We the Jury Newspaper Assignment
(first posted February 20,
2003; updated March 11)
DUE DATE: Tuesday
March 11 (Changed to Monday, March 17)
Your assignment is to create a mock school newspaper
(using Microsoft Publisher) that demonstrates your understanding of juries,
reasonable doubt, the death penalty, and evidence. You need to incorporate
assignments you have already completed, as well as additional writing
assignments you will be doing in the remainder of this unit.
Your
mock newspaper needs to include the following components:
- One headline news
feature article (using Microsoft Word), Did the Jury Perform its Job in the OJ Case[bps1]?
- One Editor’s Opinion [bps2](using Microsoft Word)
that answers the question, Should unanimous verdicts be required in criminal
trials?
- * One photo gallery [bps3]that includes four (4)
digital photographs of classmates, with an authentic quote pertaining to
any one case reviewed during this unit (all pictures/quotes must pertain
to the same case – i.e., “Students Speak Out on the OJ Simpson Case”)
- One chart (using
Microsoft Excel or Word), comparing how each case[bps4] reviewed during the
unit met or failed to meet the attributes of reasonable doubt defined in
class, and a short discussion of the rationale
- One graph (using
Microsoft Excel) that depicts information from the Department of Justice [bps5](http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance.htm#cptrends)relating to the death
penalty that you find interesting and related to one of the cases
discussed in class; the graph should be accompanied by a meaningful
caption and properly cited
- One graph[bps6] (using Microsoft
Excel) that reflects your analysis of the cause of either the 1690’s or
1740’s death penalty spike; the graph should be accompanied by a
meaningful caption
- One Movie Review [bps7](using Microsoft Word)
of the 12 Angry Men video reviewed in class, or another movie of
your choosing that reflects a topic reviewed in class (a different movie
must be pre-approved)
- A list of recommended, educationally-appropriate [bps8]web-sites for further
information on the topics addressed in the newspaper
- (optional, for extra
credit) One news feature addressing a meaningful issue of the student’s
choosing that pertains to either death with dignity or the death penalty
* You will not be authorized to begin work on your Photo Gallery until you have submitted a draft layout (using “dummy” data as placeholders for assignments not yet completed).
Grading
The
attached rubric explains the grading criteria. You will receive a letter grade
for this project, one of 6-8 letter grades you will receive for the first
marking period (i.e., this project will account for 12-15% of your first
marking period grade).
Please Note: Your project should be placed in the Handin
Folder on the T: Drive by the end of class on Monday, March 17, and a
printed copy should also be provided to your teacher.
We the Jury Newspaper Rubric
(first posted February 20, 2003; updated March 11)
|
*Item # |
Score |
|||
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
Weight |
|
|
|
1.
Mock newspaper does not have a clean, engaging layout and
does not inform its audience with meaningful information 2.
Mock newspaper integrates less than one-half of assigned
elements in the unit 3.
No education-appropriate web sites are referenced in the
Mock newspaper |
1.
Mock newspaper has a clean, engaging layout, but it is
unclear how it informs its audience with meaningful information 2.
Mock newspaper integrates some of assigned unit elements 3.
Mock newspaper references 1 or 2 education-appropriate web
sites used for research in this unit |
1.
Mock newspaper has a clean,
engaging [bps9]layout and clearly informs its audience with meaningful information[bps10] 2.
Mock newspaper integrates all assigned unit elements 3.
Mock newspaper references 3 or more education-appropriate [bps11]web sites
used for research in this unit |
|
|
Headline News &
Editorials & Reviews (1,2,7) |
1.
Only 1 article is included 2.
3 articles are
included, but only 1 or 2 address the assigned topics 3.
Articles are poorly written, or poorly organized, or
contain many grammatical errors 4.
Articles are NOT written for school newspaper audience |
1.
Only 2 articles are included 2.
Some articles do NOT
address assigned topics 3.
Some articles are well written, organized, and error-free,
but others are NOT 4.
Some articles are NOT written for school newspaper
audience |
1.
All 3 articles are included 2.
All articles clearly address assigned topics 3.
All articles are well
written, well-organized, and error-free[bps12] 4.
All articles are written for school newspaper audience |
35% |
|
Charts, Graphs, Photos
(3,4,5,6) |
1.
Only 1 or 2 graphic elements are included 2.
Graphic elements lack meaningful captions 3.
Only 1 graphic element is referenced in the news stories 4.
Evidence of some effort on graphic organizers |
1.
Only 3 graphic elements are present 2.
Some of graphic elements have meaningful captions 3.
1 or 2 graphic element are referenced in the news stories 4.
Evidence of significant effort on some graphic elements |
1.
All 4 graphic
elements [bps13]are
present 2.
All graphic elements have meaningful captions[bps14] 3.
2 or 3 graphic elements are referenced[bps15] in the
news stories 4.
Evidence of significant
effort [bps16]on
graphic elements |
35% |
|
Class Participation &
Current Events |
1.
Only some current events turned in on time or well-written 2.
Student does not participate in class discussions |
1.
All current events turned in on time, some are
well-written 2.
Student participates in class discussions, but has not
prepared |
1.
All current events turned in on time and well-written 2.
Student is prepared for and participates in most class
discussions |
10% |
|
Extra Credit |
|
|
1.
A well-written article or other newspaper feature
addressing either death with dignity or the death penalty is included in the
mock newspaper |
5% |
|
Total
Points |
105% |
|||
*
Corresponds to “Item #” on Assignment Sheet