News+II+Syllabus

Ms. Tonn 2009-2010  ** __ Course Description __  ** This elective course is for students who have an interest in journalism, mass communication, and creative writing. Two of the main goals for this course are publishing the student newspaper, //The Advocate//, and deepening the journalistic skills to do so. Throughout the quarter, all students will write, design, layout, photograph, and edit for individual and/or collaborative projects. Not only will students create written and visual texts, but they will also become more critical of the media they encounter. ** __ Learning Goals __ ** By the end of the quarter, all students will be able to: ·  produce a quality student publication, working as a team. ·  produce well-written publishable works, while developing an individual style and voice. ·  critically consume media by practicing analysis of content and presentation. ·  view mistakes and risks as necessary elements towards achieving success. ·  work independently and cooperatively towards achieving all learning goals. ** __ Policies __ ** · **  Attendance:   ** Be here! If you must be absent, you are responsible for acquiring the missed content and materials. Missed work needs to be made up in a timely fashion. Appointments and/or field trips do not excuse a student from work that is due that day, and work must be turned in before leaving the building. · **  Late Work:   ** This class follows the rules of a regular functioning newsroom, therefore all work is due at the beginning of class on the due date unless otherwise stated by me. All work must be turned in; A grade of incomplete will be recorded until all work is in. As a member of the newspaper team, each member plays a critical role in the completion and timeliness of our final product. Therefore, deadlines **MUST** be followed. · **  Tardiness:   ** Be here on time. Students who make it a habit of coming to class late will have to contact his/her parents/guardians to explain the problem. Every three tardies will result in a detention. · **  Student Responsibility:   ** All students are responsible for knowing and abiding by the policies set forth in the student handbook. Students are expected to display academic integrity at all times. Students are also not to take advantage of the freedom given to staff members to leave class when covering a story. Likewise, students must treat classmates, teachers, and property with respect. __ **Supplies** __ (required) ·  Binder for completed work/end of the semester portfolio ·  Notebook or loose-leaf paper for interviewing and class notes ·  Pen/Pencils ·  Computer disk/flash drive labeled with your name __ ** Assessment ** __ The most successful students in this class will be able to work independently as well as cooperatively. They will also demonstrate flexibility and motivation. In addition to being inquisitive about people and topics, successful students will be keen to detail and open to suggestions for improvement. __ ** Grading ** __ As a member of the news writing team, you will be graded on the following: · **Stories** : Your purpose for being in this class is to produce stories for our student publication. You will be given specific deadlines for story completion and it is up to you to      meet those deadlines with as few errors as possible. · **Story ideas** : Every week, you will be expected to come to class prepared with legitimate story ideas for the publication. · **Ad sales** : We cannot produce a newspaper without the help of the local community. Therefore, you will be asked to sell advertising. (In order to receive an “A”, you will need     to sell four ads, three ads for a “B”, two for a “C”, and one or fewer ad sales will result in a      “F”.) · **Publication completion: ** Because we are considered a “team”, you will be graded as a      “team” when it comes to publication deadlines. Therefore, if we make our scheduled print deadline, all members of the team will receive full credit. For each day we are late, each team member’s grade will be reduced. · **Story Critiques:** One goal of this class is to expose students to news writing from a daily paper. To ensure students are reading, there will be bi-weekly news critiques asking for you to comment on the journalistic qualities of the article. The best way to become a better writer is to read writing… good and bad! __ ** Contact Information ** __ E-mail: tonnpa@lodi.k12.wi.us     Phone number: (608) 592-3853 ext. 4411     Substitute for 1st quarter Ms. Amy Jelinek jelinam@lodi.k12.wi.us ext. 4420     There is also a QCC (questions, comments, and concerns) box in the classroom. This is a space to give feedback to the teacher in an anonymous and informal manner. I will read the comments in the box on a weekly basis. Students are very much encouraged to seek assistance or share ideas at any time.
 * News Writing II **