COM 9500 SURVEY OF MASS MEDIA (1 credit)
Grade Level: 10th & 11th
Prerequisites: None
Description: Survey of Mass Media consists of an extensive curriculum that includes the basic components of all forms of media such as print, broadcast, and digital media. In this class, students will learn the history of journalism and its purpose. They will learn journalism ethics and how to apply to them to the school setting and the real world setting. Students will study journalism law including the rights that fall under the First Amendment, the legal definition of libel, and the defenses that protect journalists against potential lawsuits. Students in the survey class will learn how to write for the different forms of media including newspaper, magazine, web, and television. Students who take this class will create and publish a newspaper, will contribute to the yearbook, alumni and literary magazine, and the television network. The curriculum includes hands on experience editing print and broadcast media. All students will be exposed to a variety of computer programs including InDesign, Photoshop, FLASH media, Fireworks, Avid, and Final Cut, among others.
COM 9601 Web design (1 credit)
Grade Level: 10th, 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: None
Description: This course is a workshop which enables students to design and publish Web Pages using Dreamweaver and other Adobe Suite programs, such as Photoshop, After Effects and Flash. Students will explore the fundamentals and aesthetic considerations of design composition (text, image, graphics, motion) and production for digital media. Students conduct studies of and complete exercises in design and layout for the Web. In addition to designing their own web page, the students will be assigned the responsibility of updating and maintaining the Communication Arts and Mass Media web page.
COM 9602 Public speaking (1 credit)
Grade Level: 10th, 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: None
Description: The student will explore the role of oral communications including public speaking, engaging in live presentations, speech and debate, and addressing small and large groups. The student will address issues of Oral Communication Apprehension and design and apply strategies to help students overcome it. The student will develop effective presentation strategies that include power point, key note, and video taping. Everyone will work in a cooperative learning environment to encourage peer review and respond to diverse audience feedback. The program includes a combination of the processes of writing, reading, speaking, listening, and viewing to achieve successful communication skills. Students will explore and attempt to effectively intonate, project, and grasp the attention of an audience. They will study diverse speeches and presentations, and analyze and evaluate public discourses. This is a hands-on class where students will write speeches and explore speech writing as a possible career.
COM 9603 BROADCAST JOURNALISM/TELEVISION PRODUCTION I (1 credit)
Grade Level: 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: None
Description: The purpose of this course is to provide the proficient WBTN member an opportunity to synthesize the various aspects of television production and formally present this mastery of the medium for academic credit. The course is open to juniors and seniors. This course gives students the real-time experience of a deadline-driven television newsroom. In producing newscasts on deadline, students rotate through newsroom jobs such as tape editor, writer, producer, anchor, reporter and videographer. Students learn to write news scripts, edit video to tell a news story, organize and produce a newscast, coordinate video elements for a newscast and work together as a broadcast news team
COM 9604 NEWSPAPER production I (1 credit)
Grade Level: 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Survey of Mass Media and teacher recommendation
Description: This course, designed as a workshop, will give students practical knowledge and hands-on experience in the area of journalistic writing, editing, layout and design, production techniques, black and white photography, word processing and desktop publishing as well as the business/advertising practices involved in producing a student newspaper. Students will be given editorial positions. They will assign stories, write stories, edit staff writers’ stories, design, and layout their assigned pages
COM 9605 yearbook production I (1 credit)
Grade Level: 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Survey of Mass Media and teacher recommendation
Description: This is a hands-on production workshop for ECHOES, the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School yearbook. Students in this course will be given editorial positions on the yearbook staff. Each editor will be responsible for the overall production of a particular section of the yearbook.
COM 9606 Film production I (1 credit)
Grade Level: 11th & 12th
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Survey of Mass Media and teacher recommendation
Description: The Film Production course is designed to teach students basic film making skills from step one, an idea, all the way to the final step, exhibition. The class will teach students practical skills in camera, lighting and editing. This is a hands-on, procedural class. The key issue to the class is to see how well students grasp the information and put it to use. In other words, how well they can get their idea, in a clear manner, on to the screen. This class will allow students to be as creative as they want but have organized and well thought out ideas. This course does not require any experience in the field. Actually, the less you know the better, since this will allow students to have nothing that can hold them back from being able to think for greatness. Film Production One will be using DVX100B cameras and associated equipment. Students will work on a portrait piece (documentary), music video, commercial and short film. Second semester an 6-8min final project. Emphasis is placed on developing basic skills in camera operations, scripting and planning, recording wild sound, basic lighting and editing. Students are required to complete the assigned projects
COM 9704 newspaper production II (1 credit)
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Newspaper Production I and teacher recommendation
Description: Students who take this third year of Newspaper Journalism will have the responsibility of overseeing the production of the entire newspaper. The students will have to come up with story ideas and ways to develop them on a weekly basis. They will be required to keep up with all local and national news throughout the year. Senior editors will have to cover school events, assign stories, write stories, edit the staff writers' copy, check sources for accuracy, design layouts and prepare pictures and captions for final proof. They will also be fully responsible for one complete section of the newspaper. Students will oversee the work of all section editors and staff writers and lead the staff through each volume of the publication. The students have to make sure that all publication laws and ethics are followed. They must also meet deadlines and take all clean copy to the printer. Third year journalism students are responsible for the final publication, including verifying accuracy of material in accordance with the school administration. They are also required to attend journalism workshops throughout the year. Students may only enter this class if they have taken Newspaper Journalism I and with the approval of the adviser.
COM 9705 yearbook production II (1 credit)
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: Successful completion of Yearbook Production I and teacher recommendation
Description: Students who take the third year of Yearbook Journalism will come up with the school-related theme of the yearbook. They will have to create the cover, main designs, layouts, folio tabs and page designs of the yearbook. They are responsible for choosing the colors and materials to be used in the yearbook according to the budget. Students must also be responsible for meeting with faculty and administration to keep up with the school’s current events. They have to be able to manage the yearbook budget and make all ethical decisions in the yearbook with the help of the adviser. Third year journalism students must come up with section ideas, cover school events, assign stories, write stories, edit the staff writers’ copy, check sources for accuracy, design layouts and prepare pictures and captions for final proof. They must also oversee the work of all section editors and staff writers and lead the staff through each publication. Senior editors must make sure that all publication laws and ethics were followed, that deadlines are met and all clean copy is sent to the printer. Students must be responsible for the final publication, including verifying accuracy of material in accordance with the school administration. They must also attend journalism workshops throughout the year. Students may only enter this class if they have taken Yearbook Journalism I and with the approval of the adviser.
COM 9706 Film production iI (1 credit)
Grade Level: 12th
Prerequisites: Film Production I and teacher recommendation
Description: The Film Production II course is designed to teach students to go beyond the basic film making skills that they have learned and push their skills to make longer and more thought provoking films. The key issue to the class is to see how well students have grasped the information from Film I and put it to use. This class will allow students to be as creative as they want but have organized and well thought out ideas. The course requires Film History and Film I. Motion picture production II will continue using DVX100B cameras and associated equipment. Students will work on three 20 – 30 min cable show called This, That and the Other. Each show students will provide a theme and will produce three stories on that theme all revolving around Belen. Second semester students will work on their senior thesis projects. Consisting of producing a 20-30 min final project. Students will go through all aspects of production from writing, storyboarding to editing and exhibition of their films. The emphasis of Film II is to continue from where we left off and work on long form projects. Allowing student to leave the school with a complete body of work. Students are required to complete the assigned projects.