the Regal Cinema at 8:00 PM.  An ideal date movie if you’re into blood and guts.  Don’t miss the drag queens on Lincoln Rd.

Today, students will:

1. Finish All the President’s Men

Tonight’s homework is:

1. Update your BEAT SHEET.  Find out what’s going on with your club and post the update to your blog.  Due Monday.