Course Details
Journalism (Grade 6-8)
Review key course information and curriculum options.
Course Information
- Subject Area
- Communications and Audio/Visual Technology
- State Course Code
- 11101
- Length
- Two Semesters
- Total Hours
- 270
Journalism courses introduce students to the foundations of news writing, reporting, and media production, often connected to the creation of a school newspaper, yearbook, or literary magazine. Students explore writing style, journalistic technique, organization, and production standards while learning the principles of newsworthiness and press responsibility. The course develops skills in writing and editing stories, crafting headlines and captions, and applying effective design and layout practices. Instruction may also include photography, photojournalism, and the use of digital media technologies.
Learning Goals
Students will learn to:
Understanding Journalism
- explain what journalism is and why it is important in our world;
- describe how journalism has changed over time and how news is shared today, including print, web, radio, and multimedia;
- identify different careers in journalism and media.
Ethics and Responsibility
- explain basic rights in the First Amendment and how they connect to journalism;
- describe why honesty, fairness, and accuracy are important in reporting;
- recognize how tone, mood, and audience affect how news stories are written and understood.
Gathering Information
- identify different types of sources, including primary and secondary sources;
- decide if a source is reliable and recognize possible bias;
- find the central idea in informational texts and use context clues to understand new words.
Writing News Stories
- identify the main parts of a news article, including the headline, lead, and supporting details;
- organize information using the inverted pyramid structure with the most important facts first;
- write clear news articles using basic AP style guidelines;
- explain the difference between hard news and soft news.
Broadcasting and Multimedia
- practice asking strong interview questions and taking notes on answers;
- write simple scripts for radio or video news segments;
- use descriptive and figurative language to make stories more engaging.
Opinion and Argument
- develop clear claims and support them with reasons and evidence;
- identify logical fallacies and explain why some arguments are stronger than others;
- recognize the author’s purpose and use persuasive techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos;
- research and write an opinion or editorial piece on a topic of interest.
Media Literacy and Audience Awareness
- explain how journalists write differently for different audiences and platforms;
- reflect on how responsible journalism helps people stay informed;
- create original news content that is accurate, fair, and appropriate for the intended audience.
Choose Curriculum
Journalism
Ready to make the headlines? ?Prepare to dive into the exciting world of journalism to develop your reporting skills across various platforms such as print, web, radio, and multimedia. Take a trip through the history of journalism to explore its past, present, and future. Discover different careers in the field and learn how to research and write captivating news stories. Investigate what it means to be an ethical and responsible journalist who creates content that informs and engages an audience.
Online
Items
| Name | Kind | ISBN | Returnable | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle School Journalism | Online Class | No | No |