Reader's Response #2 & Personal Narrative

1. Opening Moment: Deanna & Julia 
2. Time to read: 15-20 mins 
3. Reader's Response #2 due today
1. Reading Response Groups (15 mins)
1. Dillon, Zoe, Gabby B, Sam
2. Deanna, Julia, Alisha
3. Nick, Joe, Nick (abs), Reilly
4. Kenny, Luke, Gabby T

After book discussions, create a list of questions you would like to ask the authors of the books you are reading. Each group should come up with 2-3 questions for each author. Questions should be focused on the book's subject matter, the author's writing of the book, research done, etc.  Post as a response to this thread...include the name of everyone in your group.

1. Common Application: 650 words! New Prompts!   
2. My Favorite Mistake: Worksheet (Like Prompt #2 on Common App)
3. Huffington Post Article on Essay Writing Advice
4. Second Personality Profile: Where are you in terms of getting an interview?  Deadline is TBD.

Ms. Bennell has given contacts for you to "warm call."  This means you will need explain how you received their information, and how you hope to contact them for an interview.  See the shared googledoc for details.  

What makes a strong essay?

• It's about you, not just the event/situation (Gabby B)
• Humbling situation (GB)
• Funny, uses humor (GB)
• Easy to follow message, "You don't have to be first"
• Clearly understand the author's characteristics ("good sport")
• Understandable why people would want author around (Z/R)
• Unique story (Z/R)
• Not bragging (Z/R)
• Stop when you need to, don't max out word count just to fill space. (NN)
• Let's the reader in on something personal, like family and values (JN)
• Combine important aspects of life to showcase both (KS)
• New topic (AG)
• Good hook (AG)
• Playful, spirited  (JF)
• Short sound-effects only

To be avoided:

• Grammar/spelling: check it
• Don't sound like you haven't moved on
• Focus on you
• Avoid too much dialogue 
• Make sure conclusion matches the point of your essay

Personal Narrative (College Essay) & Personality Profile #2

1. Opening Moment: Gabby B & Deanna 
2. Ms. Bennell has given contacts for you to "warm call."  This means you will need explain how you received their information, and how you hope to contact them for an interview.  See the shared googledoc for details.  
3. Common Application: 650 words! New Prompts!   
4. Examples of a good Reader Response (#2 is due next class)

Example #1: Double-Entry Journal

Quote 1: "Four hundred vertical feet above, where the summit was still washed in bright sunlight under an immaculate cobalt sky, my compadres dallied to memorialize their arrival at the apex of the planet, unfurling flags and snapping photos, using up precious ticks of the clock. None of them knew that a horrible ordeal was drawing nigh. Nobody suspected that by trend of that long day, every minut would matter." pg.9

This quote is from the first chapter, a chapter that talks about the authors time on the summit of Everest. This chapter merely sets the stage for the rest of the book which explains nowhere got to this point, and what happened after. This specific quote is the last paragraph in chapter one and is a good way to end it. I really brings the reader into the story and makes them want to know what happens. For me it was also a really strong quote because it shows how much of extreme climbing is the unknown and sudden changes that take place. And it really showed me how unforgiving Mt. Everest is.

Quote 2: "Once Everest was determined to be the highest summit on earth, it was only a matter of time before people decided that Everest needed to be climbed. After the American explorer Robert Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole in 1909 and Roald Amundsen led a Norwegian party to the South Pole in 1911, Everest–the so called Third Pole–became the most coveted object in the real of terrestrial exploration." pg.14

This passage is from chapter two, in which Krakauer gives a brief history of Everest. This quote stood out because it shows two things, human's need to be first and to conquer nature. The fact that humans want to be the first to do something, or have something is quite obvious if you just look at our societies. One good example of this is that the Guiness World Record book exists. Tis quote also does a great job of showing this phenomena by sayingthatEverest became priority after the North and South Polesr had already been conquered, making them "obsolete." Evidence also presents it self proving that humans want to beat nature, showing that we were, and are, dedicated to discovering and reaching every last piece of land that nature has to offer.

