 |
Grade: Middle
Subject: Reading/Writing
|
 |
Here is a lesson I thought I'd share with t.net middlers. I am not the originater of this idea! There is an angel on NCTE who originally posted this project.
I introduced the magazine unit by showing several samples of magazines
(Cicada & Cricket from Cricket Magazine Group 1-800-827-0227, TEEN People,
Time, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated for Kids from the Newsstand, Western
Horseman, Ducks Unlimited, Field & Stream, Guideposts for Teens, and BRIO
all from home subcriptions). I told them they would always have some type
of magazine for one purpose or another, even as a professional you could
have a magazine for your specialty from car repair to doctor (tying in
school to work).I made a poster for each of the following pages: Editor's Page, Pictorial,
Advertisements, Puzzle, Book Review. I cut out sections from magazines and
glued them on poster board as examples.I added a checklist on the left so kids could check off parts of the project
before they hand it in! No excuses for "not knowing" what the exact
requirements are!. I also added the peer editing component. My high
schoolers loved having time to peer edit other peoples work, so I made it an
option for the 8th graders.Puzzle page - this page allows us time in the computer lab to actually
constuct a word search puzzle (or a crossword). I schedule 1 period a week
in the lab for the kids to find pictures and print off word process works. I
DO NOT require this project to be computer generated due to limited access
to the lab at school and/or lack of computers at home for the kids. This
kind of also incorporates technology into the reading curriculum.Hope you get a chance to use the unit. The kids like it!
Deb
ms-hs/IA
dburton@excite.co>
Magazine
Project
> > >
8th Grade
Reading
Exploratory
1999-2000
Congratulations!
You have just been named editor-in-chief of a brand new magazine. You are to design this publication from cover to cover. You need to cover the following components to create a magazine that is centered around a theme of your choice (football, music, movies, dance, skiing...........):
> > >
> > >
Magazine Cover
Editor's Page
Literature Page
Pictorial Page
Advertisements
Biographical Feature Article
Book Review
Word Search Puzzle
> > >
Each component will be graded individually with specific rubrics.
Those rubrics and project descriptions are listed on the following pages.
When you finish each component, clip off the grading rubric and place it with the completed assignment. You will be given class time to type up any written work in the computer lab, conference with a peer, and edit your work.
We will establish project due dates and write them in your planner as assignments. One page of your magazine will be due each week unless
it is a shortened school week. The final magazine will be bound and given to you at the end of the trimester.
Literature Page
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
> > >
You will need to choose TWO (2) poems that fit the topic of your magazine.
With each poem you will need to include a
brief biography of the poet.
You will need to include an illustration for each poem.
You are encouraged to write the poems yourself and if you do then make the biography of yourself.
Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
2 Poems (10)_____
Biography of Poets (10)_____
Relevance to Magazine (05)_____
Illustration (10)_____
Creativity and Effectiveness (05)_____
Spelling (05)_____
Effort (05)_____
Total (50)_____
> > >
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!
> > >
> > > Pictorial Page
> > >
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
> > >
The pictorial page is a photo layout with captions under the photos.
"Photos" may be actual photographs, pictures you have cut from magazines, photos from web sites that you have cut and pasted into a word processing document, or pictures you have drawn.
The layout must be original; i.e., don't just cut out a whole picture and
paste it to the paper.
Each picture must include a caption you have written which explains the picture.
Pictures need to be unified with a title reflecting the theme of your pictorial.
> > >
Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Title Of Pictorial (10)_____
5 'Photos' (10)_____
Creative Layout (10)_____
Captions (20)_____
> > >
Total (50)_____
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!
> > >
> > > Advertisements
> > >
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
> > >
You will not only create the advertisements for your magazine, you need to "invent" the products you are advertising. This means that you cannot simply create a new advertisement for an existing product (i.e. a new "Got Milk" ad). You are required to create two (2) different Products to advertise in your magazine.
Product #1 must be a food product
Product #2 must be a non-food item. This means it cannot be something that can be eaten (no gum, candy, soft drinks...)
One if these advertisements will be the back of your magazine.
> > >
> > > Grading Rubric
> > >
Checklist Points
2 Products (20)_____
Slogans (10)_____
Creativity (10)_____
Neatness (10)_____
> > >
Total (50)_____
> > >
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!
> > >
> > > Word Search Puzzle
> > >
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
Your magazine is going to contain a word search or crossword puzzle.
You are to use vocabulary words that fit the theme of your magazine.
This will be created using a program called Puzzlemaker.com on the
internet. Use time during class, directed studies, or library time to use this site:
> > > http://www.puzzlemaker.com
to create a word puzzle.
> > >
> > > Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Relationship to the Theme (20)_____
Title (05)_____
Creativity (10)_____
Neatness (05)_____
Vocabulary (10)_____
Total (50)_____>
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have
everything for this page on your assignment!
> > > Magazine Cover
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
Your cover must have:
The title of the magazine (should be the biggest writing on the cover.
Check other magazines and see where they place their titles).
The publication month
A one or two word statement about each of your major articles.
A prominent illustration which represents the theme of your magazine
(other
illustrations may be included as well, if they are incorporated
tastefully
into the cover layout).
> > > Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Title (05)_____
Month (05)_____
Creativity (10)_____
Articles (10)_____
Neatness (10)_____
Illustration (10)_____
Total (50)_____
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!> > > Editor's Page
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
This page allows you, as the editor and creator of this magazine, to explain the themes of the current issue, as well as giving you the opportunity to briefly explain some of the major articles. This page needs to be
personalized with a picture of you and your signature.
> > > Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Theme (10)_____
Voice (05)_____
Articles (10)_____
Neatness (10)_____
Picture and Signature (10)_____
Layout (05)_____
Total (50)_____>
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!
> > >
> > > Biographical Feature Article
Name:____________________Due: ____________________
Choose a person who is related to the theme of your magazine; someone
representative of the subject you have chosen. Write an article about
that person, giving biographical information (birth date, hometown, family, etc...).
Include descriptions of what that person does that has made him/her famous or significantly related to your theme. You may wish to include the
information in the form of an interview.
> > > Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Title (05)_____
Biographical Information (10)_____
Relationship to Theme (10)_____
Neatness (05)_____
Illustration (s) (10)_____
Related information (10)_____
Total (50)_____
> > >
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!Book Review
> > >
Name:____________________
Due: ____________________
As a reviewer you will want to give the following tips in a book review:
biographical information on the author of the book.
faults and compliments about the book
why they should read this book
who should read this book
descriptions of the main character, the setting and the conflict in the book.
> > >
Grading Rubric
Checklist Points
Title and Author (05)_____
Biographical Information about the Author (10)_____
Summary (10)_____
Neatness (05)_____
Compliment (05)_____
Recommended Audience (05)_____
Publisher Listed (in parentheses) (05)_____
Criticism (05)_____Total (50)_____
> > >
Have a friend use the checklist to edit your work and to make sure you have everything for this page on your assignment!
New Jobs on Teachers.Net