Layout

Discuss and Decide
Font and size
Byline format and style
Caption format and style
Headline format and style
Column style
Decide on fold
Miscellaneous

Task
Create one page of the newspaper

• Decide which page
• Decide which articles are appropriate and will fit
• Decide on layout
• Print, cut, paste
  

Create banner

By the end of the period we should be able to photocopy the one page to see how it turns out

First Article

Your first article must be completed and ready for editing on Tuesday, December 2nd. Remember on Wednesday we'll be walking downtown so bring warm clothing.

Presentation Criteria for Literary Movements Project

PART II

Design a presentation for our class about your literary movement. Using the material you have gathered during Part I, create a ten minute presentation. Provide some sort of visual for the class. I recommend either a Bristol board or a PowerPoint presentation.

Your presentation will be comprised of two parts. The first part will be sharing what you learned about your literary movement to the class. You are not required to memorize anything; therefore, you can have any material in front of you. A word of advice: a good visual attracts the audience’s eyes, which means they’re not all looking at you.

The second part of your presentation will be a reading of your favourite piece of prose/poetry from your literary movement. Take a minute or two to introduce what you are reading and then read it for the class.

Presentations will begin in November while we are studying poetry.

Evaluation of Presentation

· Visual is intriguing and contains essential information /15

· Presentation

o Student speaks clearly and confidently /5

o Presentation is interesting to audience /10

o Reading – passage selected captures the essence of the literary movement /5

o Reading – reading of passage is true to the literary text and movement /5

Wednesday's Class

Will and Anthony, here's your task for Wednesday's class. Have class come up with a list of possible articles for the next newspaper. Try to get as many ideas as possible. Make sure everyone comes up with at least one article idea. Discuss which ones are best. Select the top seven article ideas (the choice is ultimately yours, but consider the classes choice). Use the white board if it helps.

Now the fun part, assign the articles to the class. Consider their preferences and strengths. I suggest that you two take longer articles this time because your articles in the last issue were brief. Trust Max with an important article as well.

When you are completed the supply teacher will provide the class with their mini-assignment.

My two cents: an article about the film festival at Noranda School and an article about Geordie Productions (written after the performance on the 12th).

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor are an essential part of any serious newspaper. Letters to the editor, by definition, are "letters written to a newspaper, magazine or other periodical about issues of concern to readers, usually intended to be published in the paper/periodical." For example, I once read an article in the Toronto Sun about the city not allowing Miss Universe, Natalie Glebova, to attend an event at city hall with her sash. I agreed with the article's writer that the bylaw was a little odd but I took offense to the writer's biased opinion and his chauvinistic disregard for the feminist protest against beauty pageants. I then sat down and expressed my opinion via email to the editor of the Toronto Sun. The next day my letter was printed in the newspaper and shipped across the province. It was easy and fun.

Newspapers like to publish letters for a number of reasons. Firstly, letters are valuable because they create an interaction between the newspaper, along with its editor and writers, and its readers. Secondly, it keeps them accountable. If readers know that the journalists are open to public scrutiny then they are more likely to trust them. Lastly, letters to the editor create a bit of debate and controversy which is always entertaining.

Letters to the editor are not always in stark disagreement with the article. Sometimes the letter simply offer an alternative perspective, empasize a particular point, or add to the story. Here's an example from a recent article and letter:

Article from Globe and Mail

Letter to the editor printed the following day

Your assignment: write a letter to the editor of a large newspaper.
First, select a newspaper. You may choose The Montreal Gazette, The Globe and Mail, or The National Post.
Second, find an article that you have something to say about. Do not be afraid to use the first-person and draw from your experience (for example; As a bilingual quebecois, I...). Alternatively, you may just want to make an objective commentary.
Third, write a letter to the editor. It should be brief. Most newspapers ask that they do not exceed 200 words. However, write at least 100 words.
Fourth, send the letter to the editor. You may skip this step for only one reason. Newspapers insist that you include your real name and you may not feel comfortable doing so. If that is the case you may skip this step. (Bonus marks for publication)

letters@globeandmail.ca
National Post
Montreal Gazette

For a better idea of what a letter to the editor looks like, browse through the Globe and Mails on the desk or go online and browse the e-papers.

Due Date: Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 (Use your time wisely and you should be able to get a good portion of it done or even completed)

Blues' News Discussion

With review in hand, gather in a group around the tables. During this discussion everyone will share their review. You are not required to read your review, but you need to share what you think were the major problems/successes and your suggestions for the next edition. After the discussion, place your reviews in your portfolios.

