Sports Exploration and Current Event. Assigned 3/26, due 4/2 - BOTH Minor

Since I will be missing the next two classes, I am going to hold off on newspaper design until I return. You will have Wednesday and Friday to finish the two assignments listed below. I am going to post them together, so don't forget to do both of them!!

Sports Exploration Activity (minor)

Directions: Make a new Google Site subpage called Sports Exploration. Answer the following questions on that page.

Part 1: Researching your sport

1. Choose a sport to research: (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, etc.)

2. Identify your favorite team or athlete for your sport. Search the Internet and find a picture of mascot or photo of the athlete. Save the image to your student folder. Make a new folder called “Sports Exploration” in your student folder to save all of your files for this project. (10 points)

3. Find the most recent rankings for one team or athlete. Include a list of the top 5 teams or athletes for your sport.

Base your rankings from an official ranking for your sport (like Hollinger Power Rankings). Not your opinion. (20 points)

4. Provide a summary of one team or athlete’s season performance. The summary should include the following:

1. Wins, losses (5 points)

2. Did the team make playoffs? If there are no playoffs, name the major tournaments that your team or athlete competed in? (10 points)

3. Who won the top prize or top tournament for your sport last year? (5 points)

5. List three important rules for your sport. (10 points)

6. List three examples of jargon for your sport and explain what they mean in words non-sport followers could understand. (10 points)

7. What is an example of sports cliché associated with your sport or athlete? What is another way you could say it without using a cliché? (10 points)

8. Name an athlete who is a legend for setting records for your sport? Provide a brief biography about the athlete that

• birth place

• school attended

• teams played for

• records set


Sports Current Event (minor)

Directions: Go to: 

https://bleacherreport.com

I like the Bleacher Report and it is aligned with the New York Times, so I think it is a good place to get sports news.

IF YOU WANT TO USE ANOTHER SITE - I WILL TAKE THAT AS LONG AS I CAN ACCESS IT. Make sure to share a link to the story.

 Step 1: Find a recent interesting sports article from the New York Times. (20 points) Provide a link to the article so I can read it.

Step 2:  What is the headline? (10 points)

Step 3: Summarize the main point of the article in one or two sentences. (20 points)

Step 4: List any sports jargon (technical words related to a specific sport). (10 points)

Step 5: List any adjectives (descriptive words about players, games, etc.). If none, write N/A. (10 points)

Step 6: Identify the type of article you found and explain why it matches one of the formats below: (20 points)

1. Advance - an article that previews an upcoming game/event.
2. Recap - an article that describes the outcome of a recent game/event.
3. Column - an opinion-dominated piece about a current event.
4. Feature - an in-depth look at a player, coach, event, etc.
5. News update - a news focused piece about a recently news worthy sports happening.

Step 7: Provide at least one example of how your article handles one of the following: (10 points)

1. Wins, losses season records
2. Game scores
3. Rankings
4. Names of players involved

 

Magazine Cover Final Work-day. Assigned 3/10, due 3/24 - Minor (cover 1) and MAJOR (cover 2)

Your Magazine Cover MUST include the following:

You will need to complete the following:

A. Magazine name

Think carefully about the font you use

You may not use the name of a real magazine (except on accident) - so please get creative!!

B. At least three and up to 6-7 teasers (Cover lines/headlines) for secondary stories. (Be creative and write ones that go with your magazine title).

C. Price

D. Date

E. Bar Code

Think about:

Scale - how big things are
Proportion - how big things are in relationship to others
Colors - be selective, 3 or 4 colors max, pull some colors from the images themselves
Placement of all elements (where should those things go) - should the price be located right in the middle of the image? Where do bar codes go and how big should they be? Dates? Use your sample images.
Font readability - pick good, legible fonts
Creativity - did you make text work better by creating multiple boxes for a single headline? Do you pick a font package? How well did you match your image up with your title and teasers (cover lines/headlines) and other elements?
Is it smart to put a box around any text? Look at examples

I should have two of them from you. ONE OF THEM must have a cutout or a text overlap. 

