Journalism: Mrs. Zumbach: Room 16

WCA Journalism Syllabus EL103-6

6th Period

Instructor Tracey Zumbach

(Special thanks to Angie Hood for her patient mentoring, support, and use of some of her teaching resources)  

Course Content

This WCA Journalism course is designed to be a lab class to produce the WCA high school newspaper The Westminster Cross-Examiner.  This course will also explore opportunities in the field of journalism while students will learn solid reporting, writing and editing skills, layout and computer skills, photography skills and consider our responsibility as Christian journalists.  There will be set deadlines for news articles and deadlines for advertising sales along with set publication dates for The Westminster Cross-Examiner.

You will learn how to use Adobe Pagemaker software and will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in laying out newspaper pages. You will also be expected to learn how to take good photographs.  All students will be asked to sell advertising to fund the newspaper.

Materials

 

There is no textbook but there will be handouts that will cover topics taught.  Copies of the AP Stylebook will be available in the classroom.

 

I will provide you with a three ring binder

Five dividers

Notebook paper

Pencils or pens

 

The notebook of work will be divided into five sections:

 

The first section will contain all your work including reporting notes/interviews and completed articles and photos.  You will also keep notes you take when we have guest speakers.

 

The second section will be the calendar where you write in detail what you did during the production period for each edition of the newspaper.  The editor of the paper will include production meeting notes and assignments in this section of his/her notebook.

 

The third section will be for advertising including all contacts you made/ads you sold.

 

The fourth section will be the student critique of the editions, and self-evaluation forms.

 

The last section will be for handouts, forms, articles, and returned quizzes.

Classroom Expectations

By nature, journalism is a highly interactive class that will require dedication and commitment to producing the newspaper. You will be expected to demonstrate a good attitude and respectful behavior at all times. You need to bring creativity and an enthusiasm for writing to this class and a willingness to tackle new or challenging jobs.

WCA would like to see our newspaper become an award-winning publication. This will only happen if each member of the staff makes a100% commitment to doing their best.

Please be aware of the WCA attendance policy and how it impacts work missed/due while you may be absent. I follow the policy as it is stated in the WCA handbook.

Deadlines:

We’ll publish 4 newspapers this school year (two papers each semester) and each student will submit 16 articles for the entire year and a “to be determined” number of ads and photos based on the final size of our staff.

Weekly Article deadlines: due at the beginning of class on the following dates: (dates are subject to change)

Article

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Rough

8/22

9/5

9/19

10/3

10/24

11/7

11/21

12/5

1/16

1/30

2/13

2/27

3/12

4/2

4/16

5/7

Final

8/29

9/12

9/26

10/17

10/31

11/14

11/28

12/12

1/23

2/6

2/20

3/5

3/26

4/9

4/23

5/14

Ad, Photo, and Layout Deadlines/ publication dates

Sept.26/Sept.28

Oct.31/Nov.2

Dec.12/Dec.14

Feb.13/Feb.15

April 9/April 11

May 14/May 16

Grades:

1.  In class writing exercises

2.  Deadline grades: All or nothing.  You will get a 100 if you meet your deadline of the beginning of class on the days listed previously, a 0 if you miss the deadline.  Some evidence of work, despite any problem that comes up, will be required.  Meeting a deadline is one of the most important tenants of journalism.  Stories must be submitted from your WCA student email account.

3. A Story Content grade will be given on the final draft of your article.  There will be a rubric for story content that will be given for your notebook.

4.  Notebook grade: an end of quarter check will determine this grade at the end of each quarter.  There will be a list given in advance of info included in the notebook check.

5.  Quarterly Citizenship evaluation by instructor

 

The Story rubric will include:

 

Lead of the story

Length of story

Number of quotes, correct attribution

AP style

Subjective evaluation: effort, enthusiasm, journalistic integrity, cooperation, excellence in position.

 

The Ad rubric:

Number of contacts

Number of Ad contracts

 

Course Outline:

Course description EL103 - Journalism

 

Defining news

 

Defining Christian World View

 

Examining the slant of national and local newspaper and network news.  Considering the “fair and balanced” rule for journalists.

Considering the acceptance of secular world view concepts like evolution in national media

 

Overview of Journalism 

 

We will cover the types of media available and how to keep a Christian World view as you work in secular, modern media.

 

Print- newspaper 

Review and critique local papers:   HSV TIMES, Madison County Record, Speakin Out News, Redstone Rocket

 

Print- magazine Tennessee Valley Christian Family Magazine, Growing Up magazine

Broadcast- radio   stations with news: WOCG, WAHR

Broadcast- TV news, sports, weather at three network stations…

Broadcast –cable CNN, CBN, TBN, Comedy Central

Internet-   Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, USA TODAY

 

Photography

Public Relations

 

Christianity and Journalism:  Keeping your faith, representing Christ while working in a secular news department and working for the Lord in Christian journalism as a ministry.  

 

The Newsroom:  see actual newsrooms in action- tour Times and Channel 19

 

Components of Journalism

 

Reporting  :

Gathering information-who, what, when, where, why and how questions

 

Interviewing techniques

 

Shooting still photos

 

Beat reporting: police, fire, local and state government, courts,

 

Specialized reporting: sports, weather, features, business,  obituaries, politics

 

Handling surveys

 

Organizing a news story:

 

Writing is essential for good journalism, so this class includes weekly writing exercises and those will lead to weekly story production.

 

Writing leads

Organizing a news story-inverted pyramid

Quotes and attribution

Sources

Writing print style- writing broadcast style.  Consider the difference of newspaper style and broadcast style

 

Editing Using AP Style

 

Other types of journalism:

Columns/Editorials/Cartoons: the only place where opinion has a place

 

Journalist’s responsibilities beyond writing:

 

LAW  basics of media law

Understanding libel and slander

Reviewing national standard court decisions

 

Ethics

Your responsibility to God

Your responsibility to society

Your responsibility to your news organization

 

About me:

 

I am excited to be teaching journalism at WCA and I know God will bless us with a productive year full of growth and learning.  This will be my 9th year at WCA.  Please email me at Tracey.Zumbach@wca-hsv.org with any questions or comments.  I check email throughout the day and will respond quickly by email.