Westwood Regional School

District

Course Syllabus

Course Information
Course Title: Digital Media II
Semester & Year Offered: 2015-2016- Full Year Course
Teachers Email Address: jody.lazarski@wwrsd.org
Class Website: http://www.digitalmediaII.weebly.com
Web Address: www.wwrsd.org > Jr./Sr. High School > Staff > Name
Course Description: The goal of this course is to enhance the technological skills of students who have

already taken the prerequisite course, Digital Media I, by providing them with opportunities to shoot
and edit various school activities by creating projects using cooperative grouping, collaboration,
planning, research, teamwork, writing, and visual literacy. Additionally, these students will be expected
collaborate by shooting and editing pieces to be used as roll-in packages to create a show using our
virtual set, the Tricaster. By using these higher order-thinking skills and activities, students will learn
not only work ethic, but they will also learn to apply life skills that meet the New Jersey Core
Curriculum Content Standards for Career and Technical Education which translates to any real-world
working environment.
Course Goals and Objectives: The goal of this course is to become an active member of society by utilizing
technology and a variety of digital media including web 2.0 tools, editing programs, video cameras, websites,
blogs, and videos. Students will demonstrate their creative abilities by:
*Filming for Documentary, Interview Subjects, Gathering B-roll.
*Editing for Documentary
*Writing Scripts
*After Effects Creations for Lower 3rds, Title Pages and Closing Pages.
*Researching of Statistics or information for Documentary
* Online Portfolios

Texts, Readings, Materials: There will be no textbook used for this course. Students need a notebook, and will
use their Google Drive Account. Tests are given online, unless student requests a hard copy, on my
www.Quia.com website.
Credit Breakdown:
30%-Formal Grades (Tests)
30%-Performance Based Grades (Projects/Videos)
20%-Class Participation (Daily)
20%-Homework (Late Work will result in grade reduction)
100% Course Grade
Formal (Tests & Quizzes-30%) & Performance Based Grades (Projects or Videos-30%):
1-Tests will be given on Quia.com.
2-Any Performance Based Assessment, such as a video project, will have a grading rubric that will accompany it prior to the start of the project. On this
rubric, you will receive a clear outline of the expectations you must meet for that assignment.
Class Participation (20%): Class Participation will be based on my observation of you on task, active participation in class, constructive class
collaboration with classmates and diligence when working on a project in order to accomplish the project at hand.
Homework (20%): Homework will likely be either a reflection or assignment to write in our class blog. It is important to do your homework the night it
is given out, as it often reinforces what you learned in class that day. Since the homework is done on our class blog, you may be required to respond to
other students posts. When doing this, I ask that you use proper net-etiquette. That means etiquette on the web, proper spelling, grammar usage and
consideration when responding to other students opinions or work. Constructive feedback is something that helps someone make something better. It is
the foundation of my class and is how we can all get better together. Homework assignments often will require you to recall steps of a lesson taught
within that days lesson.
***There are NO more Midterm or Final Exams Given by the District***

Course Outline of Topics

Lesson

Curriculum
**Quarterly Summative Assessments Are Highlighted In Yellow*

Expected Time
Frame

Class Syllabus Review & BTSN

Video

Editing and Final Cut Review

Assigning Video Projects,

Camera Review Lessons, Tricaster
Setup

The first week of the course students will be reminded of our Equipment Use Policies.
Students will learn what their expectations are for outside projects and understand my
expectations for use of Macs, Cameras, and Homework Assignments. We will begin by
filming the Back To School Night Video where students will demonstrate their prior
knowledge of filming, shot types, shot moves and refresh their skills with Final Cut
Express.

September

The second week will be spent editing the Back To School Night Video which will reintroduce students to prior knowledge from Digital Media I of editing skills, techniques,
graphics and effects in Final Cut Express. Much of the editing language will be reviewed
Students will also be re-introduced to LiveType software.
The third week of this course will be spent assigning future projects to groups and giving
review lessons in camera usage, shot dispositions, framing, shooting tips and tricks.
Additionally, we will introduce the students to the Tricaster by assembling it reviewing
all its parts: cables, inputs, and review the Interface.
The third week of this course will be spent reviewing editing terms and techniques.
Much of the editing language will be reviewed and students will be introduced to Final
Cut Express tools. Students will also be introduced to LiveType/After Effects software.

Review of 2 Column and Narrative

Scriptwriting

Assessments during this month will

include:

The fourth week of this course we will review 2 column and narrative scriptwriting.
Students will be required to outline their upcoming shoots and write scripts accordingly.
Review of Google Docs and gmail setup for collaborative Input into our class scripts.
-Back to School Night Video Filming
-Back to School Night Video Editing
-Back To School Night 2 column Script
-Back to School Night Reflection Blog Homework(s)

Tricaster Introduction

The first week of this months course will be introducing students to our new Tricaster
Virtual Set. Students will watch tutorials and each rotate a chance to operate the tricaster
to fully understand its functions by creating a show about them called the All About
ME. The Tricaster is a virtual set and students will act in a variety of roles, from camera
operator to host, mastering each individual roles responsibilities in an effort to make our
class more of a studio crew. (focus this week will primarily only be setting up the
Green Screen on the Tricaster)

Play by Play Commentary and

Shooting Sports Overview
Documentary Project Overview

The second week of this months explore how to cover sports. We will have a guest
speaker from WCTV in to discuss the preproduction involved in covering a game and
allow students to practice play-by-play coverage. Students will be asked to schedule
themselves to cover games for the Athletic Season. (Focus of the Tricaster will primarily
be only on learning how to add video).