Here is how you turn them in. You must follow these directions carefully and do this correctly.

When you have a cover done, please follow the instructions listed below to turn your project in. FOLLOW THEM SPECIFICALLY AND EXACTLY. It may look complex and it isn't simple, but if you follow them carefully you will need no help from me.

You must have your cover open in InDesign (NOT photoshop)

>File>Adobe PDF presets>Smallest File Size

>Rename your magazine cover as follows: Last name_first name_magazine cover_period #

Make sure to save it in your folder in YOUR DRIVE.

>Click export (if any messages come up about outside the clipping area or anything else like that during the .pdf creation process, click okay)

Move the file to your Google Drive. Click Share. Make it sharable so that ANYONE WITH THE LINK CAN VIEW). Copy the link and put it on your Google Site, on a new subpage called Magazine Covers, as a clickable link. I MUST see these full size. Sharing is the biggest obstacle - make sure you get it right.

I would like you to convert these to .PNG files and put those on your Google Site as well. To do this you have to convert the .pdf into a .PNG file. 

1. Open Photoshop
2. Open the .pdf of your magazine cover (NOT the .indd, it won't work)
3. When the .pdf converter pop-up box appears, click okay
4. >File>Save as
5. Change the format into .PNG
6. Click save
7. Make sure you save it at the highest file size
8. If you get any other pop-up boxes, click okay 

9. Post it on your Google Site on the same page where the clickable links live. You can put the link above or below the image it goes with. Make sure to grab the corner of the image and make it as big as you can. Do this proportionally please!!

Magazine Cover work day 1 and 2 - assigned 3/10, due 3/24 - Cover 1 = Minor, Cover 2 = MAJOR

Good morning,

To begin today we will be using Photoshop to crop your portraits and self-portraits. I will show you on the screen and help you get started on this part of the project.

In 15 minutes I will start on the next step, and show you how to open InDesign and use basic tools in InDesign. We will spend about 20 minutes going over things.

Then you will begin mocking up your cover in InDesign. I strongly recommend that you do a Google Image search for Magazine Covers and find some samples that you might use. You will have 3 in-class days to make 2 covers (including today).

You should start mocking up your cover - come up with a name, make a date line, start looking for a bar code or making one, starting to think about headlines (called cover lines in the magazine world), colors, design elements you may want to include in your magazine cover. Look at your samples. You should be making an Image-based cover. You should have multiple cover lines. You should be careful and plan for color AND font use. It should not look like the crayon box vomited on the page, and the text should legible. We will talk more about this over the next few classes.

Photoshop:

Crop your image in Photoshop - 8.5 inches x 11 inches at 300 resolution. To get those sub-menu choices you have to select the crop tool.

Always save as the first time you touch an image and from then on you can just save.

Don't forget to do levels.

To get the image into InDesign - you need make an X-box to place the photo in. Once you have the box made - you can either command-D or you can go under >file to >place.

Use the text tool to create boxes that you can type into. Don't forget to play with colors, sizes and even fonts. Be creative

If you are comfortable using Photoshop to do text or other things, feel free. But remember to make your document 8.5 x 11 inches because you will have to import the completed image to InDesign. You may have to flatten your layers and make sure to save it as a .jpeg.

Your Magazine Cover MUST include the following:

You will need to complete the following:

A. Magazine name

Think carefully about the font you use

You may not use the name of a real magazine (except on accident) - so please get creative!!

B. A teaser / cover line (headline type description) for the main story.

You will need at least 3-5 other cover lines on your cover.

C. Pricing and date information and a bar code (appropriately sized!!)If you want to do some fun things with your image, like putting text over your photo or making a cut-out, here are some tutorials:

If you want to try to add a second or even third photo to duplicate a magazine cover you like, go for it.

You will be making TWO covers over the next couple of classes, and they will need to look different from each other. There are many ways to do that, but one way that will have to be completed is the following:

For one of your Magazine Covers, you must include one of the following, either create a text overlap or a cut-out. Below are some tutorials you can use. I know many of you are good at Photoshop already. As long as the effect is carried out, I don't care how you do it, and you use Photoshop.

