Broadcast 6/7/8 Syllabus

20 - 21 Broadcast Journalism 6/7/8 Syllabus

Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School

Room 3204A

Mrs. Michelle A. O’Malley

PJFMS Main Phone: (864) 452-0800

Teacher Phone: (864) 452-0832

E-mail: momalley@greenville.k12.sc.us

Planning Period: 3rd Period (10:08 - 11:38)

The STEAM Middle School will provide a continuous pathway of education through opportunities that create STEAM-literate graduates ready to accept the challenges of the curriculum at high school, advanced education, and the needs of tomorrow’s workforce. Innovation is the key to discovering the solutions to the challenges facing the world today and in the future.

PJFMS Vision Statement:

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) Education seeks to transform the typical teacher-centered classroom by encouraging a transdisciplinary curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and an experience that requires each student to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. The STEAM curriculum permeates every facet of the school environment-from the moment the student steps onto the campus until he/she advances to high school and the post-secondary world.

Course Description:

Students will be taught the skills and knowledge on how to deal with the many pressures and challenges of producing a live, daily, news show at Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School. Students will research, gather, and analyze information that will be used to create audio and video productions for broadcast to a variety of audiences. Throughout this course students will learn basic journalistic skills, video production skills, and technological skills.

Upon leaving this program, students should

:Demonstrate knowledge of the history of broadcast journalism

  • Be able to research and analyze careers in television and broadcast journalism
  • Show knowledge of audio equipment and formats, for production
  • Demonstrate the ability to write quality scripts for programming
  • Show knowledge of the requirements of lighting a production
  • Show knowledge of the operation of various cameras
  • Exhibit knowledge of computer based video production and editing
  • Exhibit knowledge of pre-production, production, and post-production activities
  • Be able to examine and analyze a production for corrections before airing
  • Demonstrate the proper use of graphics and titles
  • Show ethical decision making
  • Understand copyright laws and how to seek formal permission to use copyrighted materials
  • Understand the First Amendment http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/first_amendment


Main Course Resource List:

The students do not have a textbook for this class; however, I will pull information from the below resources:

Student Video News: http://schoolvideonews.com/

Student Television Network: http://www.studenttelevision.com/

Videojournalism: Multimedia Storytelling by Kenneth Kobre

Teaching Broadcasting: A Guide for Teachers by Janna Bolliner with Doug Green

Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Second Edition by Phillip Harris

Television Production & Broadcast Journalism Second Edition Workbook by Christine L. Dahlman and Phillip L. Harris

Broadcast News Writing for Professionals by Jeff Rowe

Workbook for Broadcast News Writing for Professionals by Beth Bingham Evans

Digital Filmmaking for Beginners: A Practical Guide to Video Production by Michael Hughes

How to Shoot Video that Doesn’t Suck by Steve Stockman

ISTE Standards (International Standards for Technology in Education) https://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-students

SC ELA Standards are embedded throughout news and video lessons. https://ed.sc.gov/scdoe/assets/file/programs-services/59/documents/ELA2015SCCCRStandards.pdf

Required Materials:

Due to COVID19, we will not use share paper items; however, a student may want to take notes or as stated write down interview responses on paper; however, a student can use his or her cell phone or computer to record interview information. Please be aware that if a student uses his or her personal phones for Broadcast business - any images, videos, and/or audio files taken for broadcast journalism becomes school property. These images, videos, or audio files may not be shared on social media. Students will also need headphones or earbuds so that they can listen to pre-recorded lessons, instructional videos, or listen to videos during the editing process.

