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Personal and Social Responsibility

Site: Cowichan Valley School District - Moodle
Course: ELA10 - New Media (2 credit), CSS, Cizeron
Book: Personal and Social Responsibility
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Sunday, 19 May 2024, 12:26 AM

Table of contents

Introduction

Personal Awareness and Responsibility

  1. Self-determination
  2. Self-regulation
  3. Well-being

Social Responsibility

  1. Contributing to community and caring for the environment
  2. Solving problems in peaceful ways
  3. Valuing diversity
  4. Building relationships

Consider all of these elements as you work through the assignments in this section.

Summary Explanation of Assignments

Here is a quick overview of the assignments for this unit.  However, be sure you read over the specific assignment instructions that follow for each one.  Review the marking rubrics for the assignments before you start.

ASSIGNMENT 1: Newspaper Layout

Develop your critical viewing and reading skills by understanding how a newspaper is laid out.  This helps you easily locate the information you're looking for. Understanding the structure of news stories helps you quickly get the amount of information you need.

ASSIGNMENT 2:  Website Writing

Writing for the web means being really concise and formatting correctly.  People tend to skim rather than read word-for-word, so it is important that the information is formatted for reading ease.  Using images and headings help enhance the meaning to your text.

ASSIGNMENT 3:  Infographic

You've been reading and writing on different text formats so now it is time to evaluate and then create your own visual representation of information.  Read about "infographics".

ASSIGNMENT 4:  Ad Analysis

Choose an ad and analyze it based on its claim, support, images, words, and audience.  You will need to submit a copy of your ad so be wise as to your choice.

ASSIGNMENT 5:  Response FORUM

Go through the 3 Grammar Resources listed under Course Resources.  These sites are from an online Grammar textbook called The Bare Essentials.  There are examples, practice exercises, and practice tests.

Do the practice tests in Unit 1 (WORDS) and Unit 4 (PUNCTUATION).  If you are not achieving 100% on these tests, review the lesson in the EXAMPLES and the do some practice EXERCISES to review.

In this forum, comment on which of the tests you found easiest.  Which one was most difficult?  Was there a concept in these practice tests that was unfamiliar to you?  How might you begin to apply these learning lessons into your own writing?  Can you see where you might use some of these conventions of language?  Provide a discussion of your results and their applications into your creative writing.

ASSIGNMENT 6:  PROJECT:  E-Zine

Read some example E-Zines and then create your own on a social issue you would enjoy learning about and supporting.

ASSIGNMENT 1: Newspaper Layout

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Recognize and appreciate how different forms, formats, structures, and features 
    of texts enhance and shape meaning and impact
  • Apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, visual, and multimodal texts

Advertisements, commercials, brochures, cartoons, charts, graphs, magazines, websites, and newspapers - the ability to view critically is an important skill to master in today's fast-paced visual world. You combine reading skills with viewing skills all the time, whether reading a bus schedule, Googling, or looking for a poem in your textbook. The way in which information is presented can be crucial in delivering a message effectively. This section will walk you through some critical viewing skills, including how to view a textbook, newspaper, website, and charts and graphs.

You interact with informational text on a daily basis - when you log onto a website, glance at the front page of a newspaper, or flip through a magazine. Finding information in these media involves sharp viewing and reading skills. In this lesson, you will learn about effectively locating information in informational texts, such as newspapers and websites.

News Story Structure

Understanding how a newspaper is laid out helps you easily locate the information you're looking for. Understanding the structure of news stories helps you quickly get the amount of information you need.

Writing news stories is different from typical paragraph writing. News stories answer the 5 Ws + How (who, what, where, when, why, and how) first broadly and then in more detail. The first few sentences of a news story, called the lead, quickly inform the reader of who, what, where, and when and sometimes even why and how. If readers want to know more, they'll read on for the details.

This type of writing is known as the inverted pyramid approach. Think of an upside down triangle: the widest part is at the top and the narrow point at the bottom. In the wide part, the basic details of the story are provided. As you move down the triangle, or news story, specific details are given and the story is more fully developed. You'll get a better understanding of the story if you read the whole piece, but you'll know the simple facts by just reading the lead.

Knowing how a news story is organized helps you to be an efficient reader. You can focus your attention on the first paragraph of a news story to glean the most pertinent information. Then, if the topic captures your attention, you can read the rest of the article for deeper understanding. If the topic isn't of interest, you'll still know the facts, but can move on to a story whose details do interest you.