It is very likely that you can find a tutorial on Youtube as well and you are welcome to do that on your phone or on the desktop. Just do a Google search for the thing you want to do.

TEXT OVERLAP TUTORIAL -- If you really want to make your magazine cover look professional, try making the subject in your photo overlap the title of your magazine. Below is a link to a good tutorial to teach you how to add layers in Photoshop to create this effect.

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/overlap-text/

CUT-OUT TUTORIAL - if you are interested in doing some sort of cut-out, you can visit this link for a tutorial. This will walk you through the process of completing a cut-out. Don't forget it still needs to be cropped at 8.5x11 inches.

https://skylum.com/how-to/how-to-cut-out-image-in-photoshop

https://www.creativelive.com/blog/remove-background-photoshop/

IMPORTANT: Always save cut-outs as PNG files. JPG does not support transparent backgrounds.

HOT TIP: Always save your original cut-out as a PSD file somewhere safe so you can re-edit your cut-out again later if needed.

Portraits and Self-Portrait turn-in Instructions AND Newspaper Design Concepts - posted 3/10, due 3/10 - MAJOR and Minor (newspaper design concepts will go on the 4th 9 weeks)

Good morning,

I have been pulled for a meeting during today's class period. While I wanted to get started on your Magazine covers, I think we should put that off until Wednesday. You do have a few things to do to turn in your portraits and self-portraits and then get started on Newspaper Design Concepts. Although we will not do newspaper design until after Spring Break, since I cannot be there today, we can get started on some of the terms I will be using for that unit. YOU WILL NOT FINISH THIS ASSIGNMENT TODAY, BUT PLEASE GET SOME OF IT DONE and this assignment will not be on this grade cycle)!

1st - please upload you photos and run them through Photoshop. You need to do levels and crop them vertically - below are the instructions to remind you. If you need help with Levels, please ask your neighbor, or scroll down to the Photoshop assignment below where you can find the direct instructions.

Photoshop:

To levels first - Command-L to get to it fast

Once you finish, make sure you SAVE-AS and rename your image. They should not be called IMG_####, the should be called portrait or self-portrait or something similar.

Crop your image in Photoshop - 8.5 inches x 11 inches at 300 resolution. To get those sub-menu choices you have to select the crop tool.

Always SAVE-AS the first time you touch an image and from then on you can just SAVE.

When you have cropped both images, and done levels and have them saved as .JPEG or .JPG or even .PNG, please post those on your Google Site on a new subpage called Portraits and Self-Portraits.

If you file is saving as a .PSD, you need to go to Layer in the Main Menu options at the top and find FLATTEN IMAGE. It is all the way at the bottom. Select Flatten Image and then you can save your photo as a .PNG file.

Once you have both image on your Google Site, PLEASE PULL THE CORNER AND MAKE IT BIGGER!!! 

Now get the card back into the camera and get everything put away in the camera bag and go to the lockers and turn it in. You will need to get your card out of the slot and give it to the sub. This is CRUCIAL. Make sure it happens. Thanks

Then move onto the next assignment, please.

Newspaper Design Concepts

Before we start the first Newspaper Design project, we need to know some terms and find some examples of what actually makes up a newspaper page. Many of you will be joining us in newspaper next year, and you are supposed to be focusing on the "visual" side of things. That starts with photography, but it also involves design, infographics, illustrations, podcasting and videography.

When we are talking about newspaper design, it can get extremely complex, but there are basic things you should know and understand before you can get more in-depth. For those of you moving on, these terms and understanding their uses, will really help you as you transition to the production classes. For those of you who are not, these basic terms are used in other places, like yearbook, graphic design and even into the real world. So all of you will benefit from understanding these concepts.

Below are a list of terms you should know. Your job today is to find examples of each of these concepts, take a screen shot of these ideas and share them on your Google Site in a new subpage called Newspaper Design Concepts. You will need to label each image with the correct term.

