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Journalism I |
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Journalism 1 is taught first semester only 3rd, 4th and 5th periods. It is blocked with Photojournalism second semester. Students must take both of these classes before they are admitted into Newspaper or Yearbook classes.
Students explore a number of topics, about one new one each day, including writing news and feature articles, interviewing, organizing/editing stories, media law and ethics, careers, broadcasting, layout and editing. Students are encouraged to submit articles and photos for publication in the student newspaper, The Panther Post.
Below is our "scope and sequence" a day-by-day list of what topic we're on as well as how it correlates to required Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (or TEKS). We have several lessons which correlate to TAKS objectives as well.
Person Profile: interview a classmate and write a feature story on him/her
Announcement: mock wedding or obituary
Mock Press Conference News Story
Press Release
Entertainment Review: movie, TV show, book or restaurant
Major Projects:
Design a Newspaper Page Layout using Adobe PageMaker or Adobe InDesign CS2
Conduct a Survey
Famous Journalists PowerPoint Presentation
Create an Ad Campaign for a New Product
Grading Procedures:
60% = tests, major projects, and major writing assignments
40% = daily work and short writing assignments
extra credit = determined by the teacher
Typical Day:
1) Warm up: quick interview using reporter notebook
2) Take notes on the day’s topic (different almost every day)
3) Do an activity on the day’s topic (varies: worksheet, hands-on activity, group work, etc.)
4) Turn activity in before leaving or finish it for homework
Progress Reports:
Failing students are required to have a parent/guardian sign report at the three-week period, but all students receive a progress report at the three week period as well as an informal one closer to the end of the six weeks.
Class rules:
Be on time
Be prepared AND participate (take notes, ask questions)
Be respectful (of classmates, teacher and guests)
Books: Your books include Journalism Today, a classroom copy unless a student requests to check one out
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Topic of the Lesson |
Assignment |
Related Standards of Learning (TEKS) |
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Introduction to Journalism I Introduction of Classmates |
Welcome/Game |
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Discussion: English vs. Journalism Notes: What Is News? Notes: Eight Functions of the Media
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Functions of the Media Practice – part 1 in yellow binders
Functions of the Media Practice – part 2 from newspaper clips |
3A 1A 2G |
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Review of Your Local News Sources |
Activity: Review of Local News Sources Daily Grade: _________
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3A 2A
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Notes: Newsworthiness |
Activity: News Elements Daily Grade: _________
Activity: Prioritizing the News Daily Grade: _________
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3A 1A |
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Notes: Parts of a Newspaper
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Group Activity: Parts of a newspaper. Daily (Participation) Grade: ______
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2A 3A |
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Notes: Headlines
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Group activity; Fairy Tale Headlines |
2L |
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Headline Writing Contest |
Class Contest
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2L |
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Notes: Newspaper Staff; Path of an Article
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History of Cox Enterprises |
1A |
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Notes: Interviewing |
Interviewing Practice Discuss Person Profile Project |
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Notes: Organizing a Story, Part 2
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Beginning AP Style Rules |
2G |
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Notes: Leads
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Activity: Rewriting News Leads Chart Daily Grade: _________
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2F |
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Notes: Quotes & Attribution
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Activity: Quoting and Paraphrasing Daily Grade: _______ Activity: Fact vs. Opinion/Attribution |
2D |
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Review for Unit I Test
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Review for Unit I Test Game
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Test: Unit I |
Test Grade: __________
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Notes: Announcements
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Assignment: write your own announcement: wedding or obituary
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2F |
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Notes: Press Releases
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Activity: Write a press releaseDaily Grade: _______
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2H 2D 2I 2F 2E 2J 2L 2M |
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Covering Media Events: Meetings, Speeches and Press Conferences |
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2C 2D 2F |
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Mock press conference Special guest: ___________
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Assignment: write a news story based on mock press conferenceDaily Grade: _______
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2A-J |
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Press Conference Articles
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Daily Grade: _______ |
2A-J
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Notes: Feature Writing
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2F-I |
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UIL Feature Writing Contest
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Daily Grade: _______