Task: 

 

Using the front page of the newspaper mockup provided, identify the labelled items in the layout.

1. Click on the .pdf icon; download the newspaper layout that you will use for the assignment.

2. Click on the .pdf or .docx to complete the three Front Page Challenge Activities. Don't forget to attach and submit when finished.

Front Page Challenge Activities

Completing Your Assignment

You can complete your assignment by

  • printing out the .pdf version, completing it, scanning the completed .pdf and submitting it to your teacher, or
  • downloading the .docx version, completing it and submitting the completed .docx file to your teacher.

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective.  There is a clear connection and engagement with the topic and all parts are complete and accurate. 

Written Expression:  Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.  Content contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections with logical organization.

Submission: 

Use the "4.1 Newspaper Layout" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.

Sample Newspaper Layout

Newspaper Layout

Newspapers are designed to appeal to a wide range of readers, so they cover a broad range of topics and subjects. Large newspapers are divided into sections so readers can quickly go to the section that interests them.

For example:

  • News

  • Business

  • Sports

  • Arts and Entertainment

  • Classifieds

Within each section, pages are laid out in a consistent manner to provide a visual cue to the reader of what type of information they convey. For example, headlines are set in large, bold type. The body copy (the main text of the story) is set in small type that's easily read and neatly aligned on both left and right sides of a column. Small type that looks different from the body copy is used for the story's location.

Here is a list of the elements on the front page of a newspaper.

Element

Information contained

Location

masthead

  • name of the newspaper set in large, bold type

  • often incorporates the place name of where the newspaper is published (e.g., The Vancouver Sun, The Abbotsford Times, Prince George Citizen)

  • top of the front page

  • spans across the width of the page

splash

  • most important story in the newspaper

  • has the largest headline

  • accompanied by a large photograph

  • front page of the newspaper

  • under the masthead

  • usually takes up at least the top half of the page

headline

  • title for all stories and editorials

  • consists of a few words to give a glimpse into the content

  • set in large, bold type

  • the larger the headline, the more important the story

  • scanning headlines is a good way to figure out what stories interest you

  • top of each story

deck

  • a secondary headline

  • provides more information about the story

  • set in larger type than the story, but smaller type than the headline

  • under the headline

dateline

  • identifies the location of the story

  • under the headline

byline

  • identifies the reporter or news agency responsible for the story

  • under the headline

body text or body copy

  • the main text for a story

  • under the dateline/byline

cut

  • a photograph or illustration that accompanies a news story

  • with the body copy

cutline or caption

  • a short description of the cut (photograph or illustration)

  • often describes the event, names and location

  • under the photograph or illustration

index

  • alphabetical table of contents for features in the newspaper

  • usually in a small box on the front page

Look at the front page of either a print or online newspaper (or both!). Can you find all the parts listed in the table? If you're looking at both print and online, what are the similarities and differences between the two?

ASSIGNMENT 2: Website Writing

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Access information for diverse purposes and from a variety of sources to inform writing.
  • Assess and refine texts to improve clarity and impact.

Writing for the Web

Research shows that people read 25% slower online and tend to scan rather than read word for word. To accommodate for this, successful online writing is concise, easy to scan, and objective.  Online writers make conscious and stylistic choices to best communicate in this medium.  Always consider the audience!  Just as you did for writing for social media, you need to consider the same things for writing on the web.

Concise Writing

  • uses simple sentence structures
  • uses simple, to-the-point language
  • uses numbers and symbols instead of writing (for example 25%; instead of twenty-five percent)
  • uses active voice and verbs
  • uses positive statements (for example: "do your homework" instead of "don't forget to do your homework")
  • starts each paragraph with a topic sentence
  • starts a new paragraph for every new idea
  • avoids unnecessary phrases like clichés and redundant words (for example: "The fact of the matter is that the sentence is too long and has far too many words in it." is more concisely written as "The sentence is too long.")

Easy to Scan Writing

  • uses meaningful headings and subheadings
  • uses the inverted pyramid style of writing, in which the most important information is expressed at the top with details following
  • emphasizes keywords
  • uses lists to draw attention to important points
  • uses tables to organize information
  • uses relevant graphics with captions

Objective Writing

  • is written in a factual and unbiased manner
  • is organized well so information is easy to find

Assignment

The following recipe and instructions for changing a flat tire are for a website called "Useful Things to Know." The information for both is correct, but they weren't written for the Web.

