Write, Write...and Write Some More!

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gent!

Once again I am away from the classroom. Today's hat that I have on is entitle "Praxis III Assessor," which simply means that I am assessing a new teacher so that she might obtain her "real" teacher's license.

While I am away...please work on the following:

1. Starting Friday, three of you will present per day your assigned journalist. Please respond in the comment section below and let me know which three will be presenting on Friday...thanks!
2. Let's get back in vocab mode...list three for Friday. Okay?
3. Write those stories! Need Quiz Bowl today! Please email me that story! Just received a photo of them competing this past weekend.
4. Swim story needed! Have photos we can use
5. Who's writing the track story? Anyone? Have photos...need story about recent meets and trophies they have received.
6. Other stories needed! Still have some space in this paper...hope to print on Friday afternoon!
7. So, yes! Write, write...and then write some more! Will have next paper's pages ready for you to begin placing to on Friday.

Hope everyone is having a grand day! Enjoy! Please leave me a comment below so I'll know that you read this blog post!

While the Teacher Is Away...

No, you may not play! Sorry, we must make more progress!

Paper will go to print on Friday. We will bind on Monday and then distribute. Okay?

Please do not make any changes to the newspaper pages as I have the final layouts with me. Need to make a change? Please email me the information or leave me a comment here.

In the meantime...

1. Work on your stories. Be a pest...bug your interviewees!
2. Finalize both of your journalist presentations. You will present both of them next week in the order of age, with the oldest journalist being presented first.
3. Let's create a printable Public Service Announcement/advertisement (PSA). Each of you should choose a different topic. Check here for a list of topics. Might peruse the Batesville Guard or other newspaper for such advertisements for layout and content suggestions.

Thanks for all you do!

Challenge after Challenge!

Despite the server being down and little computer access the past two weeks, we will publish!

To-Do List:

1. Continue interviewing.
2. Begin writing the stories.
3. Plan your layouts.
4. Print and pubish.
5. Celebrate!

Thankful for Deadlines?

One more class and then Thanksgiving Break!

May we complete this newspaper and send to print while we take a break and enjoy turkey?

Remember to print your page today!

Please read here where I blogged about you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Layout Tips

Our goal this week is to layout our first newspaper. Good news! We have more stories than we need in some areas!

Reminder: Write those sports stories!

Tips to Consider:

• Make sure your headline has a strong, active verb.
• Byline is the first line of each story.
• Remember to justify your stories.
• Proof!
• Proof one more time!

Photo Questions:

• Which story will have the dominant photo?
• Has the picture been taken?
• No? Let's make plans!

Advertisements:

• Study ad layouts in other newspapers.
• Create your assigned advertisements.
• Check the contracts to ensure you include all that was requested.

New stories?

• Yes, it is time to begin work on the next batch of stories!
• I will make assignments on Monday.

I hope you have a grand week!

National Newspaper Week

Uh, oh! We have almost missed this week-long event! That's right...this week is National Newspaper Week (October 5-11).

So, who's to say we can't celebrate National Newspaper Week next week? Talk amongst yourselves and develop a plan to promote The Spirit of the Pioneer. A poster? A banner? An announcement? A jingle? A dance of eight (yes, that's how many reporters we have!) in the Commons?

Click here to access some resources. Then leave me a comment here as to what you decide.

Now read the next post to see what else I left for you to do!

Just Your Opinion Please!

Okay, I want your opinion...based on the facts, of course!

As you know, I am not here today (Friday, Oct. 10)....I am at a meeting in Little Rock.

Please accomplish this today:

1. Write an editorial (yes, give me your opinion!) on the candidate of your choice for President of the United States using facts, statistics, and research to back your opinion. If you research the candidate, plan to hyperlink to your source(s) or directly refer to the source within your editorial.
2. Complete the corrections on your "main news" and "sports" stories. Place those final stories within your "Final Stories" file.
3. Sports story drafts are due today.
4. When all this is completed, you may "play" with your Indesign hard-copy newspaper page.
5. Lilly, your story is to interview all the senior Homecoming maids and write a feature on them. Please read the next blog entry on writing interview questions. When you have your interview questions ready, ask one of the other reporters to go with you to Mrs. Diane's office to find out where these girls are and deliver your questions.

Please view the online newspaper. Halli is now a published author!

Keep up the good work! We will publish the rest of you next week!