You will need to find these using the Dispatch newspaper. You can access the print edition of the newspaper here: https://thedispatchonline.net/category/print/

To access each issue, you will need to click on the link and go to Issuu.com and view them as full screen. If you are unsure how to take a screen shot, it's easy - hold down the SHIFT, COMMAND and the #4. That will create a "bullseye" cursor. Now you just click and drag over the item you want to take a screen shot of. This image will either go into the Download folder or to your desktop. Make sure to move these into your Digital Media folder on the desktop. Put them in a new folder called Newspaper Design Concepts.

This is a long list, and I have specified exactly what I am looking for in each term description. In some cases I am asking for a whole page but some screen shots will be portions of the paper, so do not take one big shot and expect me to understand what you are showing me. Find these SPECIFIC elements and take the screen shot. You are welcome to use preview editor and draw lines to what you are trying to show me, if that helps you.

As you look for these items in the Dispatch, please take the time to look at the design of each page you look at. Notice where these elements appear. Look at the way the pages are designed in terms of where headlines appear and where the photos and captions are placed. How does the copy wrap around photos. What about art? Where does the copy go on some art pieces? What about bylines and photo credit lines? There are very specific rules about the placement of all of these items. You will be using the Dispatch as your guide when you create your second newspaper page in the next project.

Above the fold: the top half of any page.

Art: photos, illustrations, line art, cartoons, graphics, charts, etc.

Attribution: assigning information to a source, e.g., he said. Any attribution will be fine.

Banner: headline that stretches across entire newspaper page. Reserved for the big news.

Box: 1- or 2-point lines, known as rules, enclosing a story alone or story and art. Used to draw attention to art and story. Also called packaging.

Byline: name of author of story. (Different from credit line, which is the name of the photographer.)

Caption: text accompanying a photograph; also called, cutline (but rarely used)

Column: section of text that runs from top to bottom of the page. Also, regular editorial feature in a publication, usually with a byline. Please find me BOTH of these. They both appear in our newspaper.

Copy: article, story, other written material.

Credit line: name of photographer who took the accompanying picture, the artist who drew the illustration or the person who made the informational graphic. Placed immediately under the photo or art, often in 6- or 8-point type.

Deck: wording following a headline but preceding the text or body copy. Expands on the meaning of the title, explaining its significance. Sometimes called a Subhead.

Double truck: newspaper term for spread, or the two facing pages.

Drop cap: large decorative initial capital letter that extends below the top line of a paragraph it begins.

Editorial: article of comment or opinion usually on the editorial/opinion page.

Flag: name of the newspaper across the top of page one. Sometimes called the logo or nameplate.

Folio: page numbers. Also can refer to date, price, publisher, sometimes volume and number of newspaper that usually is in relatively small type and positioned below the flag or nameplate.

Gutter: blank space between two facing pages or adjacent columns of type.

Hairline: very thin rule or line. 

Head, Headline, Hed: tells readers what the story is about. Similar to a title but includes a verb.

Information graphic: information presented largely as a picture or visual, e.g., bar and pie charts, tables, time-series lines, maps, illustrations.

Jump line: a few words that tell the reader that the story is continued on another page. Continued on... and Please turn to... are the most common jump lines. Please find the jump to AND the jumped from labels.

Lead: the first paragraph, which in hard news stories is the first sentence of the story. Tells the reader what the news is. In longer feature stories, lead can be a block of paragraphs that set the stage or put the reader in the scene.

leading: space between lines of type, usually measured from baseline to baseline. 

Masthead: information about the publication run on an inside page. Usually includes publishers, editors, directors, address, etc. Sometimes called the staff box.

Modular Design: all elements in a package can be placed inside of a square box (this box may not be a physical box, but you can draw an invisible box around all the related content), creating "modular" boxes that can be moved around as a square package.

Mug shot: a picture of the head and shoulders of a person. Usually run relatively small. In a newspaper usually a half-column wide by 1.5 inches deep or one column wide by 3 inches deep. 

Nameline: a name that appears underneath a mugshot, identifying the person in the picture.

Op-ed page: short for opposite the editorial page. Page that features columnists' opinions often about social, political issues.

