Sept 30 -- TV Production Assignments

Today, I want you to listen to this podcast and take notes about what you hear. This is Radiolab, one of the best podcasts made today. Listen to how they layer audio. Write up your impressions and turn in by Monday. 10 pts.

You will also get a project to edit on the volleyball team.

This is to be cut to :30 seconds OR :60 seconds. It should be fast cut (meaning lots of cuts) and it must be on the beat of the music.

It will be due at the end of the period. 20 pts.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

Video Assignment : C-Span Competition

C-Span runs a video competition for high school and middle school. The prizes are amazing. Money. Money you get to keep. It is also something to put on your resume.

Many students have won this competition from this area, especially Eastern Middle School and Blair.

No reason we can't give it a shot.

Here is what some other students thought of their experience and their advice to you.

Here is a the 2015 East Coast winner (students were from Blake and Sherwood). How much money did they win?

We are going to discuss this today.

You need to think about the question posed and write up your thoughts.

Write it up before the end of the period. Writing helps you form an opinion and solidify your thinking.

Ms. Greer,/br> Silver Spring, Md.

Sept 18 -- Becoming a Better Reporter

Yesterday I heard this piece on NPR's All Things Considered (WAMU 88.5 on your FM dial). It had such a rich sound that I wanted to share. I could understand the refugee crisis in Europe so much better. Please listen here.

I also looked at The New York Times article and found a video embedded in the site that helped me understand the crisis in an immediate and visceral way. Click here to see this.

Class discussion about being better reporters now commences. What say you?

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

September 15 -- Assignment for Journalism (10 pts.)

Homecoming parade preparations are beginning.

Homecoming will be here before we know it and we will have many stories to do.

HOWEVER, FIRST DO THESE THINGS.

Click here so you can register to do this game. DO THE GAME and report your score somewhere on the paper that you do with assignment below.

Also, set up a student account with the Newseum. Click here to do this.

Tomorrow we will talk about staff organization, schedule and staff jobs.

Also, we will be doing current events quizzes starting on Friday. They won't be bad. In the meantime, check out this video and write up (by hand as printer is not connected for some reason) a paragraph with your takeaway on what video means to you. Show analysis/thought. Turn in to Mr. Brewer.

Ms. Greer
Silver Spring, Md.

Assignment -- Localizing Stories -- Your plan in writing (15 pts)

Caption: Ms. Greer's daughter's cat, Pierre, gets relaxed in his new house.

The above has nothing to do with your assignment and is a bad example of a photo in a written piece. DO NOT DO THIS.

So, your assignment is to localize a story.

Here is an example of a story that I would localize. By localize, I mean look at national stories and try to figure out how to make it "local" here at Kennedy.

I would be all over this story (click here).

You need to look at the following three newspapers to see what is trending:

The New York Times

The Washington Post

The Wall Street Journal

You can check your Twitter feed, Instagram, Yahoo, and other sources like CNN, etc.

You need to research and pick out three stories you can localize.

Explain how you would do that and who you would talk to besides random students in the hall. Find people who are relevant and have gravitas with the story. If story on counseling issues, talk to a counselor. Attendance issues, talk to the Attendance secretary and maybe Mr. Gyimah or teachers who have strong opinions about kids missing school, etc.

I want a link to the story AND your WRITTEN plan on how to localize this story.

Ms. Greer,
Silver Spring, Md.

Malcolm Johnson - Kennedy Grad now a Fox News Reporter Assignment (10 pts)

Here is the link to our speaker tomorrow. Click here to see his reel.

Click here to see the CNN story that is about the girl and her truck with the Confederate flags.

HERE IS ANOTHER ONE.

BE THINKING OF QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO ASK HIM. TURN FIVE GREAT QUESTIONS IN TO ME TOMORROW BEFORE CLASS. KEEP A COPY FOR YOURSELF. NO YES OR NO ANSWEW QUESTIONS. (10 PTS).

MS. GREER

SILVER SPRING, Maryland

September 1 -- Journalism Assignment (15 pts)

You are going to look at all the following papers. Make extensive notes about what you notice on each website. PLEASE NOTE: write this on paper as the printer is not connected to your account in this classroom yet.

These are online newspapers you need to check out and write a critique.

How is the photography? Do they go outside their school to do stories? How is their sports coverage? What did you especially think was good/engaging? What did you not like?

Really use your time in here to examine them. They are:

The Paly Voice

Silverchips

The Pitch

Wilson High School, DC

Now Wilson High's student journalists are in the middle of a fight with the principal over their First Amendment rights. See the story here.

Define "prior review." What do you think it means in the context of the above story?

Due at the end of class. Ms. Greer

Silver Spring, Md.