Standards:

Standard 3: Media Analysis

Students analyze and evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of news and information found in print, on the internet, and in other media.

• JNR 3.1 Analyze news stories and reports that focus on specific issues, people, and events for the following qualities: importance or amount of space or time, proximity or nearness, timeliness or immediacy, prominence or names, conflict, consequence, or impact, variety, human interest, or humor.
• JNR 3.2 Analyze and evaluate news stories, feature stories and columns (human interest, profile/personality, sports, in-depth, special occasion, humor, sidebars), op-ed pages, commentaries, and editorials in local, national, international newspapers and magazines as well as online news sources (electronic copy, blogs, convergence) for: accuracy, balance, fairness, proper attribution, and truthfulness or credibility.

Instructions:

First, view this video for inspiration for this course. 

We will first explore the question: “What is News?”

Take notes on the following presentation. You will need to apply these notes in your update.

What is News?

Now, how do you filter “fake news”?

Comment:

What do you believe is the most important element of news? Why?

Update:

Find an article about a current event that was published over the last seven days. Identify if the article has ALL eight of the elements of news and explain. Please link the article in your update, as well as making the title of your update the title of the article you analyzed.

Standards: 

Standard 1: Historical Perspectives

Students understand the function, history, and development of a free and independent press in the United States.

• JRN 1.2 Explain the role of the free press, such as the publication of the Federalist Papers, in the passage of the Constitution of the United States of America and in the eventual addition of the Bill of Rights.

Standard 2: Law and Ethics

Students understand and apply knowledge of legal and ethical principles related to the functioning of a free and independent press in the United States

• JNR 2.1 Compare and contrast the rights, the responsibilities, and the role played by a free, independent press in a democratic society to maintain accuracy, balance, fairness, objectivity, and truthfulness.
• JNR 2.2 Analyze how the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights, along with federal and state case law, affect the rights and responsibilities of the press.
• JNR 2.3 Describe the impact of key Supreme Court decisions affecting student expression and the student press.

Instructions:

Now that you know what makes something news, we need to look into our rights as journalists.

Task #1: 

View this Crash Course video. 

Task #2:

Become familiar with the first amendment.

First Amendment: An Overview

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression from government interference. It prohibits any laws that establish a national religion, impede the free exercise of religion, abridge the freedom of speech, infringe upon the freedom of the press, interfere with the right to peaceably assemble, or prohibit citizens from petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. It was adopted into the Bill of Rights in 1791. The Supreme Court interprets the extent of the protection afforded to these rights. The First Amendment has been interpreted by the Court as applying to the entire federal government even though it is only expressly applicable to Congress. Furthermore, the Court has interpreted the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as protecting the rights in the First Amendment from interference by state governments.

Freedom of Speech / Freedom of the Press

The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without government interference or regulation. The Supreme Court requires the government to provide substantial justification for the interference with the right of free speech where it attempts to regulate the content of the speech. Generally, a person cannot be held liable, either criminally or civilly for anything written or spoken about a person or topic, so long as it is truthful or based on an honest opinion, and such statements.

A less stringent test is applied for content-neutral legislation. The Supreme Court has also recognized that the government may prohibit some speech that may cause a breach of the peace or cause violence. For more on unprotected and less protected categories of speech see advocacy of illegal action, fighting words, commercial speech, and obscenity. The right to free speech includes other mediums of expression that communicate a message. The level of protection speech receives also depends on the forum in which it takes place.

Despite the popular misunderstanding, the right to freedom of the press guaranteed by the First Amendment is not very different from the right to freedom of speech. It allows an individual to express themselves through publication and dissemination (spreading of information). It is part of the constitutional protection of freedom of expression. It does not afford members of the media any special rights or privileges not afforded to citizens in general.

Using your new knowledge of the first amendment, watch the movie The Post to view the first amendment in action. The trailer for the movie is below.

Comment:

Now that we have viewed The Post, discuss your opinion on the publishing of the Pentagon Papers. Would you have printed if you were Katharine Graham? Consider our in-class discussion after viewing the film, and your own opinions using your prior knowledge of the situation and what you learned from the film. Finally, be sure to address both sides of the argument in your post.

Update:

As you have seen in the film The Post, there are many controversial Supreme Court cases regarding the 1st Amendment. The Pentagon Papers was one of the most famous because of the large scale effect it had on the journalism world. Now that you have discussed this case in class and through a discussion post, you will start exploring other influential cases.

This is a speaking and listening assignment, so you must make a video-recorded update highlighting the following topics about a supreme court case of your choice involving the first amendment:

1. When did the case happen?
2. Where did the case happen?
3. Who did it involve?
4. Why was the case brought into the judicial system?
5. Any other factors you find important.
6. What was the ruling/What did the court decide?

