831: Reminder

Your letters to Ms. Burgos are due tomorrow. As you know, she is expecting them. Be sure to clearly explain your suggestions to make our school better and to tell what YOU can do to make it happen.
Be sure to proofread your work.

Outsiders Article Directions and Rubric

You can download an extra copy of the directions and the rubric by clicking the link:

 Directions & Rubric

Outsiders Sample Article

Click the link to see a copy of the sample article: Sample Article

Outsiders Article Rubric

Outsiders News Article Rubric

Structure: Article contains all of the necessary elements of a news article including a headline, byline, lead, etc.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Content: Article gives a clear account of the story, stays loyal to the book, and includes meaningful quotes from relevant characters/witnesses

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Appearance/ Layout: Article is typed neatly and includes the title of the newspaper, date, headline, etc. Article is divided into two columns. Proper fonts, sizes, etc. are used. Pictures and captions are used effectively.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Language, Spelling, Grammar: Article is well-written and contains no errors in spelling, grammar, etc.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Overall: All directions were followed, a strong effort is evident, and all requirements mentioned above have been fulfilled.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Raw Score: ____________                                            Final Grade (Raw X 2): _____________

February Break Mini-Project: Outsiders Article

Over the four day weekend, you will be responsible for creating your own original news article based on an event from The Outsiders. Use the sample article I gave you in class as a model. Your article must be typed (in two columns). Be sure to include all of the elements we discussed in class. A rubric for this assignment will be given and/or posted on this site by tomorrow. The assignment is due when we return on Wednesday. If it needs revising or tweaking, I may extend the deadline, but you MUST bring in your completed article on Wednesday.

Here is a more detailed description of the assignment:

Assignment: Create a newspaper article based on an event from The Outsiders. Your article should contain all of the elements of a news article that we have discussed: headline, byline, lead, story details, quotes from relevant “people” (characters), etc.

Your article should consist of details from the book as well as those from your own creative imagination. For example, you may need to create names and characters such as police officers or eyewitnesses. Be sure, however, that the details you create have a logical connection to the story. Use the sample article on Bob’s death as a model for the structure and appearance of your article. Do NOT, however, write an article that closely resembles the content of the “Bob’s death” article.

Your article should be typed in a newspaper-like font (Times New Roman). Across the top of your page should be the name of the newspaper (Tulsa Times, Windrexville Post, etc.) This should be in a large and bold font. Include the date (in smaller font) underneath. Your date should not be today's date, but one logically connected to the story (according to the sample article, Bob's death occurred on October 4th, 1967) Your headline should be in a larger and bolder font than your article (but smaller than your newspaper’s name). If you include a picture, be sure to include an appropriate caption. Divide your article into two columns. Be sure to carefully proofread your work and check for errors.

Tips:

• ·      Create a headline that gives the main idea of the article without being overly specific.
• ·      Include the who, what, when, and where in your lead paragraph
• ·      Include specific details from the book in your article. Don’t include details that would be unknown at the time your article is written.
• ·      Create meaningful quotes from relevant people/characters
• ·      Use the rubric as a guide to assess your own work.

Suggested topics/headlines (in case you can’t think of one):

Police identify two suspects in Hinton Park murder case
Tension builds between rival groups following Hinton Park murder

Toxicology reports reveal Hinton Park murder victim was drunk

Teen hero dies in hospital

Church fire hero killed in showdown with police

Girlfriend of Hinton Park murder victim testifies for defense

Church fire hero cleared of all charges in Hinton Park murder case

Keep in mind when your story is being written. Although Bob’s name was not in the headline or the lead of the sample article, it would be much more likely to appear in either or both in future articles (since his name and case would now be more well known). Apply that same idea to your article; ask yourself: Is this the first article on this topic or has the story already been in the papers? That should help you to determine which information might be new to you and/or your readers

Homework

You MUST bring in a newspaper article for a class activity tomorrow. If you don't have a newspaper, you can print an article off of a newspaper's website. Your article should contain all of the elements we discussed in class today: Headline, byline, lead, story, quotes, etc.

PERIODIC ASSESSMENT EXAM

The Periodic Assessment Exam in English Language Arts will be given to all students this week. Our schedule is as follows:

Tuesday: 802 and 831 will be tested

Thursday: 821 will be tested.

Be sure to bring in sharpened #2 pencils on your exam date.

Extra Credit "Fakebook" Projects Due Tomorrow

Reminder: The extra credit Fakebook project based on a character from The Outsiders is due tomorrow. Scroll down to the original post for details. I have copies of the rubric for you. If you completed the project, I will give you a rubric to quickly fill out before you hand it in. A copy of the rubric is posted on this page. Review it and use it as a guideline in creating your project. Do your best!

Test Tomorrow: The Outsiders

As a reminder, tomorrow's exam is an "open book" test. Be sure to bring in your copy of
The Outsiders. The format of the test is as follows:

Part I: Vocabulary in Context: You will be given 10 sentences from the book. Each sentence will contain a highlighted vocabulary word. You will have to pick the word that best matches the highlighted word. (30 pts.)

For example:
"If the judge decides Darry isn't a good guardian, I'm liable to get stuck in a home somewhere. (165)
a) scared.  b) reluctant.        c) likely.       d) guaranteed

Part II: 25 multiple choice questions based on details from the novel (50 pts.)

For example:

The rumble ends when.....
a) Darry knocks out Paul.  b) the Socs run away.   c) the cops show up.   d) Dallas pulls out Two-Bit's switchblade.

Part III: Constructed Response: You will be given two 10 point questions to answer. Each question will require a response of approximately a paragraph in length. You must respond to all parts of the question and support your answer with details from the text.

For example:
"Cherry tells Ponyboy that "things are rough all over". Write a paragraph in agreement or in opposition of this statement. Be sure to provide details from the story (on,y the story) in your response.

There will also be a few extra credit questions based mainly on differences between the book and the film.

Next Week's Schedule

Monday: We will be continuing our work with Adam. This week, we are expecting to get into some improvisation connected to The Outsiders.

Tuesday: The ELA Benchmark Exam will be given to all students during English class.

Wednesday/ Thursday: Depending on the schedule of your class, we will be finishing our discussion of the novel (chapters 11 and 12) on Wednesday and/or Thursday. We will be discussing theme as well as S.E. Hinton's use of symbols and motifs in the book. We will also be writing a newspaper article based on an event in the novel. More details will be provided next week.

Friday: All classes will take a final exam on The Outsiders. Details of the exam will be provided next week.

*The movie (what most of you have been asking about), will be shown the following week)

Reminder: Extra Credit Projects are due on (or before) Friday. Do your BEST!