Participation:

Participation is essential to create a successful broadcast program! All students are expected to participate in all areas of the Broadcast Journalism class. Each student will learn and participate in a variety of production job duties such as director, production assistant, camera operator, photographer, reporter, assignment editor, anchor, graphics designer, teleprompter operator, equipment manager, etc. All job duties are important from the news anchor to the equipment manager! It is imperative that students be willing to work independently as well as cooperatively with others in a group! In addition, students must also be willing to contribute ideas and be prepared! Deadlines must be met, as we will be producing a daily News program and/or special feature stories that may be time sensitive. The feature stories may be researched topics as well as stories about events that are happening throughout our school. If a student goes to one of Fisher's sporting events he/she could capture footage and create a short 30 second sports report for the next day’s news program or a weekly news program. Since equipment will be locked up, it will be necessary for students to use their cell phone cameras (or computer cameras) to capture video footage and candid action shots. One again, please be aware that once this footage is captured, it should be loaded into the student google drive and will then become school property. Footage captured for Broadcast Journalism should NEVER be shared through social media. Due to COVID19 participating will look slightly different this school year as we will be working both in person and through e-learning.

Attendance:

Please review the student handbook in regards to the Greenville County Schools attendance guidelines. Regular attendance is essential to succeed in the Broadcast Journalism class! It is understood that illnesses arise; however, please be mindful of the times that you are absent from this class as others depend on you to help create quality Broadcast Journalism productions for our school. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get all make-up work, which will make it easier for students to complete written assignments from home as well as in the classroom. Group video projects will be harder to complete when absent as it most aspects of the video are completed at school during class. Due to COVID19, our attendance plan will be in person as well as through e-learning. Students will still work in a group manner by collecting information and by completing video editing with the help of WeVideo. In addition, any scripts for video projects can be completed by sharing a google document, which can be edited from home or school by more than one student. It is important that all students participate in their daily google meet sessions during their assigned class period time slot.

Equipment Rules:

Students are expected to be responsible for school-owned equipment used in broadcast journalism such as digital cameras, video cameras, SD cards, batteries, camera bags, microphones, tripods, lighting, teleprompters, computers, etc. Students should treat all equipment with respect! Students must handle the equipment as instructed, check out equipment, sign equipment back in, and put all equipment away in the proper location. Students should never leave camera equipment unattended. If for some reason an accident/damage should occur, the student(s) must report it to the teacher immediately!

Due to COVID19 - we will not share equipment. Students may use the studio equipment but day to day cameras will not be utilized. Students will use their school computer webcameras or they can use their cell phones to take images. Please be aware that when a image, video, or sound file is taken at school, it becomes school property and should never be placed on social media.

Broadcast Journalism Responsibilities:

Broadcast Journalism students should conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times for all stories and events. Broadcast Journalism students will treat other people, property, and equipment with the utmost respect. Using inappropriate language, stealing, damaging property, or endangering the well being of others will not be tolerated. When Broadcast Journalism students go out to do a story, they represent the class, school, district, and the community. This is a position that should not be taken lightly!

Classroom Rules:

  1. Respect the People: Every Broadcast Journalism student upon entering the class commits to respecting the teacher(s), administration, special guest(s), parent(s), volunteer(s), themselves, and their peers.
  2. Respect the Space: Every Broadcast Journalism student upon entering the class commits to respecting the classroom and everything in it.
  3. Respect the Assignment: Every Broadcast Journalism student upon entering the class commits to respecting the work assigned to them; meaning they will turn in work neatly and on time. Students should strive to do their best at all times.
  4. Respect the Industry: Every Broadcast Journalism student upon entering the class commits to respecting the Broadcast Journalism Industry by reporting the news and creating feature stories that do not create harm! Specifically, follow a strict code of ethics as will be discussed in class from the Student Television Network’s Code of Ethics: Seek Truth and Report it – Minimize Harm – Act Independently – Be Accountable.
  5. COVID EXPECTATIONS: Students must follow all necessary guidelines to keep themselves as well as others safe. Students must wear their facemask. Students must wait outside the classroom on one of the designated marked locations before entering the class. Once instructed, students must walk directly to his/her assigned seat. Students will not share items with each other - everything will be done through the use of chromebooks. In addition, students must always wear their facemasks in the hallway when they are out on Broadcast business within the school. Lastly, students must keep a 6ft social distance space from everyone at all times. It is VERY IMPORTANT that students make sure that their computers are fully charged every day and that the computers come to school each day as well.

