What I think they need to learn

Journalism I objectives

Students will write articles in the major journalistic genres. Students will collect information, judge sources based on authenticity and reliability, conduct fact-finding and in-depth interviews. Students will present this information accurately and honestly in articles that are informative, interesting, and grammatically correct.

Students will develop an awareness of current events by reading and summarizing several national and local news articles each week.

Students will examine articles from professional media for bias and spin. Given statistical data, students will present the same data from several different perspectives to show an understanding of how information can be accurate yet misleading.

Students will analyze advertisements in various media to show an understanding of target audiences and different persuasive techniques.

Students will compare the effect of photographs that use the elements of photographic composition (lighting, angle, focus, depth of field, etc.) in different ways.

Students will compare action and reaction candid photographs and create a list of guidelines for obtaining good candid shots.

Students will use Photoshop to format photographs and show a basic understanding of the program.

Students will use InDesign to arrange and modify page elements on a template.

Journalism II objectives

Students will write articles in the major journalistic genres. Students will collect information, judge sources based on authenticity and reliability, conduct fact-finding and in-depth interviews. Journalism II articles will clearly demonstrate voice and perspective while remaining accurate, honest, interesting, and grammatically correct.

Students will further develop their awareness of current events by connecting, comparing, and synthesizing several related news articles each week.

Students will create appealing, persuasive advertisements that show an understanding of target audiences and persuasive technique.

Students will experiment with the elements of photographic composition and analyze the results for artistry and effectiveness.

Students will use the Journalism I guidelines to take action and reaction candid photographs and share the results with the Journalism I students. Together, the Journalism I and II students will revise the guidelines.

Students will use Photoshop to modify a photograph artistically in several different ways, demonstrating advanced understanding of the program.

Students will design clean, appealing layouts that show familiarity with modular newspaper design and grid-based yearbook design, and an advanced understanding of InDesign as a layout program.