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)