Choose either Option A: Recipe or Option B: How-to Instructions and rework the piece so it's easy to read online. Reworking means rewriting and restructuring the piece, based on what you have learned in the previous lesson about writing and presenting information for the web. Use the information given, but delete anything that isn't necessary; add anything, such as headings, that would be helpful. Hint: you'll want to present it in some form other than a paragraph. When you are finished, attach and submit your assignment.

OPTION A: Click on the PDF or DOCX icon to complete the Writing for the Web: Recipe activity.

Option A: Recipe

OPTION B: Click on the PDF or DOCX icon to complete the Writing for the Web: How-to Instructions activity.

Option B: How-to Instructions

 

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective.  Piece has been rewritten in a proper format for the web while including all main content. 

Written Expression:  Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.  Content contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections with logical organization.

Submission: 

Use the "4.2 Website Writing" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.

Sample Website Layout

Homepage Layout

A website is different from other text-based publications because viewers do more than just read - they interact with contents through exploration of links and sometimes audio, animation, and video. Although the content of websites varies greatly, effective websites capture the attention of viewers and make it easy for them to find information.

A website is a collection of pages all linked to one another. Within this collection is the homepage, the page you see first when you go to a website. The homepage is like the first part of a book in one as it contains the title page (header), table of contents (navigation), and introduction (content).

Here are the common elements of a homepage.

Element

Information contained

Location

header

  • the name of the website (organization, business, topic, etc.)

  • can include a graphic banner

  • at the top, spanning across the page

content or body

  • contents of the page including text, images, and links to other pages

  • may include information presented as audio, video and/or animation

  • below the header

  • occupies most of the page

navigation bar

  • provides links to the other pages of the website

  • may include a search tool

  • vertically on the left side of the page, or horizontally across the top underneath the header

footer

  • copyright statement

  • date of creation or last update

  • email link to a contact

  • name of company, organization or individual responsible for the site

  • can include links to help, feedback, and FAQs

  • at the bottom, spanning across the page

Some home pages include interactive features to help locate information or use the site. These include:

  • A site search tool that allows you to type in a key word or phrase. The tool will then provide you with the pages in the site that contain your keyword or phrase.

  • A FAQ (frequently asked questions) page providing answers to common questions, often with a link to the correct page to get more information.

  • A site map which graphically represents the organization of the website. The map typically lists the pages in a hierarchical fashion. Users can link directly to pages from the site map.

ASSIGNMENT 3: Infographics

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world
  • Explore how language constructs personal and cultural identities

Visual Texts

A visual text conveys information through an image. Some, like maps, are primarily image, supported by some words. Others, like flow charts, may hold blocks of written text, but the arrangement of these blocks conveys a sequence, and so adds meaning the sentences alone do not have. Some visual text conveys meaning using no words at all: for example, the male and female characters you find on washroom doors.

Infographics have recently become very popular with news media, big business, and educators.  They are very effective as a tool for communicating ideas and displaying large amounts of information relatively quickly.  Infographics combine text, graphics, and images together in a way that is aesthetically appealing and engaging to the viewer.  

infographic

Task: 

1.  Read the articles and watch the video on infographic creation.  They are on the next page.

2.  Select one of the 10 tools listed in the articles, and create an infographic about a topic of your choice.  If you need more direction, please ask your teacher.

  • Include pictures, graphs, and charts in the infographic, as well as written descriptions

 

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment. 

Learning Target: Exemplary (6/6):  Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective. The infographic presents the content in an effective, concise and complete manner. Elements of design (graphics, colour, font, titles, etc.) add to the delivery and flow of the content in an effective and creative way. 

Written Expression:  Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. 

Submission: 

Use the "4.3 Infographics" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.

Infographics

1.  Watch the introductory video on Infographics.

ASSIGNMENT 4: Ad Analysis

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Identify bias, contradictions, and distortions. 
  • Think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within, between,
    and beyond texts.

Click here to work through a lesson on Advertising. Be sure to take notes as you progress through the various advertising techniques discussed:

  • Unique
  • Unfinished comparison
  • Scientific Claims
  • Statistics/Numbers
  • Celebrity
  • Meaningless Fact
  • Compliment Consumers/Ego
  • Weasel Words
  • Glittery Generality

Here is a basic example of a claim and evidence to support it.

The ad has more than one claim. Can you think of any others?

Task: 

For this assignment you are going to choose an ad and analyze it. You will need to submit a copy of your ad so be wise as to your choice.