Preproduction creation of
Our 1st Show
Cardinal Corner

Launch of first taping of

Cardinal Corner

Assessments during this month will

include:

Crew Jobs and Roles & Rotation

Schedule laid out

October

In the third week of this months course, students will develop the overall look and
content of our Bi-Weekly Show called Cardinal Corner. Student can practice preproduction skills by booking guests to appear, writing wrap-arounds for packages of the
weeks events and all while planning a crew rotation for each student to act in each role.
Lessons will include the responsibilities of each separate role.
This pre-production will be completely student driven, and teacher guided.
The fourth week of this months course will demonstrate the first taping of a Cardinal
Corner episode. Depending on what packages we have ready to roll in, we will start our
weekly crew rotation and students will be required to shoot outside of class for the pieces
that will roll into the show on a regular basis. Students will also be graded on their
individual performance on the day of taping in their individual job role.
-All About Me Script
-Tricaster Quiz (Setting Up the Chroma Key)
-Crew Jobs Roles / Responsibilities Quiz (Tricaster Operational Quiz-Rotation)
- Tricaster Standardized Text
-Filming for CC Project (edited package to be later graded)
-Homework Blog Reflection / Tutorial Responses Questions
In the first week of this month, we will establish the ongoing rotation of crew positions
and perform in various roles starting this week, continuing throughout the month. We
will comprehend each roles separate responsibility.

Crew Rotations Continue

In the second week of this month, we will continue with crew rotation and reinforcing
the roles and responsibilities of each job.

Crew Rotations Continue

In the third week of this month, we will continue to rotate jobs roles among classmates,
recording Cardinal Corner tapings. But will now also emphasize the process of exporting
and sharing of the media on our YouTube channel.

Youtube Promotion and Media

Sharing

In the fourth week of this month, (2 days) we will discuss the promotion of our YouTube
site, and discuss impacts to share news, media creation and importance of promotion.

Assessments during this month will

Cardinal Corner-Crew Rotation Formative Assessment (Performance in Job Roles)

November

include:

Cardinal CornerEdited Event Package Formative Assessment (as a Roll-in into

the show)
Script for Cardinal Corner Show Taping Formative Assessment
Producer/Director -Authentic Task Summative Performance Assessment

Crew Jobs and Roles & Rotation

Schedule laid out for December

In the first week of this month, we will continue the ongoing rotation of crew positions
and perform in various roles starting this week, continuing throughout the month. We
will comprehend each roles separate responsibility.

Crew Rotations Continue

In the second week of this month, we will continue with crew rotation and reinforcing
the roles and responsibilities of each job.

Crew Rotations Continue

In the third week of this month, we will continue to rotate jobs roles among classmates,
recording Cardinal Corner tapings. But will now also emphasize the process of exporting
and sharing of the media on our YouTube channel.

Youtube Promotion and Media

Sharing

In the fourth week of this month, (2 days) we will discuss the promotion of our YouTube
site, and discuss impacts to share news, media creation and importance of promotion.

Assessments during this month will

include:

Commercial

December

-Cardinal Corner Crew Position Grade (based on each individual job performed)
-Edited Packages needed for show tapings (ENG field shoot & Edit Graded)
Students will conduct a project based learning assignment in which they will visit a local
business and offer the manager/owner a proposal for a commercial for that business.
Students will meet with the owner and write a script for him/her and create their vision.
Students must all attend the shoot times and then must edit collectively. Students must
delivery a final edited version of the commercial and their client will grade them using a
rubric I will outline.

January

Week 1- Students will be spent learning the basic elements of any good commercial,
brainstorming about an idea for a commercial for a local business in town then planning
a preproduction schedule and pitching their idea to the owner.
Week 2- Students will be spent coordinating dates and filming.
Week 3- Students will continue the filming and begin the editing.
Week 4- Students will begin the exporting and delivering the video to the client.
Assessments during this month will
include:

Commercial Script Due

Commerical Benchmarks throughout project (correspondence, filming schedule,
script revisions, etc).
(Commercial Video Concludes First Week of Feburary)

February

Music Tech Video

After Effects Animation
Documentary Outline
Assessments during this month will
include:

Documentary Pre-Production &

Portfolios Begin
Screenr.com Tutorials Outlined

Assessments during this month will

include:
Documentary Production Cont.