Quote 3: "As I gazed across the sky at the contrail, it occurred to me that the top of Everest was percisely the same height as the pressurized jet bearing me through the heavens. That I proposed to climb to the cruising altitude of an Airbus 300 jetliner struck me, at that moment, as preposterous, or worse. My palms felt clammy." pg.30

It's quote gave me a really good understanding of what hiking Everest entailed. I have read a couple other books about hiking Everest and still didn't have a great idea of what they had to over come, this passage gave me something to judge the mountain by. And I have to say that I have always had a slight want to climb Everest or a similar mountain as most people in the books end up being okay, usually surviving by sheer will, this gave me a false sense that I too might be able to climb the world's tallest mountain. These coupe of sentences though just about brought that just formulating dream almost to a close.

Example #2: Letter to the Author

Letter to the Author of Born To Run

Dear Christopher McDougall,

    Before picking your book to read, I already had intentions of reading your novel regardless of my English assignment. As a runner myself, reading your book, Born To Run, always seemed like a requirement. Both of my track coaches have read your book and suggested it to our team at every chance they got. So when the opportunity finally presented itself, I made sure not to let it pass by.

    I haven't made it that far into your book yet but so far, I have to say it has exceeded my expectations. Before reading your story, I expected a generic but intriguing story about a normal runner and his or her struggles. I was quickly deterred from the initial assumption when I read the first chapter of your book. I was very interested to read of the Tarahumara tribe and the Caballo Blanco. I really liked that you hit the ground running with this book. By that I just mean you began the book with no hesitation into getting into the story of the running tribe, Tarahumara. I was immediately interested from the first chapter and I look forward to reading the rest of your book.

Sincerely,

A reader of your book  

Personality Profile: Professional Careers

Deanna: Medical, MRI
Alisha: Nursing 
Sam: Animal Care/Rescue
Dillon: Acting/ kinesiology/financial planning/insurance 
Kenny: Business (wear a suit!)
Nick O: Engineering/mathematics/history 
Joe N: Marines 
Gabby T: Sports Medicine 
Nick N: Engineering, mechanical (alternative energy)
Reilly: Homemaker/House Organizer 
Zoe: writing/journalism/advertising 
Julie: Large animal vet
Gabby B: Nursing/medical profession 
Chris: (absent)
Luke: Environmental science 

Silent Conversation and Personality Profile First Draft

Silent Conversation and Personality Profile First Draft

Goals and agenda for today:

1. Gabby B Opening Moment
2. Silent Conversation: 
• follow this link to a New York Times article on the dangers of young people playing football: . http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/sports/football/would-i-let-my-son-play-football.html.
• Post a comment to this post that does one of the following:
• agrees/disagrees with something that is being said in the article (reference at least one passage)
• makes a personal connection to your life and experiences (reference at least one passage)
• References the comments of another person- builds off of them, challenges them, agrees with them, etc.
3. Personality Profile reflection
4. Second personality profile assigned: select a person with a career you are interested in and make a time to meet and interview.
5. Reading time

Journalism as a metaphor

Sometimes an interview might be awkward but it isn't impossible

When doing an interview you start off by asking small little questions that break the surface. Then you get into the "big picture" which is the big open ended question that sparks a good interview question. The big interview question is the lit up house and the lights leading to the house are the "scratch the surface" questions. 

The balloon represents how some articles lift us up.
The water represents endless ideas that can come from the mind.
The people represent reflection on what you see.

Check out Nick N's post as well: 
http://nelsonwood.blogspot.com/

    

TGIF!

1. Opening Moment: Zoe

2. Share first draft with interviewee of profile

3. Reading Response #1 (groups posted last time)

4. Set up reading schedule for book.

5. Reading time

Reading Response #1 and Personality Profile Interviews

1. Opening Moment: Dillon
2.  Reading Response Groups (15 mins)
1. Dillon, Zoe, Gabby B
2. Deanna, Julia, Alisha
3. Reilly, Sam, Sarah....all absent
4. Nick, Joe, Nick
5. Kenny, Chris, Luke, Gabby T
3. Partner Interviews (Rest of class)
• Please record your interview on your iPad 

Interviewing for Personality Profile: Starts today

Odds N' Ends:

• Please check out the calendar for upcoming assignments and your opening moments.

• Add something new to your blog!
• Go to "design" in upper right corner
• Layout (left sidebar)
• Try adding a gadget like:
• image
• slideshow
• poll
• profile
• list 

Hearst Journalism Awards:
The Hearst Journalism Awards Program, was founded in 1960, to provide support, encouragement, and assistance to journalism education at the college and university level. The program awards scholarships to students for outstanding performance in college-level journalism, with matching grants to the students' schools.