On-Location Rules:

Students must notify the teacher and sign out from the Broadcast Journalism room when they are leaving to research, interview, shoot footage etc., using the DIGITAL sign-out sheet located in google classroom. In addition, students must wear their STUDENT ID’S (No broadcast press Badge this year) when leaving for a location shoot. Students must be back in the class no later than 10 minutes prior to the end of the class period to return all equipment and take footage off SD Cards (or off phones and load into google drive).

ALL classroom and on-location rules shall also contain the expected behaviors and expectations as listed in the PJFMS student handbook:

• Arrive on time and prepared for class.

• Follow classroom procedures.

• Listen carefully and follow the directions the first time they are given.

• Engage in class activities from bell to bell.

• Stay alert in class and focus on the lesson.

• Apply sincere effort, completing class assignments and homework. (Do YOUR Best)

• Ask questions and seek additional help as needed. (I am always willing to help!)

• Meet specified deadlines.

• Keep your hands and feet to yourself.

• Keep your voice level low.

• Speak politely and kindly to everyone.

• Treat all classmates and adults with respect.

• Respect the rights of others to learn.

• Tell an adult if you see something that you know is wrong.

• Use school appropriate language.

• Deliver school correspondence to parents and return parent messages to teacher.

Late Work:

Students should strive to complete ALL work on time as deadlines and timelines are an essential aspect of broadcast journalism. Students work EACH day on a deadline in broadcast journalism. The program cannot go on if the pieces are not all complete!

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism:

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Students in Broadcast Journalism are required to submit their own work and cite their sources.

Grading Procedures:

Students will have graded class work, homework, quizzes, STEAM projects, and tests; however, the majority of the grades received in Broadcast Journalism will come from daily participation and broadcast journalism package assignments. Students will be graded based on the jobs that they perform throughout the grading period. Students will receive deductions for poorly performed job duties, which may have been caused by being unprepared, not following job description guidelines, or using inappropriate behavior during assigned job duty, which impacted the overall quality of a product. A package is a story that is about 30 to 60 seconds in length, contains its own intro and outro, is edited, and can be inserted into a live program at any time the producer chooses. Although students may not be in the same physical classroom setting, students will be assigned into groups throughout the year because WeVideo will allow for group collaboration. Students will receive a package grade based on individual responsibilities completed as well as on the overall quality of the package. (Note: Each student package will contain several minor assessment grades for preproduction, production, and postproduction work as well as a major assessment grade, which is the overall average of the final package product.) Also be aware that new 7/8 students will be responsible for additional book work in order to learn basic broadcast journalism course work that was covered during the 6th grade course. Returning students will be expected to learn and utilize more advance broadcast journalism skills.

Items that will be considered for a package grade include but are not limited to the following:

  • Packages must be informative and/or entertaining
  • To qualify as a “story” package, research, writing, and voice over are required.
  • Additional grading considerations will be given for creative openings, promos, graphics, and b-roll (Note: a b-roll is footage that includes shots of anything visual mentioned during the interview or that is related to the topic, and any natural sound associated with the story.)
  • Students will mark what task they performed for the package and they will be scored accordingly for the overall quality of the following areas: preproduction, camera work, lighting, writing, audio, editing, story, and voice over.


Grading Scale:

A 100 – 90

B 89– 80

C 79– 70

D 69– 60

F 59 – 0


Major Assessments (50%):

  • Major Assessment grades will be based on subject-specific content knowledge, process skills including problem solving and communications. Major Assessment examples include major tests, culminating projects, performance assessments, and portfolios. Students will receive a minimum of 3 Major Assessment grades per nine-week grading period

Minor Assessments (50%):

  • Minor Assessment grades will be based on subject-specific content knowledge and process skills including problem solving and communication. Minor Assessment examples include class work, homework, quizzes, writing assignments, extending/refining assignments, presentations, and performance assessments. Students will receive a minimum of 12 Minor Assessment grades per nine-week grading period. (Note: homework will not account for any more than 10% of the minor assessment grading weight value.)