1. Find an ad that fits the assignment well. You can look online, in a book, a magazine etc. Just be sure you can get a digital copy of the ad. (If you find an ad in a magazine or book, you can even simply take a picture of it and send it in).

2. Go through the 5 questions in the "Analysis of an Ad" block below and respond to each section in point form.

3. Create one document with your ad and your responses, clearly labeled.

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective. All  tasks are complete, organized as specified, and thoughtful.

 Written Expression:  Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Content contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections with logical organization.

Submission: 

Use the "4.4 Ad Analysis" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.

Analysis of an Ad

  1. The claim: What is the main argument the advertisement is making? (refer back to the previous interactive guide for examples)
  2. The support: What reasons and/or evidence does it give its audience to persuade?
  3. The images: What images are presented? How do these images appear (foreboding, happy, carefree, serious, courageous, etc.)? What connotations do the images have? How do the people appear?
  4. The words: What words specifically are being used to describe the product and/or the people and things in the advertising? Look these words up in a dictionary, especially if you're unsure of their meanings. What are the connotations that surround these words?
  5. The audience: Who do you think the advertisers are targeting? What demographics and why?

ASSIGNMENT 5: Editing Forum

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Use the conventions of Canadian spelling, grammar, and punctuation proficiently and as appropriate to the context
  •  Respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives to build shared understanding and extend thinking

Task:

Go through the 3 Grammar Resources listed under Course Resources (on the side of the course). These sites are from an online Grammar textbook called The Bare Essentials. There are examples, practice exercises, and practice tests.

Do the practice tests in UNIT 1 (WORDS) and UNIT 4 (PUNCTUATION). If you are not achieving 100% on these tests, review the lesson in the EXAMPLES and the do some practice EXERCISES to review.

In this forum, comment on which of the tests/concepts you found easiest. Which one was most difficult? Was there a concept in these practice tests that was unfamiliar to you? How might you begin to apply these learning lessons into your own writing? Can you see where you might use some of these conventions of language? Provide a discussion of your results and their applications into your speaking and writing. Comment on another's post. Did you get other ideas for applying these grammar lessons into your own writing?

There are TWO activities in a FORUM:

    1. Go to the main page of the course and click on 4.5 Editing Forum.  Start a new discussion topic by clicking on Add a New Discussion Topic.
    2. Reply/Respond to someone else's discussion topic by clicking on their topic and selecting Reply.  Comment on the concepts they chose.  Offer advice on learning how to apply these concepts.   Try using the following prompts to guide your response to another post.  "I wonder…"  "I know…"  "I can…"  Don't just agree or disagree.

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective. Student has carefully considered prior and new knowledge of word choice including homonyms, apostrophes, capitalization, and numbers in language. Student has carefully considered prior and new knowledge of punctuation rules including commas, semi-colons, colons, quotation marks, and end punctuation.  Student demonstrates clear understanding of personal learning.

Response/Reply:  Exemplary (6/6):  The response/reply is thoughtful, insightful and respectfully exchanges ideas and viewpoints.  Student demonstrates an exceptional level of understanding and communication of shared information.

Submission:

Use the "4.5 Editing Forum" link on the main page of this section of the course to post your forum response to your teacher for marking.

ASSIGNMENT 6: PROJECT - E-Zine

Learning Target (Curricular Competencies):

  • Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world
  • Explore how language constructs personal and cultural identities

An E-Zine is an online magazine - it's really just a website that focuses on a particular theme or topic.

  • Click here to read the Wikipedia definition for an eZine.

Let's look carefully at some online magazines. It is a chance for you to begin reflecting on what kind of website you would like to produce.  Before you begin to make these decisions, you need to reflect on how a website can be organized and what its components should be. Examining what others have done is a good way to begin.

There are many ways to create an eZine. An eZine can be very sophisticated or it can be more like a newsletter. You can do whatever you wish, but you are going to create a glorified newsletter-type eZine that will include pictures and articles written by you.

After learning about eZines, you need to pick a topic that you would like to create an eZine around.  It should reflect your sense of personal and social responsibility:  contributing to community and caring for the environment; solving problems in peaceful ways; valuing diversity; building relationships.

Choose a social issue but pick something you would enjoy learning about and supporting as you create your eZine.

