October 29 -- Today's work -- Read and write for 15 pts formative

You need to read the following and then write a paragraph on three of them. That is THREE paragraphs. What did you learn from this?

Why Apple wants to bust your phone

Warily, Schools Watch Students on the Internet

New Jersey School District Cancels Testing After Exams Are Leaked on the Internet

A Bid to Keep Youths Out of Adult Prisons

Now, a Kiss Isn’t Just a Kiss ("Why do we lock lips in romantic relationships? It’s complicated...")

The International Fate of ‘12 Years’ ("The movie industry is waiting to see if “12 Years a Slave,” a story focusing on an African-American, can garner a global audience.")

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

October 24 -- Today's assignment

There are stories everywhere. This one was written by a student about a squirrel problem on the high school's campus in California. There was MUCH revision. The adviser made the reporter find experts on squirrel behavior. This is a very successful story in that it brings information to the reader that they did not have. The reporter stuck to it and doggedly dug up the facts to make this a worthwhile reading investment for their school.

THAT IS YOUR JOB. FIND. DIG. REPORT.

Also note that the photo was particularly good with this story. The photographer took the time to get down to the squirrel's level. Can't you imagine all the mundane and boring shots you could have from above of a bunch of squirrels? This photos invites you to really look at this little guy and then might have you think about the world from his perspective. He wants to get ready for the winter in spite of living on a high school campus.

Kennedy High School has a ton of stories in it. I constantly hear that there aren't any. Then I see copy that has really boring quotes. The secret to reporting is this. TALK TO PEOPLE AND REALLY LISTEN. Then follow-up, follow-up, follow-up. There are so many things we do not know that are interesting. REPORT THEM!

Today: We are building our brand with the parade. We are having a team-building activity. This is a grade.

October 21 - First Amendment Game and Assignment for today

Click here for the First amendment game.

Play this game so you understand the First Amendment and how it applies to you, the student journalist.

WRITE A couple of paragraphs explaining what you learned from this game for 10 pts. Turn in at end of period.

Click here for the link to the Student Press Law Center. They help student journalists when they get in trouble with press freedoms, etc.

Ms. Greer

Silver Spring, Md.

October 7 - Ethical Guidelines for our Newspaper (15 pts formative)

You read chapter 22 in the textbook.

Now you need to write up with a partner what you think our ethics policy should be for our newspaper. We will need to combine this and refine it and add to our website.

You have Mr. Kirk's article to turn in.

You have this ethics piece to do.

You have a news article to do in a Maestro group (which I will assign).

The paper is seriously coming together.

We need a story on open mic (Vicky) and the football game over Wheaton. Today> Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

October 3, 2013 - Work and Homework

Today we are going to have a mini-press conference. We will mike the interviewee and you will have access to the audio through the Buffalo server (like we did with Mr. Rubens).

Additionally, you will receive a Scholastic Journalism book and you are responsible for Chapter 22 (page 365) on ethics for student journalists.

After some work on different scenarios and review, we will have a quiz on this chapter. Any words you don't know, look up. That is good practice for reading in college (or anywhere, for that matter).

Read this article on how journalism has failed democracy in America. What are the issues they raise?

What is the role of a journalist? Have you thought about that? What is your role here in the school as a student journalist?

Think about this as you read the chapter in our textbook.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.