Course Description

 

Journalism

(School Newspaper)                                                                  

Semester/Year

 

(9-12)

 

Prerequisite: Keyboarding, Computer App. I, or Permission of instructor

 

This is an advanced level computer class with an emphasis on writing for the school newspaper. Students will work individually and in a group to design and publish the school newspaper and update the school web site while mastering the fundamentals of Dream Weaver, PageMaker, PhotoShop, digital cameras, scanners, and clip art programs. Extra hours outside of class are required, especially to cover stories and activities occurring in Unalaska City School.

 

Alaska Content Standards

A student should be able to speak and write well for a variety of purposes and audiences.

 

A student should be competent and thoughtful reader, listener, and viewer of literature, technical materials, and a variety of other information.

 

A student should be able to identify and select multiple strategies in order to complete projects independently and cooperatively.

 

A student should be able to think logically and reflectively in order to present and explain positions based on relevant and reliable information.

 

A student should understand and respect the perspectives of others in order to communicate effectively.

 

Performance Standards for Writing

1)      Write a coherent composition with a thesis statement that is supported with evidence, well-developed paragraphs, transitions, and a conclusion

2)      Demonstrate understanding of elements of discourse (purpose, speaker, audience, form) when completing expressive (creative, narrative, descriptive), persuasive, research-based, informational, or analytic writing assignments

3)      Use the conventions of standard English independently and consistently including grammar, sentence structure, paragraph structure, punctuation, spelling, and usage

4)      Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety, and subtlety of meaning in relation to the purpose and audience; and

5)      Cite sources of information using a standard method of documentation

 

Course Content

 

Historical Background of Journalism

·         Understand the ethics and legal issues, which may affect the student, school and community during newspaper production, including 1^st amendment, censorship, copyright, privacy, and other issues.

·         Develop basic knowledge of journalism history in America

·         Know how the American concept of freedom of the press came into being

·         Know applicable parts of the constitution and significant terms (ethics, yellow journalism, prior restraint, libel, Freedom of Information Act, National Security Act, etc.)

·         Understand the essential factors involved in libel

 

Journalistic functions, organization, and purpose

·         Understand the function, organization, and purpose of the school newspaper and school web site

·         Learn vocabulary and terms specific to journalism

·         Know the sections of a newspaper and the purpose of each section

·         Understand the organization for web sites including mapping, file folders, and linking functions

·         Understand the purpose for the school’s web site

 

Basic Story Writing: news/feature/sports/editorial

·         Demonstrates ability to identify and produce different types of copy including news, feature, sports, editorial, opinion, reviews, headline and captions.

·         Write a feature story and a straight-news story

·         Write a sound lead and be able to develop news stories in correct order of details

·         Recognize the kinds of topics often covered in feature stories

·         Adapt interview skills to feature stories (color questions, observed details, focus questions)

·         Know the characteristics of the personality profile

·         Recognize and learn to avoid the use of trite expressions

·         Know how to write clear and lively pre-game, game, and post game stories

·         Know how to write effective editorials for a variety of purposes

·         Understand the various types of columns

·         Understand the opinion function of a newspaper and the various ways in which it is expressed

·         Write reviews of products or performances

 

 

Editing, Copy Editing and Headline Writing

·         Participates in editing and revision activities

·        Understand the role of copy editors in a publication

·        Practice and understand editing skills and proofreading symbols

·        Be alert to sexist, racist, and otherwise inappropriate language

·        Know the importance of conciseness and of avoiding jargon, clichés, and redundancies

·        Rewrite, revise, and edit copy for publication adhering to style by using a journalism style guide

 

 

Layout

·         Organize and use production modes appropriate to journalistic media, including desktop publishing, photography, graphics, art and design

·         Demonstrate proficiency in computer skills while performing electronic desktop publishing concepts and mechanical creative support operations, digital imaging and digital publishing operations

·         Perform layout, design, and measurement activities

·         Layout pages in a graphically aesthetic manner

·         Understand the basics of design and layout, including page elements common to most publications

·         Understand the basic principles of design, including dominance, unity, contrast, repetition, balance, and consistency

·         Recognize the importance of graphics in modern page design

·         Use technology to assist with layout and design

 

Journalistic Production

·         Actively seeks, gathers, and evaluates information for publication

·         Participates in work-based learning experiences including setting goals, making decisions, assuming responsibility, and working cooperatively to design and publish the school newspaper and school web site.

