Publish a School Newspaper and Meet TAKS Writing Objectives

1. Publish a School Newspaper and Meet TAKS Writing Objectives Michael Connolly West University Elementary School Houston ISD http:es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

2. What are the TAKS Writing Objectives? • TAKS Writing Rubric from the TEA website • http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/taks/rubrics/ //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

3. Focus and Coherence Organization Development of Ideas Voice Conventions Five W’s Inverted pyramid style Smart Research: Open interview questions Follow-up questions Editorial Writing Proofreading, rewriting, spell check, grammar check Parallels between good journalism and TAKS writing requirements //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

4. Getting Started • Hardware and Software Needed • Organizing time, students and files • Find other teachers that will support your work //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

5. Software/Hardware Writing Editing images Photos Scanning Publishing Microsoft Word Adobe PhotoDeluxe Digital camera Epson Perfection 124OU Microsoft Publisher //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

6. Class time Advantages Don’t have to work late Don’t have to worry about students getting picked up Partner with other teachers Disadvantages Less enthusiasm After school Club time Advantages High Interest Same group of students overtime Disadvantages Work late Have to worry about students getting picked up First Steps: Decide when to meet //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

7. After School Club Get approval from principal. Decide time and place. Announce to teachers, students and parents. Copy and distribute applications. E-mail teachers guidelines for recommendations. Review applications and recommendations. Select 12-18 students. Begin weekly meetings. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

8. Meet with all applicants. Explain role of “free-lance reporters” to those not selected to be staff reporters. Pass out guidelines Parent permission letters Snack and parent volunteer sign-up. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

9. First Staff meeting Choose Newspaper name What's New At West U Monthly Mustang West U Times West U. News Determine columns & solicit story ideas Record roles and assignments. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

10. Sections of the Paper Front page What’s Happening? Teachers and Students Sports Editorials, Advice Comics and puzzles //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

11. Roles Editors Reporters Photographers Comic artists //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

12. Story Ideas • Keep a Future book by month of upcoming events at your school. • Use a “beat” system to assign students to a grade level or teacher. • Use a story tip sheet where anyone can submit story ideas. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

13. Incentives • Extra points for Language Arts • Snacks • Picture in the paper • Use the digital camera • See your name in print //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

14. Record Assignments For each issue //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

15. Track Assignments For the year – to prevent duplication interviews //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

16. File Management • Save student files to a server – note exactly where it is saved and name of file create a signoff sheet for students to use when finished • Check off on assignment sheet when complete • Write picture file # on assignment sheet • Students type picture # on article //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

17. 2nd Meeting Combine instruction with work. Help students create good interview questions. What would our readers like to know? What’s interesting? Open vs. closed questions. Personal background. Review assignments each meeting. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

18. 3rd Meeting Instruction: Covering Events Who? What? When? Where? Why? Review assignments. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

19. Student checklist • Use default fonts on Microsoft Word • Title • Byline • Did you answer the 5 W’s • What interesting details could be added? • Any follow-up questions needed? • Spellcheck – check spelling of names and places • Peer edited – have one of your friends read the article. • Photo taken? • Photo # written on article? //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

20. Article ------------------- Article ------------------- Article ------------------- Article ------------------- Article ------------------- 4th Meeting Editors use chart paper to layout their section of the paper. Save to network folder. Hand everything in for publication. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

21. 5th Meeting Final review of paper before distribution. Start process over again. Brainstorm ideas for next issue. Make assignments //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

22. 6th Meeting Review paper. Any articles left out? Acknowledge everyone’s effort. Critical review +’s and -’ s Record changes for next time. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

23. Press Conference //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

24. Sample Issues • January 2003 • December 2002 • November 2002 //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

25. Optional: Field trip Field trip to the local newspaper Check with safety policy of newspaper before visit to find out what age restrictions are in place for public tours. //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

26. Additional Instructional units • Techniques for taking good digital pictures. • Inserting/editing pictures into MS Word. • Peer editing. • Guest speakers: Reporters or Comic writers such as Bill Hinds - ”Tank McNamara” Sports Illustrated for Kids //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

27. Houston Chronicle Instructional materials - Chronicle in Education http://www.chron.com/cie/tools.html Children’s Express http://www.cenews.org/ Scholastic News Zone http://teacher.scholastic.com/newszone/index.asp Online Newspaper seminar www.newswriting.com Kids In Print by Mark Levin, Good Apple, 1997 The Reporter’s Notebook by mark Levin, Mind Stretch, 2000. http://www.mindsretch.com http://www.nespa.org/The National Elementary Schools Press Association, an organization that helps elementary and middle schools start and improve school and class newspapers as a means of teaching real-world writing skills Resources //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

28. Text Boxes/Text Tool Bar • Allows you to place text anywhere on page. • Can link boxes to continue columns from one column to another or from one page to another page Choose the Text Box Tool from the Drawing Toolbar After creating a text box link it to another (empty) text box by right clicking the first text box or going to the Text Box Toolbar and choosing Text box Link Tool //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

29. Text box link tool > //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

30. Comics • After scanning comics and inserting into the document • Add text to Comics with Text boxes This is tasty ice cream! //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

31. Picture Toolbar • Insert Pictures • Crop Pictures • Adjust brightness & contrast • Rotate • Invert //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

32. Adobe PhotoDeluxe • For improving the quality of pictures • Scanning Comics • Other editing //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

33. Picture formats • Bitmap - .bmp-photos • Gif – for cartoons • JPEG – Maximum resolution Choose “Send to” from the file menu to pick format //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity

34. Microsoft Publisher Help • Tutorial website http://www.bcschools.net/staff/PublisherHelp.htm • http://desktoppub.about.com/library/howto/bl_htpubl.htm • Microsoft Publisher website • http://www.microsoft.com/office/publisher/using/default.asp //es.houstonisd.org/westuniversity