***

Our guest editors, Will & Anthony, are responsible for leading the meeting. They are to ensure that everyone shares their opinion and suggestions. They also need to make sure the discussion is brief and on topic. In addition, they must consider every suggestion. If one student suggests that there needs to be less pictures, the guest editors should get the opinion of the rest of the news team and then decide whether to accept or decline the suggestion. Not all decisions can be made immediately. For example, if someone suggestions we print on a different type of paper, you will need to see if its possible before accepting their suggestion. Best of luck.

First Publication Review

After the discussion with the rest of the news team, write a review of the first publication. In your review identify the major successes and difficulties with the first publication. In addition, make at least three suggestions for the next edition (i.e. make less copies, include more film reviews). Your review only needs to be 100 words but should be thoughtful.

I don't expect you to take the entire class to write your review so use the rest of the time to work on your independent project for English.

Due Date: Tomorrow (October 23, 2008)

Our First Publication

So we've had our first publication and it is now being distributed to the students. Unfortunately, I'm not there to see how well it is going. It is up to you as the news team to evaluate the success of the newspaper: its publication, its distribution and its reception. After reading this post, gather around the table and discuss the success of the newspaper. Here's some questions to ask yourselves:
Publication

• Comment on the newspaper's appearance
• Comment on the newspaper's size
• Comment on the difficulty of the printing (i.e. maybe we should consider printing off-site)

Distribution

• Were the newspaper distributed fairly
• Were the students happy with its distribution
• Were all the copies we made read
• Were there enough copies
  
• Should we consider another way to distribute the newspaper

Response of Students and Staff

• Did the students enjoy the newspaper articles
• What was popular/unpopular
• What did the staff think of the newspaper
• What feedback did the newspaper receive
• What can we do for the December edition
  

Discuss these in a group. Our guest editors should be taking notes because it is their responsibility to address these issues for the next edition.

Second Article

The secondary articles for Blues' News have now been assigned.
Due Date: Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Simple Sentences, Please

Rewrite the following sentence using clear, short sentences.
Amy Shannon, former Velera Township police sergeant, who was dropped from the force in 1999 for failing to appear at a departmental hearing, has won an out-of-court settlement in a libel suit she filed in June 1997 against Style Magazine, which, it was charged, published “false and malicious statements” in an article (published in the March 1996 issue) that linked Shannon and half a dozen other officers to an illegal silver smelting business.

First Article

Are you bursting with excitement, because I know I am. Your first article has been assigned and you have a tons of time to write it. It will be due after the P.D. days. Journalism functions on tight deadlines so don't get too comfortable with the two weeks you have to complete this article
Remember to do your necessary research and take notes using your journalism notebook. I have stated that the length requirement is minimum 200 words and maximum 700 words. Focus on writing a good article with all the important details.
You can always e-mail me with questions if its the weekend or P.D. days. jkent@wqsb.qc.ca
Due Date: Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

Inverted Pyramid

On Tuesday I handed out a story I wrote about a father and son ATV expedition. Your task is turn the story into a news article. Remember to follow the inverted pyramid formula and include all the important details. The length is up to you, but you must include the important details and you should not include any filler.DUE DATE: Monday, September 29, 2008

Nice Webpages Secondary Fives!

Free Speech Corporation
Journalism blog
Speak Up
Free Speech Corporation
Talk It Up

Our non-webpage submission was great as well. I'll post a pick of it later just to be diplomatic.

Freedom of Speech Organization

Your assignment is to develop an organization that promotes freedom of speech. In Monday's class we researched organizations that promoted freedom of speech like Reporters without Borders, CPJ, and Freedom House. Your goal is to design an organization that is unique and potentially effective. Your final product will be a webpage or brochure with the following details:

• Who you are (i.e. a community group, a group of journalists, lawyers, an international group)
• What you believe, which should include a statement that you believe in freedom of speech and why. Plus, include any other beliefs, such as against consolidation of media companies or opposed to imprisoning journalists
• What you do. Here's your opportunity to show your creative side and your critical thinking. Think about a specific problem like Quebecor or the murder of journalists in Afghanistan and develop some unique solutions to the problem. Try to think of a few different projects that your organization can do, not just one.
  

Within your webpage or brochure I would like to see an understanding of what freedom of the press means and why it's important. Your webpage or brochure should be able to convince regular people that what you do and why you do it is important.
P.S. We "lobby" the government.

Consolidation and Commodity Reading

Read the double-sided handout from Monday's class. Write down any comments and questions for a discussion on Tuesday.
Due: September 9, 2008

Reading

Read the handout provided that includes an explanation of freedom of expression in Canada and an except of John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty."

If you are interested, the full Mill essay can be found at this link.

We'll discuss both readings on Monday, September 8th, 2008