·         Investigate web sites for the news on line

·         Develop knowledge of current events through regular study of newspapers and magazines

·         Understand the role of teamwork in news organizations

 

Performance Standards (Learner Outcomes)	Alaska Reading, Writing, Math, Science Performance Standards	Alaska Content Standards	Alaska Cultural Standards	Alaska Employability Standards	Occupational Skills Standards	All Aspects of  Industry	Assessment
Understands the ethics and legal issues which may affect the student, school and community during newspaper production, including 1st amendment, censorship, copyright, privacy, and other issues	R4.E.B.1, 3 R4.E.D.2 W4.E.A.4	GOV.A.2 GOV.E.3 LA. B.1-3 H.B.	A, B, E	A, B	ITAC4.1	Planning Management	Performance/ exam
Understands the function, organization, and purpose of the school newspaper	W4.E.A.4 R4.E.B.1-4	H.A. H.D. LA.A.4 LA.B.1-3	A, E	A, B	ITAC1 ITAC4.1	Community Planning Management Technical	Performance/ exam
Actively seeks, gathers, and evaluates information for publication	W4.E.A.1-4 R4.E.B.1-3 R4.E.D.2, 4 R4.E.E.1	H.C.1-4 LA.A.1-4	B, C	A	ITAC2.2 ITAC2.3 ITAC3.3      ITAC6.2	Technical Work Habits	Performance/ Project
Demonstrates ability to identify and produce different types of copy including news, feature, sports, editorial, opinion, reviews, informative stories, headline and captions.	W4.E.A.1-2 W4.E.A.4-5 R4.E.D.2	LA.A.1, 2, 4 LA.B.2, 3 LA.C. LA.D.1-4	A, E	A	ITAC2.1 ITAC2.2 ITAC6.2	Technical Work Habits	Performance/ Project
Participates in editing and revision activities	W4.E.A.2, 5 R4.E.D.2	LA.5, 8 LA.E.1-4	B, C	A	ITAC2.1 ITAC2.2 ITAC2.3 ITAC4.2 ITAC6.2	Technical Work Habits	Performance/ Project
Organizes and uses production modes appropriate to journalistic media, including desktop publishing, photography, graphics, art and design	R4.E.C.2 W4.A.2 W4.E.D.3 M4.M.A.2 M4.M.E.3	LA.A.6-7 T.A.   A.A.  A.C    A.D.  M.A.2 M.E.3	B, C	A	ITAC3.1 ITAC6.2	Technical Work Habits Labor	Performance/ Project
Demonstrates proficiency in computer skills while performing electronic desktop publishing concepts and mechanical creative support operations, digital imaging and digital publishing operations	R4.E.C.2 W4.E.A.2 W4.E.D.3	LA.B.1-3 A.A. A.B.4 A.D. T.A. T.D. T.C.   T.E.1-8	B, C	A	ITAC3.1 ITAC6.2	Technical Technology Work Habits Labor	Performance/ Project
Performs layout, design, and measurement activities	M4.M.A.4   M4.M.B.1 M4.M.C.1 R4.E.C.2 W4.E.A.2 W4.E.D.3	LA.A.4-7 LA.C.1-4 LA.E.4 A.A. A.C. A.D.  T.A. M.A.2-5 M.B.1-3 M.E.2-3	A, B, C	A	ITAC 1.1 ITAC3.1 ITAC6.2	Technical Technology Work Habits Labor	Performance /Project
Participates in work-based learning experiences including setting goals, making decisions, assuming responsibility, and working cooperatively to design and publish the school newspaper	R4.E.C.2 W4.E.A.2 S.B.1, 4, 5	LA.B.1-3 LA.C.1-5 H.C. GOV.A. GOV.E	A, B, C, D	A, B	ITAC4.2 ITAC4.3 ITAC5.1 ITAC6.2	Technical Work Habits Labor	Performance/ Project

Alaska Employability Standards http://www.eed.state.ak.us/tls/CTE/docs/curriculum/alaskaemployabilitystandards.pdf

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