Feature Story work day. Assigned 1/10, due 1/17 - MAJOR (other grades taken)

 Feature Story Work Day

Here are some specific instructions for your feature story. I will provide more information on Wednesday, January 15 with final instructions and a few minor things that you will need to know to get full credit. This story must be turned into me by Friday, Jan 17 at the end of the school day for full credit. I will take points off for missing the deadline beyond that point at 10 points per block day.

I WILL BE TAKING A GRADE FOR COMPLETING THE INTERVIEWS ON MONDAY, JANUARY 13. It will be a minor grade and will be the second grade of this cycle (the first grade of the cycle is having Welcome Back 2025 by the end of this class period).

For now, use these instructions to help guide you as you start writing.

1. Must have a lengthy interview with a specific family member who is your primary source. You are trying to write a story that tells me about a specific moment, event or tale that they relayed to you.

2. You should have two additional sources that will provide supporting quotes for your main source. 

3. You will need to write at length in LTQT style. You may write an extended intro that may be multiple paragraphs without a quote, but within 4-5 paragraphs you should have your first direct quote.

4. You should follow all other news writing styles and structures you learned.

5. You story needs to be formatted in the following way, please keep in mind that you have all of next class to complete this task. 

6. Please use ONE Google Doc for this assignment. Put your notes at the top, and then your first draft underneath. Make sure to label it first draft. Make sure it is shared properly so I can EDIT it. 

7. Please set your document up to meet the following requirements.

a.  I want it in Times New Roman

b. Size 12 - should be at least 800 words, push for 1000 if you can. No more than 1500.

c. I want a space between each paragraph, so at the end of each paragraph, hit enter ONE time

d. Please make sure your name and period number are at the top either in the actual document area or in the header.

e. You are not required to hit tab to indent each paragraph, but you may if you wish.

f. Make sure you have done all quotes correctly. Here are two examples:

"My mother and father moved here from Canada when I was ten years old," senior Josh Smith said.

or

"My mother and father moved here from Canada when I was ten years old," senior Josh Smith said. "So I technically have dual citizenship and I can go back to Canada for college and be considered a Canadian citizen."

8. Make sure you link the Google Doc on your Google Site in a new subpage called: Feature story draft. Verify that you have shared it correctly and that I can EDIT it. This means ANYONE WITH THE LINK CAN EDIT it. I need to be able to read it from anywhere, not just here at school. If you do not know how to do this, please ask for help.

Today you should be typing and checking your notes, maybe creating an outline, and certainly writing at some point. You are welcome to use headphones to listen to your recording. 

But, Mr. Reeves, I forgot to do my interview. What do I do?

Well, you better get an interview set up ASAP. You do have this weekend to get those done. There is no extension on this story. So, if you don't have an interview, you really, really should look at this assignment as HOMEWORK and work on it at HOME as much as possible after today. 

Next week I will have some additional work on both your Opinion Story #2 and your News/Club Story. There will be grades associated with making edits for those stories. I will allow for class time to complete that work as well.

I cannot stress enough that you need to stay on task and work diligently on this feature story. You will have multiple class periods to just write. If you need a break during a class period to get away from the computer, that will be fine. Take 5 minutes. Get up, walk around, if you need to get out of the room for 3-4 minutes, come see me for special pass. I know concentrating for 90 minutes is a lot of work. Build in a couple of breaks each day for the next few classes.