Trillium Archive Syllabus

Archive: Reporting on Trillium through the Three Petal Press and the Trillium Yearbook

Trillium Charter School 2007/8

Instructor: Ken Gadbow Phone: 503-348-9849 Office hours: Fridays 12-1

Email: Ken@TrilliumCharterSchool.org Newspaper email: ThreePetalPress@gmail.com

Credit available: Language Arts, Art, or Elective

Course Objectives:

Students will write, edit, and layout the school newspaper, The Three Petal Press for quarters one through 3, then switch to yearbook production for quarter four. Students will develop their writing abilities by creating multiple articles for the school paper. Students will develop their note taking and photography skills by being “imbedded” in another teacher’s classroom. Students will develop their skills at editing and providing constructive, critical feedback of others’ work. Students may also develop their artistic talents in the areas of photography and/or comic drawing.

Course Overview:

We will publish 2 issues of the Three Petal Press per quarter. In fitting with Trillium philosophy, the paper is student run – ideas for content, writing, art, and comics are all generated, written, and edited by students. Special attention will be paid this year to representing the activities and ideas of all levels of Trillium, preschool through twelfth grade. Many students will have the opportunity to become “embedded” journalists in another teacher’s class, 1-2 days a week for the entire quarter. The class runs all year. Students are encouraged, but not required, to take all four quarters.

PLP Framework Concentrations:

Community Membership:

• Work in groups together for a common goal
• Give and take, compromise and make solutions
• Lead and participate
• Use language appropriate to audience

Literacy:

• Listen to, read, and understand a variety of informative and narrative texts on your own
• Increase word knowledge (origins and relationships) and develop vocabulary relevant to and across subject areas
• Refine writing process (pre-write, draft, revise, edit, and publish) across subject areas and at grade level
• Communicate ideas through writing using various connections and transitions (including but not limited to facts, anecdotes, precise/relevant words, paragraphs, logical sequencing, and the 6 + 1 traits)
• Demonstrate grade-level knowledge of spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and penmanship/presentation across subject areas
• Be able to investigate topics of interest and draft an individual project plan that will display the results of that study
• Listen critically and respond appropriately

Independence:

• Keep track of responsibilities, obligations, meetings, due dates, and belongings
• Demonstrate time management skills
• Demonstrate planning skills
• Be prepared for activities and classes

Code of Conduct:

All students are expected to know and uphold the Rights and Responsibilities of the Trillium Constitution. We will use the non-violent conflict resolution process that includes conversations, mediations, and the OVRR system.

Assignments and grading policies:

A student’s grade is based on the work that she/he produces for the paper, as well as the student’s ability to meet deadlines. In order for the paper to be published in a timely manner, it is essential the work is turned in by the deadline. Each student is expected to develop four quality pieces throughout the term, distributed over the issues. A quality piece is defined as one which is of sufficient length and content to challenge the student. Each piece will go into the student’s newspaper folder (in a file kept in Ken’s room), upon which the student’s final grade will be evaluated. Laying-out the paper is considered the equivalent of producing two pieces of work. In addition, students must choose to participate as either an embedded journalist or be on the web development team.

Grading:

Submissions for Three Petal Press: 50%

Notebook (either journalist, web development, or both): 50%

This class is graded using narrative evaluations and letter grades. In order to be successful in

this course, a student must:

· Participate respectfully in class.

· Peer review other students pieces over the course of the term.

· Challenge him/herself with the pieces he/she creates.

· Meet or exceed the expectations of an Embedded Journalist, Web Development member, or both (see below).

Expectations for Embedded Journalists:

· Be on time to your EJ assignment.

· Be a quiet, patient, respectful observer. Establish beforehand how much you should participate in the class with the classroom teacher.

· Keep a journalist’s notebook for each day of observation. Each entry must include:

o The date, time, and place of the observation.

o A description of the activity or activities of the day, including names of the participants.

o A description of any photographs taken during the observation.

o Your thoughts and ideas related to the experience. This should be fun, and it should be positive.

· Receive a passing evaluation from the classroom teacher at the midterm and end of the quarter.

Expectations for Web Development Team members:

· Develop a website that can publish the Three Petal Press in its entirety each issue.

· Upload each issue as it is produced, laying it out in an accessible and appealing manner.

· Maintain, update, and improve upon the website on a regular basis.

· Provide a space on the website that allows for additional photographs, stories, and even video clips of events that do not make it into the hard-copy of the paper.

· Help other journalists to upload pieces to the website.

· Keep a Web Development Notebook in which the student describes his/her goals and ideas for the website as well as the daily progress of website creation, maintenance, and assistance.

Students should begin each day by consulting The Big Board which contains all the expectations and deadlines for the next issue. Students are expected to print out and save all of their work in their file in the classroom, including the Journalists or Web Development Notebook. You will be graded at the end of the quarter based on the contents of your file.

Attendance Policy:

The majority of your grade in this class comes from your participation. If you are not here, then you cannot participate. If you cannot participate, then you cannot meet the expectations of the class. This class is graded on a pass/no pass basis.

§ If a student misses more than 3 classes, s/he cannot pass.

Course Schedule:

Week 1 (September 9-15)

Introductions and course overview. Choosing roles.

Week 2 (September 16-22)

• Submit ideas for Issue 1: Monday the 17^th.

Week 3 (September 23-29)

• Drafts due for Issue 1: Monday the 24^th.

Week 4 (September 30-October 6)

• First Issue submissions due: Monday the 1st.
• Midterm review of Notebooks and Evaluation by embedded teacher.

Week 5 (October 7-13)

• Print and distribute issue 1.

Week 6 (October 14-20)

• Submission ideas for 2^nd issue due: Monday the 15^th.

Week 7 (October 21-27)

• Drafts due for 2^nd issue: Monday the 22^nd

Week 8 (October 28 -Nov. 3)

• Second issue pieces due Monday the 29^th.

Week 9 (November 4 – 7)

• Second Issue printed and distributed
• Say goodbye to EJ classroom.
• Complete summary of EJ or WD work in journals.