Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 1

JOURNALISM I SYLLABUS
Journalism I Course Description
Course name: Journalism I
Grade level: 9
th
-12
th
grade

The Journalism I class in an introduction class to the primary elements of news
journalism. This course examines the historical influences and the ethical concepts that
journalism is based upon. In addition, students will examine the basic fundamentals such as
writing skills, styles and formats. Journalism I will be preparation for advanced level journalism
classes. Journalism I focuses on the newspaper as a unique medium. Students will explore
newspaper content and become familiar with various text structures specific to that content.
During the course, students will also identify and discuss distinct responsibilities taken on by
journalists.

Course Schedule
The course schedule is located on http://dominguesjournalismi.weebly.com/ under "course
schedule." The course schedule is an at-a-glance view of the Modules and Weeks in the course.
Detailed information regarding each assignment can be viewed on Modules on the course
webpage.

Textbook and Supplemental Readings


Media Literarcy: Thinking Critically About Newspapers & Magazines (Media
Literacy) by Peyton Paxson
http://dominguesjournalismi.weebly.com/

Course Objectives and Standards Alignment
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas,
or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 2

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5
Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or
argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly
effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of
the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a
problem.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.8
Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of
constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority
opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy
(e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).
Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 3
COURSE POLICIES
Content Acknowledgement
By your participation in this course, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the
terms and conditions contained in this syllabus. You also acknowledge your responsibility to
clarify any matters with which you have concerns prior to their escalating beyond the ability of
you and the instructor to rectify them.
Participation
Students are expected to participate regularly and actively in classroom discussions; without
substantial participation, you cannot earn a good grade in this class. You are encouraged to share
your opinions, thoughts and experiences in class discussions and assignments, provided they are
directly relevant to the subject matter. However, please do not disclose confidential information
or say anything that might compromise anyones personal privacy.
Communication
Students are responsible for monitoring announcements, checking their Belleville High School
email accounts, and promptly notifying the teacher should problems arise with accessing course
material or submitting activities. Students can also contact classmates and the teacher via Instant
Messenger. The student is responsible for having alternative Internet sources in case one should
become unavailable. It is the sole responsibility of the student to gain access to the Internet for
class communication.

Email:
Every student and faculty member of Belleville High School has an e-mail address that
follows a similar pattern: firstname.lastname@belleville.k12.nj.us (teacher);
firstname.lastname.student@belleville.k12.nj.us (student)

E-mail etiquette: Unlike instant messenger, e-mail is a more formal means of
communicating with the teacher and fellow classmates. It is important to observe the
following when using email.

Use capital letters at the start of a sentence.
Use punctuation.
Place your name at the end of the e-mail; especially important if you are using an
outside mail server and your email name may not be obvious to the person
receiving the note.
Recognize that e-mail may not be read for 24 hours.
Consider the tone of your e-mail. When you meet face-to-face it is easy to read
the tone and expressions of an individual through their voice and body language,
Email can only convey intent through the words you choose.

Phone contact:
Use your full name when leaving a message on voice mail
Provide a phone number where you can be reached; please repeat the number and
say it slow enough for others to understand each digit.
Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 4
If you tell a faculty member that you tried to call them, but you dont leave a
message, there is no evidence that you did try to contact them.


I nstructor Communication and Preparedness
Feedback to required posts such as a discussion question, journal will be provided within 24
hours of the due date via PowerSchool. Feedback to larger assignments will be provided within a
week of the due date and be included in the text or as a summary email. Response time for e-
mails is 5am-9pm on weekdays and 9a-1pm on weekends. Students can contact the teacher via e-
mail or phone.

Technical Emergencies
Not having access to the Internet will not be considered an acceptable excuse for not logging into
and participating in class discussions or submitting materials in a timely manner. Students should
therefore identify alternative means for accessing the Internet (such as the local library, school
Media Center or a friends house) in case their usual means of access is unavailable.

Academic I ntegrity: Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of representing directly or indirectly another persons work as your own. It
can involve presenting someones speech, wholly or partially, as yours; quoting without
acknowledging the true source of the quoted material; copying and handing in another persons
work with your name on it; and similar infractions. Even indirect quotations, paraphrasing, etc.,
can be considered plagiarism unless sources are properly cited. Plagiarism will not be tolerated,
and students could receive an F grade on the test/assignment or an F grade for the course.

Mission Statement
Belleville is, today, a township richly endowed with a dynamic, culturally diverse
population. Our mission is to embrace that diversity and use it as a catalyst for the growth and
development of all our students and to empower them with self-actualization through relevant
services and comprehensive programs designed to facilitate their success and to ensure that all of
our students become productive citizens and life-long learners who are active contributors to
their communities, and well-prepared to succeed in their chosen careers.

Wednesday Enrichment
Every Wednesday, students could participate in Wednesday Enrichment from 1:40-2:31pm.
Enrichment is held in Belleville High School, in room 174 with the course teacher. Students will
have access to in class computers.

Accommodations
As documented, the 504 accommodations include:
Giving extra time to complete class work and assessments, providing study skills and tips,
shortening assignments, breaking work into smaller segments, giving extra time for exams, and
providing an extra set of the text at home and sending home progress reports.

Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 5
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Discussion Questions
A "threaded discussion" is a discussion forum that allows students to respond to
questions posted by the instructor (original responses), which can then be read by other
users who add their own comments in response (secondary postings). Unlike chat rooms
and other "real-time" interaction forums, threaded discussions do not require different
users to be logged on at the same time. The discussion thread is student-driven. It is the
professors role to initiate and facilitate the discussion, but the students have the primary
responsibility for the direction the discussion ultimately takes.

Discussion Questions are posted under the Classroom Discussion tab on
http://dominguesjournalismi.weebly.com/ Discussion questions are incorporated into
each module. Follow the directions for each module to complete each threaded discussion
assignment.

Your response: Original responses must be at least 200 words and must incorporate
concepts from the lessons and assigned readings. Your response should not be a summary
but a reflection or explanation of the topic at hand. Refer to the rubric under the rubrics
tab on http://dominguesjournalismi.weebly.com/ for further requirements.

Responding to your classmates' posts: Each student must post two secondary responses
to other students postings. They must be a minimum of 150 words and are due on the
day of the assigned module. Your responses should incorporate concepts from the
lectures and assigned readings.

Journal Reflections
Journal reflections will be assigned throughout the course within several modules.
Journal reflections must be at least two paragraphs, double-spaced, Times New Roman,
and size 12 font. Each journal reflection must correspond to the given assignment. Please
refere to module directions for further details and requirements. Journal reflections are to
be posted as Word documents under the journal tab on
http://dominguesjournalismi.weebly.com/. The journal reflections will be private, only
available for the teacher and individual student to view.












Domingues - Journalism 1 Online Course Syllabus 6
GRADING

Activities Assessment Tool Used % of Final
Grade
Assignment #1: Class Discussion
Questions
Assignment #2:
Presentations/Projects
Assignment #3: Worksheets/Lesson
Activities
Assignment #4: Journal entries

Assignment #5: Quizzes

Discussion Question
Rubric
Rubric

Rubric

Rubric
Rubric

15%

40%

15%

10%
20%


Late Activities: For purposes of grading, activities and assignments that are submitted late will
be treated as not having been submitted at all. Unless otherwise instructed by the teacher, late
assignments will not be accepted. The grade will be inputted as a 0%.

All assignments and respective grades can be viewed and tracked through PowerSchool. Grades
for discussion questions, worksheets and journal entries are posted within 48 hours of their due
date. Presentation, project and quiz grades are posted within the week of the due date. Students
are responsible for maintaining and checking their grades throughout the course.