Friday, December 17, 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dec. 16

Click here for In Design tutorial

Go to bottom right hand corner of page and click on tutorial with Johnny Depp's picture. 

Go through this tutorial right now if you don't have something to write.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md

Friday, December 10, 2010

Dec. 10 activity/work

Click here for ideas about planning a treasure hunt

What is this activity?

How would you localize a story about this at Kennedy?

How would you plan a treasure hunt around the building? 

Could it be a fundraiser?  Cash prize for the winner and we would make money for journalism?

Write a short news story about this for the online paper.  200 words.  20 points.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Dec. 6 Warm-up Work


Click here:   College class on interviewing tips for reporters  (8 min. long)

What are the three sources for a reporter?

What three things do you need to remember while interviewing?

Who do you interview?

Who knows more than anyone else usually?

Opinions are okay as long as __________________________________.

Write this up and turn in to me before end of period.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

DEC. 2 -- warm-up

Click here for story on photographer in harm's way

What is the responsibility of a photographer?  Would you be willing to go to such dangerous lengths to get the shot?

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Work for this week -- Due on Friday

We are doing the paper this next week and you will have questions about what you are doing.  This video is to help you in that process.  


Click here:   Awesome Roy Peter Clark video about storytelling/reporting/writing

Not only is this guy entertaining, he will make you a better writer and reporter.  This will take an hour, but is so worth it.

  • Write a list of his points and explain each on a sheet of paper that you turn into Ms. Greer.  
  • What are the first things he tells you to do regarding the chicken dance and learning something new?

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Nov. 12 Classwork

I am out for a prescheduled training.  Super Saturate today and think about all the tasks we need to get done int he next week for the paper.  Get your reporter notebooks and start interviewing people.  Get the quotes from them accurately.  THAT IS CRITICAL.  Boots on the ground and real beat reporting will save the day.  So start walking and talking.  Shine a light on our school and our students as we have many stories to uncover here . . . so many.

Click here to begin the "be-reporter-game"
Should take 15 minutes -- you may have to register -- this is cool

Click here for caricature thoughts --  everyone, not just Greg, needs to read this

Be sure to watch this video and read the article on drawing the head

Click here for press or propaganda?  This is not unlike what we do.  We will be adding video to everything pretty much.

Click here for cool memory and opinion piece -- can we do something like this?  Not about service exactly, but some other memory . . . any ideas?

Get psyched . . . this publishing business is going to be fun.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md

Monday, November 8, 2010

November 9 assignment -- Journalism

As journalists and smart people, we continue to be hunter gatherers for good stories and possible localized angles for use in Kennedy's newspaper.

Pay for busing? How do you feel about it? How about your peers?

Can we do a story on this?  Is this realistic?  Will it happen?  Do we care?

Russian journalists are endangered?

They are doing work that is super dangerous apparently.  What do I mean by that?  Freedom of speech . . . . don't ever discount that privilege.

And as if we don't have enough to worry about . . . here comes this
Click here for scary news

Do you know NOrman Rockwell's work?

This may be a field trip . . . get familiar with this.  These two film directors are smitten with this artist and the stories he tells in just one panel.  How does the artist do this?

Write that up and send to me at Joanna_G_Greer@mcpsmd.org

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Nov. 8 assignment

If you cannot get access to the NY Times, you must register with them.  It is free and you must get access.  They just want to see who is reading them for advertising rate purposes.

1,  Click here for possible poll for paper
Is this science or misogyny (LOOK UP THIS WORD IF YOU DO NOT KNOW IT)?


2.  Click here for a localized story possibility
How would you do this?  How would we find  out the study habits of JFK students?


3.  Click here for many NY Times videos for possible story ideas

Especially fashion ideas  Make sure that you watch at least six of them.  List them and tell what you learned.

Send all thoughts and insights to joanna_g_greer@mcpsmd.org TODAY.   I won't accept later if you don't do this while you are in class.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Journalism Nov. 5 Classwork

Click here for great radio documentary

I have met these radio producers and William McGee's granddaughter was instrumental in getting this story. They won the silver prize at my audio conference last weekend.  Very powerful.