Some of which include:

      1. Religion. With the various prayer or religious gatherings and places of worship for some denominations, the followers of the religion tend to interact and form social bonds amongst each other. As depicted by some religious groups, these tend to be strong and held by the web of values shared by these groups.
      2. Gender identity. The way we identify ourselves makes a great social difference in terms of the way we people interact. For example, gay bars as a social meeting place for the gays. Additionally, there are other joints which only attract women or seem to be frequented by men only.
      3. Government and social life. It is pretty obvious that the government follows our social media postings and hence putting a lid on what views can be uttered and what can’t. It is indeed possible to spread rumors or certain politically induced comments on social media. Therefore, governments all over the world seem to want to be involved in setting or upholding laws which govern their people’s interactions on social media.
      4. Separation of church and state.
      5. War. Several wars have brought division in people’s social lives, for example, a person living in America, having an Arabian affiliation can be singled out on what they post on social media. It has, therefore, become mandatory for governments to ensure that people are using the social media platforms responsibly.
      6. Family and single parenthood. This involves one parent walking out with their partner. This may affect the kid’s growth in terms of criticism from their peers and also their mental and emotional health which affects their social life.
      7. Drugs and alcohol abuse. Drugs have subsequent health and emotional issues through addiction and general usage which in turn changes a person’s social behavior.
      8. Social media and bullying. Some cases of bullying have been described as sources of suicidal thought and behavioral changes.
      9. Social media has been associated with a bad company among the youth hence disadvantages in social and moral values.
      10. Materialism. Trends in fashion among others have had a significant impact on how teenagers communicate with their peers and also those not of their trendy peers and family members.
      11. Obesity and social life. Fat shaming has had some root in its victims’ social lives.
      12. Education disparity. Inequality in educational quality is described and defined by race in many communities as well as financial status. For example, If you live in a poor neighborhood or are a minority, there is a huge chance that the schools you attend may lack most essential facilities hence a totally different way of interaction with the other cultured kids.
      13. Social life and the economy.
      14. Poverty and social life. In most communities, the economic status always defines a person’s social status.
      15. National pride and identity. The sense of belonging always has a say in a person’s social identity and status. The way citizens of a country communicate is different with that of immigrants and natives.
      16. The internet versus the social life.
      17. The power of advertisements. In some cases, people have been attracted into buying certain types of products that they now define with that particular brand against their rivals through extreme advertising.
      18. Suicide and the social media.
      19. Procrastination. Particularly with topics for an essay on social issues, students mostly have other fun things to do instead of doing assignments. This may improve social lives but may ruin academic excellence.
      20. Racism. Being one of the worst types of categorization in the contemporary world, racism has altered the social lives of people. This refers to the sense of belonging where people tend to identify with their people.

Source: https://customessayorder.com/blog/topics-for-essay-on-social-issues

  1. Write three articles related to a topic you pick. Click here for a list of social issues.
    • You can do one in first person (you can use "I" in one story).
    • You can do a review of another website on your topic or an event that is associated with your topic (example: for gay rights, you might write about a Pride parade)
    • You can write about someone who likes the topic a lot (for example, professional blogger).
    • These are only suggestions but each article MUST have a different angle--something new about the topic. These are your choices; be as creative as you can!
  2. Include at least one picture for each article--either one you have taken or one you are using from the internet.
  3. Organize and place the stories and pictures in your eZine.
  4. You must have at least one related link to another site with information about your topic.
  5. Whatever site you are using, you may have to take some tutorials on how to use the site. This could take some patience and time. Make it as appealing as you can. Have fun with it!

Here is a fantastic example; the only thing missing is a link to another related website, which is a requirement.  Click on "Explore".

Assessment:  Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.  

Learning Target: (Exemplary 6/6): Exemplary comprehension of the task and clear accomplishment of the objective.  A social issue is presented in an interesting, informative way that reflects the student's personal and social responsibility/ 

Ideas/Content: (Exemplary (6/6): Exemplary development of ideas.  All content is complete, appropriate and contributes to the central idea and makes insightful connections.  The newsletter accomplishes the purpose with originality, individuality, maturity, and sophistication.

Presentation:  (Exemplary (6/6):  The newsletter is formatted effectively in such a way that it is attractive, easy to follow and logically organized. 

Written Expression:  (Exemplary (6/6):  Sentence structure and vocabulary are varied, skillfully written, and carefully chosen.  Work has been proofread and there are few or no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar.  

Submission: 

Use the "4.6 PROJECT - E-Zine" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking. [Make sure that you have "published" your site or made it public, so that your teacher can view it without having to log in.]