Links to Hearst Journalism Award Winners: Visit the section marked Personality/Profile.  Feel free to look at other years as well.


Blog Entry #3 (Three Questions)---write in class today.

1. Which personality profile did you read?  Please link to it.
2. What questions must the interviewer have asked in order to gain the story written?
3. Reflect on what makes a personality profile distinctly different from a hard news (front page of the paper stuff) article?

Interviewing Partners:

Dillon & Reilly
Gabby T & Nick N
Julia & Deanna
Nick O & Luke
Alisha & Sarah
Joe & Gabby B
Sam & Chris
Zoe & Kenny

1 1/2-2 page (approx. 375-500 words) personality profile is due next class. 

Interviewing!

Goals:

1. Learn the basics of interviewing.  Create "vines" of each important step with a partner.
2. Get a partner to interview (random!)
3. Begin background information and question development for next class

For example personality/profiles visit: http://hearstfdn.org/hearst_journalism/championship.php?year=2013

Opening Moment Example

I was driving home from work the other day and caught a portion of an interview on Fresh Air (90.1 NPR) with Jimmy Fallon.  I love Jimmy Fallon...Fever Pitch, SNL, Late Night.  It's all great.  He was being interviewed by Terry Gross, an award winning journalist, about his transition into the Tonight Show this coming year.

Gross is able to create a candid conversation with Fallon as he talks about his career, family, and his journey to stardom.  I enjoyed the back story to performing as Neil Young with Bruce Springsteen (see video below) and his unabashed struggles to learn how to interview.  I think the 38 minute interview is entertaining, but if you're in a rush the 3:15-4:29 clip discusses how he prepared to become and interviewer.

Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/29/214910159/late-night-thank-you-notes-from-jimmy-fallon

Entertaining Video cited in Interview:
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/neil-young-and-bruce-springsteen-whip-my-hair/n16435/

Opening Moments, Non Fiction Book Choices, Blog Post #2

Goals for today:

1. Pass in, digitally, your All About You paper.  We will create shared Google Folders--please name it "Last Name, First Name" and share with me.  
2. Opening Moment example and sign ups.
3. Look at Non-Fiction Journalism Reading Responses Project
4. Visit library for books!
5. Blog Post #2: What do you think goes into having a successful interview? What do you think makes a good interview question? You may use a combination of personal experiences an online resources to help answer these questions. If you use online resources, please cite them.   1-2 paragraphs.  
1. Next Step: Visit and read someone else's Blog Post #2 and ask them a "good interview question."
2. Reply to questions you get asked :)

Grading of Blogs:

+ = 100

Assignment is done completely and thoroughly.  Knowledge of topic is demonstrated in a complex manner with evidence of critical thinking.

✔+ = 92

Assignment is done completely and knowledge of topic is demonstrated.

✔ = 84

Assignment is done, but may not be completed thoroughly and/or missing components.

✔- = 76

Assignment is only partially completed and/or shows incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the topic.

- = 68

Incomplete, carelessly done, or unacceptably vague answers.

* In our shared google folder, I have put a list of books that would work well for this project.  Our library has the ones that are highlighted yellow.

Writing Assignment #1: What is Journalism? & Blog Set Up

Step #1: Reply to Ms. Peterson's email with your blog address

Step #2: The first post to your new blog is to explore what journalism means to you.  Some directions you can take this prompt include (but you are not limited to):

• What does journalism look like?
• Is there "good" or "bad" journalism?
• Where do you see journalism in your life?
• Talk about journalists you pay attention to.
• Why are you interested in journalism?
• What are you curious to learn more about in terms of this class? Journalism in general?

150-200 words.

Welcome bloggers!

Journalism is all about audience.  Journalists are constantly testing the waters of the world around them to figure out ...what do people care about?  What should they care about?  What do we need them to care about?  Their job depends on them being able to understand and capture an audience.

This blog will be our chance navigate this very challenge.  Our audience? Each other (and Ms. Leavitt's  journalism class).  It will be your opportunity to share the information you uncover---note: this isn't just information you already know, this class is about discovery.  

You'll be writing to make all of us think, question, and smile.  Good luck journalists; may the odds ever be in your favor.