Comment on three of your classmates supreme court cases.

Standards: 

Standard 6: Technology and Design

Students use principles, elements, tools, and techniques of media design to analyze, navigate, and create effective, aesthetically pleasing media formats.

• JNR 6.4 Use photography, art, or graphic art to accompany copy, enhance readability, and appeal to a variety of audiences.

Instructions:

In this update, we will explore what the writing process looks like for photo captioning.

Task #1: Take notes on how to write captions for photos.

How to Caption Photos

Task #2: Complete the following caption assignment utilizing what you learned in the notes above.

Caption this Photo

Comment:

What are the benefits and problems with photo captioning in journalism?

Update:

Make an update including a photo of your choice (taken by you or found on the internet) and create a caption for that photo using your notes on photo captioning. Then comment on three other classmates’ posts.

Standards:

Standard 4: Journalistic Writing Processes

Students discuss ideas for writing with others. They write coherent and focused stories that demonstrate well-researched information, appropriate journalistic structure and style, and a tightly reasoned flow of ideas. Students progress through stages of journalistic writing processes.

• JNR 4.1 Discuss ideas for writing with classmates, teachers, other writers, or community members.
• JNR 4.3 Ask clear interview questions to guide a balanced and unbiased information-gathering process that includes: researching background information, formulating questions that elicit valuable information, observing and recording details during the interview, effectively concluding the interview, double-checking information before writing the story, and keeping dated notes or interview records on file.
• JNR 4.6 Select and use an appropriate journalistic style for writing to inform, entertain, persuade, and transmit cultural context and climate that includes: short, focused sentences and paragraphs, varied word usage and descriptive vocabulary, active voice verbs, specific word choice to avoid jargon and vague language.

Instructions:

In this update, you will learn about the interviewing and reporting process.

Task #1:

Take notes on the following processes:

Interviewing

The Interviewing Process

Reporting

The Reporting Process

Task #2

View this ESPN interview with Tom Brady. Note what the interviewer is doing throughout the interview.

Comment:

What did you notice during the Tom Brady interview from the reporter and from Tom? Explain your thoughts about your findings.

Update:

Interview a person of your choice about a topic of your choice. Share the interview transcript and/or recording you will create while interviewing your person. Then, share your thoughts about how the interview went and what surprised you about this interview. Finally, comment on three other classmates' updates.

Standards:

Standard 4: Journalistic Writing Processes

Students discuss ideas for writing with others. They write coherent and focused stories that demonstrate well-researched information, appropriate journalistic structure and style, and a tightly reasoned flow of ideas. Students progress through stages of journalistic writing processes.

• JNR 4.1 Discuss ideas for writing with classmates, teachers, other writers, or community members.
• JNR 4.3 Ask clear interview questions to guide a balanced and unbiased information-gathering process that includes: researching background information, formulating questions that elicit valuable information, observing and recording details during the interview, effectively concluding the interview, double-checking information before writing the story, and keeping dated notes or interview records on file.

• JNR 4.6 Select and use an appropriate journalistic style for writing to inform, entertain, persuade, and transmit cultural context and climate that includes: short, focused sentences and paragraphs, varied word usage and descriptive vocabulary, active voice verbs, specific word choice to avoid jargon and vague language.​

• JRN.4.8 Evaluate and revise the content of copy for meaning, clarity, and purpose.

• JRN.4.9 Revise and edit copy to improve sentence variety and style and to enhance subtlety of meaning and tone in ways that are consistent with purpose, audience, and journalistic form.

   

Instructions:

In this update, you will learn how to write a News Article.

Task #1:

Take note of what different components make up an article in the notes below.

How to Write a Story

Task #2:

Find your own article from the past seven days and identify all of the components of a news article in the article you found. Submit this document to the digital platform.

News Elements

Comment:

What are the components of an article? What one do you believe is the most important and why?

Update:

Create an update highlighting the main ideas of what makes a successful article. Comment on three other classmates' posts to see if you have similar thoughts/ideas.

Create your own article about something happening at our school. You must interview a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior student, as well as a teacher. You should submit transcripts and/or recordings from each of your interviews with your article. Your article must be 1000 words and include a comment from each of your interviewees.

For more specific details, view the rubric below.

Article Rubric

Using the rubric below, read and annotate THREE of your classmates’ articles. This peer review should focus on both critiques and celebrations.

Rubric

Self-assess your article using the rubric below.

Article Rubric

Provide your instructor feedback on the course.

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