Package: A set of items that all go together to complete a group of items that tell the entire story, this includes all art, graphics, photos, story, headline, captions in a presentation. Designed in Modular fashion.

Photo essay: series of photographs that make a single point.

Pic: short for picture.

Reverse: images appear in white on a dark or colored background. Must be used only for a few words. Difficult to read.

Run-around: body copy that wraps around an inset piece of art.

Sidebar: a related story intended to run with a major story on same topic. 

Standing heads, standing sigs or standing signatures: title and/or graphic that signals a regular column (e.g., Dear Abby), regular features (Athletes Assert), a special series of stories or a particular breaking news story topic (e.g., The Summit, Plane Crash). Usually positioned above the head or near the top of a story.

Teasers: a headline, phrase or sentence, sometimes accompanied by art, that advertises stories inside the paper. Usually positioned at the top of the front page.

Text: body copy.

Tombstone head: similar size and style headlines, side by side. Usually to be avoided.

White space: space on a page not occupied by type, pictures or other elements. Floating or trapped white space is to be avoided. 

Catch-up day with Extra Credit Opportunity. Posted 3/5

 Today is a catch-up day. If you are missing work for me, you have today to get as much done as possible. This will be the only day for this kind of work before the end of the 3rd 9 weeks. I have updated grades and you should be able to check your grades to determine what you are missing.

On Monday, you must have your Portraits and Self-Portraits ready to go. Those 2 photos will be your final grade of the 3rd nine weeks. It will be a MAJOR grade. On Wednesday, before we leave for Spring Break, we will start Magazine Covers, but it will carry over after Spring Break.

If you are completely caught up and would like some extra credit, you can complete the task below and I will apply extra credit to the 3rd 9 weeks cycle in the best way I can to help your grade. That could be raising a major grade by as many as 10 points (I could spread this out as well), or raising your overall grade by 1-3 points.

EXTRA CREDIT - Free Write

Create a new google doc. Pick a prompt. Write. Email me the Doc. Make sure it is shared properly. I don't need to edit this one, so you can just make it so I can VIEW it. Make a new Google Site subpage called 3rd nine weeks extra credit and make your Google Doc a clickable link.

Here are the prompts - Pick ONE and write - lets say 400-500 words and complete the story.

Creative Writing Prompts

1. You’re digging in your garden and find a fist-sized nugget of gold.
2. Write about something ugly–war, fear, hate, or cruelty–but find the beauty (silver lining) in it.
3. The asteroid was hurtling straight for Earth…
4. A kid comes out of the bathroom with toilet paper dangling from his or her waistband.
5. Write about your early memories of faith, religion, or spirituality; yours or someone else’s.
6. There’s a guy sitting on a park bench reading a newspaper…
7. Write a poem about a first romantic experience or encounter.
8. He turned the key in the lock and opened the door. To his horror, he saw…
9. Silvery flakes drifted down, glittering in the bright light of the harvest moon. The blackbird swooped down…
10. The detective saw his opportunity. He grabbed the waitress’s arm and said…
11. There are three children sitting on a log near a stream. One of them looks up at the sky and says…
12. There is a magic talisman that allows its keeper to read minds. It falls into the hands of a young politician…
13. And you thought dragons didn’t exist…
14. Write about nature. Include the following words: hard drive, stapler, phone, car, billboard.
15. The doctor put his hand on her arm and said gently, “You or the baby will survive. Not both. I’m sorry.”
16. The nation is controlled by…
17. You walk into your house and it’s completely different–furniture, decor, all changed. And nobody’s home.
18. Write about one (or both) of your parents. Start with “I was born…”
19. The most beautiful smile I ever saw…
20. I believe that animals exist to…
21. A twinkling eye can mean many things. Start with a twinkle in someone’s eye and see where it takes you.
22. Good versus evil. Do they truly exist? Are there gray areas? Do good people do bad things?
23. Write about your body.
24. Have you ever been just about to drift off to sleep only to be roused because you spontaneously remembered an embarrassing moment from your past?