I want you to listen and then write a review of this for a grade.
Please post to Joanna_G_Greer@mcpsmd.org before the end of class.  You are on deadline.

Thanks, guys.  This will make you smarter and more empathetic.  You will learn the power of sound AND appreciate how one person can start to find out the answers and bring about resolution.  We will talk about this when I return.

Ms. Greer

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

November 4, 2010 Journalism work



  • These are considered the best of slide sound shows.  Watch ALL of them.  Saturate your brain with the best stuff out there.  
  • I want you to analyze at least six of them on paper.  What makes them powerful?  Is it just say and show or there something else going on?  How does it make you feel?  What questions do you have?  What would you ask the subjects?
  • Turn your responses into my sub before the end of class.  Every one of you should watch the one about the walker.  Pay particular attention to the use of sound in all of them.  
  • What do you think they did first?  Pictures or Audio?  Why? (I know the answer because the lady from the New York Times was at my conference last week  ;0)
Ms. Greer
Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Scholastic Journalism Book - Work to do

Read all of Chapter 16, Newspaper Design and Layout

We are going to put out the newspaper come whatever and high water . . . I will be back from the funeral and you will have started the groundwork for our first issue. 

We are shooting for a publication date of Dec 3 or 6 . . . it will depend on when the printer gets it back to us.  First basketball game is Dec. 7, so we need to crank up winter sports coverage and wrap up the season's coverage for fall. 

What all do we need to cover?
Assignments are given out today.  Let's do this.

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Saturday, April 3, 2010

How amateur reporters can change the world via social media


                                                         Television production students edit videos for in-house and the web

Video click here

Questions to ponder:
1. What were the four most important innovations for communication before the web?
2.  How has the communication pattern changed/
3.  What happened with China and news of that country's earthquake?
4.  What was important about Barack Obama's use of the internet and how was it different than China's use?

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Great story on the Mumbai attack wins National Award for Magazine Reporting

Backpack journalist audio interview - award winner
Thirty minute interview with the reporter that is worth the listen.  He likes controlling and shaping the whole package.  Again, you guys are fortunate that the filters that would prevent you from reporting are gone . . . the internet is open to analysis, creativity, hustling the story on your own, and digging for facts.  He talks about that process.  Listen.

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Monday, February 15, 2010

Current Affairs Test Coming February 16

Watch this space.  Posted sixth period tomorrow.  Email answers to: joanna_g_greer@mcpsmd.org.

Not my dog . . .

Ms.Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Randolph Road Sidewalk again

Randolph Road near JFK, February 15, 2010, 11:00 a.m.
School starts back up tomorrow with a two hour delay
How will students navigate this walkway with oncoming traffic?

So how do you find out who is responsible for this sidewalk?  Would you start at the State Highway?  Would you call the mayor?  Do you have a mayor in Wheaton or Silver Spring?  If the neighbors put up a fence and offending sidewalk backs up to their fence, who is responsible?   Is this a state road?  Is the state responsible?  No, maybe, Montgomery County?  The school system?

How far do they have jurisdiction off the road, ten feet?

Find the answers to these questions.  Good reporters find the answers to these questions and more.

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Cool media from The NYTIMES

Move the orange tab

NYTimes Model - Meta - morphosis

There are many more of these model metamorphosis shots.  Explore.  How is the newspaper making sure that you continue on their pages?  Remember clicks are eyeballs on pages which costs the advertisers more money.

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School
Silver Spring, Md

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

RadioLab does it again



Will power and the slacker brain

So what do you think?


Teacher blogs about eating daily school lunches for one year

Why would a teacher care so much about this issue?  What are your thoughts on school lunches?

Could you do something every day and blog about it?  Think Julia and Julia where the young woman cooked something out of Julia Child's recipe book EVERY DAY for ONE WHOLE YEAR.  Gimmick?  You bet.  But people want to see how it turns out.  AND, sometimes you get a book and movie deal.

Ms. Greer
John F. Kennedy High School