MS. SIRKER'S WRITING & MEDIA WORKSHOP
Welcome to Writing & Media Workshop
WHAT IS WRITING and MEDIA WORKSHOP?
Reid Middle School’s Writing and Media Workshop is an English Language Arts-based curriculum that utilizes media arts to enrich literacy. Students are taught the basics of broadcast journalism, television filming, and film editing. Lesson plans introduce students to media literacy, the craft of journalism and television news production. Incorporated into each lesson plan is the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy. In addition to learning media technology, while enhancing literacy, Writing and Media Workshop helps students develop the following skills:
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF STUDENTS?
Students are expected to abide by the Reid Middle School 4 P’s:
1. PROMPT
2. PREPARED
3. POLITE
4. PARTICIPATE
WHAT ARE CURRICULUM SPECIFICS?
Reid Middle School Writing and Media Students are afforded the opportunity to create their own television broadcast segments. Students write, perform and film their own Mini-Talk Shows. Then, they move onto a broadcast news program for which they perform research, writing the news stories, report on-camera, and edit. The curriculum includes the following:
1. Research - Initial research includes live interviews during which students interview other students on given topics. Subsequent research is on news stories drawn from approved print media and internet news sources.
2. Close Reading - Students are taught Close Reading techniques to enhance their skills in the following areas: identifying central ideas, defining vocabulary words using context clues, reading comprehension. “Close Reading” means developing a deep understanding and a precise interpretation of a literary passage that is based first and foremost on the words themselves. But a close reading does not stop there; rather, it embraces larger themes and ideas evoked and/or implied by the passage itself. Close Reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text's form, craft, and meaning.
3. Assignments & Assessments -- Assignments utilize print, broadcast, and online age-appropriate media to cover current events. Assessments focus on student ability to write central idea statements, define vocabulary words using context clues. The ultimate goal of the Writing & Media curricula is to enhance reading comprehension skills.
4. Integration -- Integrate above mentioned skills by means of daily Do Now's utilizing principles of multiple intelligences. Integrate above mentioned skills by means of culminating presentations: writing and reporting news stories on camera.
5. Script Development – Students turn their individual research into television broadcast scripts.
6. On Camera Techniques – Students learn on-camera delivery techniques. Delivery techniques include speaking in a conversational fashion, volume, making eye contact with audience and camera, and sitting still! Embedded in the curriculum are public speaking skills: speaking in a conversational tone of voice in a public setting, speaking in complete sentences at all times, applying classroom lessons in vocabulary and sentence structure to their conversational skills.
7. Group Work – Students work in groups on camera work, script development, and film editing. Team building and self-esteem elements are also embedded into the curriculum.
8. Self Evaluation – Students are allotted self-evaluation sessions during which time they view their own video segments with instructions to take note of their successes with script development and public speaking skills. They are required to perform a self-evaluation using only positive language such as "What did I do well? What would I like to work on next." Students are also given time to set goals for future work.
Reid Middle School’s Writing and Media Workshop is an English Language Arts-based curriculum that utilizes media arts to enrich literacy. Students are taught the basics of broadcast journalism, television filming, and film editing. Lesson plans introduce students to media literacy, the craft of journalism and television news production. Incorporated into each lesson plan is the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy. In addition to learning media technology, while enhancing literacy, Writing and Media Workshop helps students develop the following skills:
- Higher order thinking skills
- Creative problem solving
- Public speaking skills
- Interpersonal communication
- Decision making skills
- Team and group participation skills
- College preparation
- Career ready skills
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF STUDENTS?
Students are expected to abide by the Reid Middle School 4 P’s:
1. PROMPT
2. PREPARED
3. POLITE
4. PARTICIPATE
WHAT ARE CURRICULUM SPECIFICS?
Reid Middle School Writing and Media Students are afforded the opportunity to create their own television broadcast segments. Students write, perform and film their own Mini-Talk Shows. Then, they move onto a broadcast news program for which they perform research, writing the news stories, report on-camera, and edit. The curriculum includes the following:
1. Research - Initial research includes live interviews during which students interview other students on given topics. Subsequent research is on news stories drawn from approved print media and internet news sources.
2. Close Reading - Students are taught Close Reading techniques to enhance their skills in the following areas: identifying central ideas, defining vocabulary words using context clues, reading comprehension. “Close Reading” means developing a deep understanding and a precise interpretation of a literary passage that is based first and foremost on the words themselves. But a close reading does not stop there; rather, it embraces larger themes and ideas evoked and/or implied by the passage itself. Close Reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text's form, craft, and meaning.
3. Assignments & Assessments -- Assignments utilize print, broadcast, and online age-appropriate media to cover current events. Assessments focus on student ability to write central idea statements, define vocabulary words using context clues. The ultimate goal of the Writing & Media curricula is to enhance reading comprehension skills.
4. Integration -- Integrate above mentioned skills by means of daily Do Now's utilizing principles of multiple intelligences. Integrate above mentioned skills by means of culminating presentations: writing and reporting news stories on camera.
5. Script Development – Students turn their individual research into television broadcast scripts.
6. On Camera Techniques – Students learn on-camera delivery techniques. Delivery techniques include speaking in a conversational fashion, volume, making eye contact with audience and camera, and sitting still! Embedded in the curriculum are public speaking skills: speaking in a conversational tone of voice in a public setting, speaking in complete sentences at all times, applying classroom lessons in vocabulary and sentence structure to their conversational skills.
7. Group Work – Students work in groups on camera work, script development, and film editing. Team building and self-esteem elements are also embedded into the curriculum.
8. Self Evaluation – Students are allotted self-evaluation sessions during which time they view their own video segments with instructions to take note of their successes with script development and public speaking skills. They are required to perform a self-evaluation using only positive language such as "What did I do well? What would I like to work on next." Students are also given time to set goals for future work.