Journalism Course Catalog

The freshman journalism class will acquaint students with the basic components of journalism. We will examine the First Amendment and landmark cases that have paved the way for journalism and free speech. The ethical and legal responsibilities of a journalist will also be examined.

In addition to studying classic literature and poetry, working on grammar skills, and writing a thesis paper, freshman journalism students will learn to create interview questions, gather information, conduct interviews, write a solid news headline and lead, and to fact check. Students will also practice reading and analyzing personality profiles, human interest stories, sports reviews, movie reviews, book reviews and more.

The Graphic Design Elective will provide many opportunities for students to develop their creativity. The students will learn the basic elements of graphic design and use those to put together various projects while applying the basic principles of design.

They will work with InDesign and Photoshop to design posters, logos, business cards, greeting cards and advertisements. They will also learn different techniques in photography and prepare a photography presentation. Their final/culminating project will be to put together a mini magazine applying everything they have learned.

10th grade English emphasizes written expression in their expository, critical, and narrative writing. Along with detailed attention to the writing process, students learn the skills involved in writing a thesis paper which requires research, citation and knowledge of literary elements.

The literature component of the sophomore year features works in all major genres including a major emphasis on poetry. There is a unit that will focus on opinion writing, newspaper articles, editorials and blogs. The course is in compliance with the Common Core standards, focus on the PSATs as well as culminate with the ELA regents.

The PR & Advertising Elective allows sudents to dive into the exciting world of public relations and advertising, learning the art of crafting compelling messages and strategic communication. Through hands-on projects and real-world scenarios, you'll explore branding, media relations, campaign planning, and more.

Students work alongside the other Journalism elective courses to develop campaigns to target the school community and promote school-wide events, as well as work alongside administration to advertise various events and celebrations throughout Cardozo.

Juniors have the opportunity to take AP Language and Composition (must see the requirements for the class) as their English class or the St. John's Honors Journalism English.

Journalism students will work on learning the art of storytelling, through writing, listening, speaking, researching and reporting. They will learn leadership, cooperative processes, press law and ethics, responsibility, and multimedia design and production. The mastery of these skills helps prepare them to become knowledgeable media producers and consumers essential to our democracy.

Students will engage in reading, viewing and reflecting various news outlets, and the Student Journalism and Media Literacy Textbook, selections of poetry and literature. They will analyze and understand content, development and differentiation. The various multimedia projects will make them effective communicators.

The curriculum at the junior level is designed to challenge the students with a richer, more rigorous experience. Classes focus on higher level thinking questions according to Bloom’s Taxonomy and provide students the knowledge concepts and skills needed to engage in a higher level of learning. Students will read prose and poetry, and non-fiction to prepare for the completion of a social issues MLA research paper in an enhanced curriculum. They will also prepare for the S.A.T. and begin working on the college essay.

Prerequisites: English 9th and 10th Journalism, Graphic Design and History of Media. (some exceptions for interested high achieving students)

This elective will provide many opportunities for students to develop their communication skills. They will conduct interviews and gather photos, videos, and information from various sources to tell the stories that record the events of this year. They will decide on the content in The Verdict in print and online, including writing stories, peer editing, selling and designing advertisements – all while meeting deadlines. Students are encouraged to produce a package (print, online, and video story). They will consider ethics and laws in terms of what we publish. Students are expected to conduct themselves as professionals and to be respectful of school rules and their subjects at all times. Students will receive a press pass to identify themselves as student reporters. This is a real world experience analogous to working on a professional newspaper.

The Verdict is published both digitally and in print. Students in the course receive clips and individual by-lines to carry with them throughout their futrue careers.

Broadcast Media and Journalism focuses on all aspects of broadcast journalism such as the basics of script writing, camera use, technology, and all the ins and outs of producing a news program.

Students will complete different types of special video projects both independently and in groups and complete weekly videos focused on school-related topics such as sports, programs, important information, and any other relevant stories about Cardozo for our YouTube channel and news network, Veritas News.

Students gain hands-on experience working with editing software and filming equipment, learning tangible skills they can bring with them into the workforce.

Social media Management and Marketing is a rapidly growing field in today's business world. Our news, entertainment and social interaction all takes place in a digital world. Interactive Media is a class that uses social media, YouTube, and other popular websites as a tool for learning and creating.

This class aims to teach students the many aspects of marketing, promotion and advertising that are used in the world of news and media. Students will take on advertising and promotional tasks for the school such as creating new school websites, making promotional videos and flyers and developing specific skills needed in the modern world of video journalism.

Cardozo's Yearbook Production course is a hands-on, project-based class that offers students an opportunity to work on recording and telling the stories of their graduating class. The course is a collaborative effort that is designed to help students to learn a variety of skills that will be useful to them in the future.

They learn to work as a team, communicate more effectively, solve problems, manage time, meet deadlines, and develop their creativity. Students will apply the fundamentals of photography and apply their understanding to record and document important events throughout the school year.

They will apply the basic elements and principles of visual communication on print posters, social media posts, and the pages of the yearbook. Students will develop communication skills via interviews, reporting, writing, class discussions, presentations, and writing copy for the yearbook. They will create the yearbook through a variety of narrative projects that show and tell the stories of their graduating class.