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2A-J |
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Notes: Entertainment Reviews |
Get assignment: Entertainment review |
2A-I |
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Notes: Sports Journalism
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2F-I |
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Notes: Surveys
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Activity: Create a survey for publication in the student press. Administer survey to at least ____ people. Due _______
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2A-D |
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Review for Unit 2 Test
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Review for Unit 2 Test
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Test: Unit 2 |
Test Grade: __________
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Technology |
PageMaker 6.5 or Adobe InDesign CS2 Lessons and Class Project Multiple Daily and Test Grades |
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Notes: Editorial Cartoons
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Activity: Interpret Editorial Cartoons Daily Grade: _______
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2F-I |
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Notes: Columns and Letters to the Editor |
Activity: Write a letter to the editor of the Trib Daily Grade: _______
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2F-I |
March 13: Notes: Editing/ AP Style, Part 1
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Activity: You be the Copy Editor Daily Grade: _______
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2H-I |
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Notes: Simplifying Articles. |
Activity: Active vs. Passive Voice and Editing Out Unnecessary WordsDaily Grade: _______
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3A-E |
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Notes: Photojournalism, Part 1
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Activity: Brainstorming Shots with the Photographer Daily Grade: _______
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1A |
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Notes: Photojournalism, Part 2
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Activity: Analyzing a Photograph Daily Grade: _______
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4A-C |
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Notes: Advertising |
Ad Project Test Grade: ____
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Review for Unit 3 Test
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Review for Unit 3 Test
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Test: Unit 3 |
Test Grade: __________
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Notes: Media Accuracy and Fairness
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1A-C |
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Notes: Media Law & Censorship
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Activity: New York Times vs. Blair Daily Grade: _______
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1B-C |
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Notes: Media Ethics |
Activity: You be the student newspaper editor Daily Grade: _______
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1B-C |
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Notes: Tabloids |
Activity: What the tabloids do right |
1B-C |
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Tabloid Writing Contest |
Daily Grade: _______
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1B-C |
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Notes: Broadcast Media
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2A 1A |
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Notes: Journalism History |
Activity; Messed Up History Daily Grade: _______
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1A 1C |
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Notes: Careers in Journalism
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1A |
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Careers Activity |
Activities: Shop Talk and War Stories Several Daily Grades: _______
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1A |
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Notes: Texas Journalism |
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1A |
| Guest Speakers Week |
Recent Guest Speakers Have Included Darren Taylor 97.5 FM morning show host John Gilbert: KCEN News 6 news anchor Catherine Atkinson: Brazos Living Editor Chad Conine: Trib Sport Writer Garret Lewis: News Talk 1230 news host Ann Harder: KWTX News Anchor
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Famous Journalists Project |
Activity: Famous Journalist research Project on PowerPoint
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1A |
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Review for Final (minimum three days) |
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Final Exam |
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Course Info
This class is also the prerequisite for more exciting journalism courses like:
Photojournalism Yearbook Newspaper
The Fun Stuff:
Writing: Person Profile … Announcement …Entertainment Review
Practical Experience: Mock press conference…Conducting a survey…Photojournalism… Broadcasting
Artistic: Advertising … Creating a front page of a news paper on Page Maker
Career/College Info: Guest speakers…Field trip
New! Create a magazine: all students have at least one story published in The Echo
Grading Procedures: 60% of student grade = tests
and major writing assignments
(6 unit tests, 3 major writing assignments during the semester)
40% of student grade = daily work/activities and short writing assignments
Most writing assignments include two weeks to work on them.
Most daily assignments can be finished before class is over.
NO UNEXCUSED LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED!
Typical Day:
1)Quote of the Day warm-up as soon as they arrive (3-5 minutes)
2) Take notes on the day’s topic.
3) Do an activity on the day’s topic.
Assignments are listed on the six weeks syllabus along with space to record grades
Progress Reports: failing students are required to have a parent/guardian sign report at the three-week period, but all student receive a progress report at that time