Warwick School District

Course Description

This elective course is for students interested in expanding their skills in journalism. Students are responsible for editing and producing the school newspaper. Students will continue to improve writing and information gathering skills. Additional topics include editorial writing, law and ethics, and journalism careers. Students may assume leadership positions for the school newspaper. This course requires a C or better in Journalism I.

Core Curriculum Content Standards

PA Common Core: English Language Arts (2013)

• Reading Informational Text: Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension, making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.

• GRADES 9-10

• Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.(1.2.9-10.A)
• Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences and conclusions based on an author’s explicit assumptions and beliefs about a subject.(1.2.9-10.B)
• Apply appropriate strategies to analyze, interpret, and evaluate how an author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.(1.2.9-10.C)
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade level reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies and tools.(1.2.9-10.K)
• Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.(1.2.9-10.L)

• Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.

• GRADES 9-10

• Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately.(1.4.9-10.A)
• Write with a sharp distinct focus identifying topic, task, and audience.(1.4.9-10.B)
• Develop and analyze the topic with relevant, well-chosen, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic; include graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.(1.4.9-10.C)
• Organize ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text; include formatting when useful to aiding comprehension; provide a concluding statement or section.(1.4.9-10.D)
• Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and spelling.(1.4.9-10.E)
• Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of composition.-Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.-Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms of the discipline in which they are writing.-Establish and maintain a formal style.(1.4.9-10.F)
• Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics.(1.4.9-10.G)
• Write with a sharp distinct focus identifying topic, task, and audience.-Introduce the precise claim.(1.4.9-10.H)
• Distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims; develop claim(s) fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.(1.4.9-10.I)
• Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and spelling.(1.4.9-10.L)
• Use narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, reflection, multiple plot lines, and pacing, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters; use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, settings, and/or characters.(1.4.9-10.O)
• Create a smooth progression of experiences or events using a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole; provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.(1.4.9-10.P)
• Write with an awareness of the stylistic aspects of writing.-Use parallel structure.-Use various types of phrases and clauses to convey meaning and add variety and interest.(1.4.9-10.Q)
• Demonstrate a grade appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and spelling.(1.4.9-10.R)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research, applying grade level reading standards for literature and literary non-fiction.(1.4.9-10.S)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.(1.4.9-10.T)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.(1.4.9-10.U)
• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.(1.4.9-10.V)
• Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.(1.4.9-10.W)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences.(1.4.9-10.X)

• Speaking and Listening: Students present appropriately in formal speaking situations, listen critically, and respond intelligently as individuals or in group discussions.

• GRADES 9-10

• Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grades level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.(1.5.9-10.A)
• Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g. visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.(1.5.9-10.B)
• Evaluate a speaker’s perspective, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.(1.5.9-10.C)
• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English when speaking based on grade 9-10 level and content.(1.5.9-10.G)

Units

Unit #1 - Introduction to the Course

Unit #2 - Layout and Design and Understanding Typography

Unit #3 - Online Publication

Unit #4 - Photojournalism, Graphics and Caption Writing

Unit #5 - The Personality Profile

Unit #6 - Opinion Writing: Columns, Reviews, and Editorials

Unit #7 - Sports Writing

Unit #8 - Ethics in Journalism

Unit #9 - In-Depth Reporting