An Intoduction

Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, I wanted my TV and Media student to share their thoughts through journaling on a variety of topics. After several sub-par journal entries and a complete disconnect between the students and their writings, I have decided to move into the 21st century.

Starting today, I am inviting you, my students, to setup your own blog site to host your journal entries, comments and any related discussions on TV and Media. Then I will create a webpage that links them all together. From there we should be able to journal, share important links and comment on each other's insight like never before.

Currently, twe are working on three assignments: a 'How To' project, Green Screen Fun, and a brief documentary. In addition to that, the last journal entries were due a week ago on the topic of documentaries.

Journal Entry: Documentaries
A documentary is made with the purpose of telling a story. It is set apart from home videos, how-to, sporting events and other non-fiction genres in that the audience is watching with similar interest as they would put into a fictional movie, yet knowing that the story being told is fact and the footage being seen is (almost always) actual original videos and photos.

Key elements of documentaries include photos and videos, interviews, research, and voice-overs. The topics covered by documentaries can be almost anything that has a story to tell. From living with a disease to the life and death of a moth, documentaries have been made about anything and everything, yet each new documentary can be a new experience.

For this journal entry, you need to watch two documentaries. We will watch one in class. Your second documentary can watched at home from the Discovery channel or by going to YouTube and finding a worthwhile topic to learn about. Document the video you watched at home (what it is, what is the source.) While watching, take notes on the editing, camera shots, locations and audio. Then write two pages describing what you saw in the two videos that are elements you appreciated in the videos. Also write about things that may have been detracting from your experience. Finally compare the video we watched in class to the video you watched on your own.

Resources:
Best Online Documentaries: www.bodocus.com - a compilation of full length documentaries available online.

Google videos: video.google.com search for ‘documentary Educational Resources’

YouTube: www.youtube.com

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_film
A good article on the history of documentary and what makes a good documentary

Students...submit your journal entry by writing your own blog. Sign up for a blog account with your existing gmail account or through blogspot.com. Once you have your blog, please send the address to me via email ckipp-mcgowan(_at_)ashland.k12.ma.us