Assessments during this month will

This project involves collaboration with Mr. Penas Music Technology Class. Digital
Media II students will be paired up with a Music Tech student and together they must
create a music video. The Music Tech student will be responsible for creating the track
and the Digital Media student will be responsible for shooting and editing the video the
artist envisions, both collaborating to create an interesting and visual music video.
Documentary Project Outlined: Students will be writing a script for a
documentary/independent project of their own.
Commercial Video-Final (1/2 graded by me and graded by client
Music Tech Video Edit
Music Tech Filming
After Effects Show Open Graphics
1st Draft Documentary Pitch Due
In the first week of this months course, students will be introduced to learn to analyze
the expectations of the end of the course by discussing the documentary project. Students
will be checking out cameras, as needed, to shoot their footage. This is an individual
midterm/final exam project where students will collaborate with another teacher or
department in order to discover or document a story of interest.
Week 2: Review of Good Storytelling, Interviewing and Scriptwriting
Week 3: Preproduction needed for filming, understanding of blocking, lighting, & sound
Week 4: Spring Break.
-Documentary Benchmarks (Formative Assessments)
-Portfolio Benchmarks
-Screenr.com Script Due.
In the first week of this month, students will continue to film their documentary.
Students will voice over and create necessary graphics for their projects. Or Work on
Concluding Screenr.com tutorials.
In the second week, students will focus primarily on filming the documentary and begin
setting up their portfolio websites.
By the third week, students will be editing their documentary
By the fourth week, students will review and share with on another, self critique and peer
critique.
Documentary-based on Rubric

March

April

include:

Portfolio Benchmarks
Screenr.com Tutorial Benchmark Check
Daily participation on Editing

Portfolios Cont.

In the first week of this month we will begin creating a portfolio, where students will use
either wordpress, weebly or webs.com to create a showcasing of their work. The work to
be included will be each project from the class. Students will write about their roles in
this project and reflect upon the quality of the projects.

Screenr.com

During the second week of this class, students will be asked to share the a screencast
tutorial, demonstrating Mastery of knowledge of one of the skills taught to them in this
class. Students will write a script and record their tutorials, then share it with me.
Students will continue to Edit their documentary.

After Effects Intro

In the third and fourth weeks, students explore After Effects Software and create
graphics using them for our school community. Students will select a sport, club or
academic subject and create a graphic to represent it.

Assessments during this month will

include:

Course Conclusion:

May

Portfolio Benchmark
Script for Documentary due
Interview Benchmarks of Documentary Due.
Final Screencast with screenr.com Due
After Effects Quiz
Graphic Project Benchmark Due for Documentary
Documentary Conclusion.
Share, Discuss, and Critique.
Documentary is due on June X. Along with the presentation of your documentary, you
must conduct an oral presentation as to what you learned when creating your piece. Take
us on the journey that you took in the process of creating your documentary. In doing so,
answer these specific questions below in the oral presentation:
1)
2)
3)
4)

June

By creating a documentary, what did you learn about yourself or your

subjects?
Explain the various Digital Media tools that can be used as platform for
active citizenship ?
Explain how you envision yourself using media to become a more active member of
society? (In what ways could you get involved with the larger community around you?)
How will you use the tools youve learned in this class in future high school or college
courses?

Assessments during this month will include:

1- Documentary Conclusion Summative Assessment
2- Portfolio Due Formative
3- Homework/Reflection Blog-Formative.
RULES and CONSEQUENCES:
Rule #1- Be on time and come prepared. (Notebook & Pen/Pencil Please).
Consequence- Point deductions from Class Participation & Homework as well as a phone call home.
Rule #2- Be Respectful to one another, the teacher and to the equipment (ABSOLUTELY NO EATING/DRINKING ALLOWED)
Consequence- Point deductions from grades/call home/financial repercussions
Rule #3- Any missed assignment must be submitted within one week. I will accept homework on paper, but blogging is preferred.
Consequence-Point deductions, call home, and parents meeting.
Rule #4- There is NO Bathroom Pass given during the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes of our class. This is so I can take proper
attendance and properly end my class ensuring all students are present to hear important information about homework, upcoming quizzes or
deadlines.
Consequence- You will be told NO unless it is an absolute emergency!
Rule #5- Do NOT go on websites that have NOTHING to do with the task at hand. YOU must be on TASK at all times.
Consequence-I will enforce the Code of Conduct, will call home and send you to the Assistant Principal if necessary.

Bottom Line: Its not my classroom is OUR classroom. We will all treat each other as we wish to be treated. We will listen
to each other and help one another. We each contribute to our collective success and we learn best by doing our best. We
have a fantastic learning environment and we must take care of the equipment we have so it will stay that way.

PARENT/GUARDIAN AND STUDENTS WAIVER

_____________________________ has my (our) permission to participate in all Westwood Regional
School District events throughout the school year in which he/she will be videotaping for either the
Video/Film Club or the Digital Media II Course of which he/she is a member/student. These events
may include videotaping any Westwood Regional events either after school/classroom hours, at various
fields, after school hours, on weekends either at Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School or at another
school without direct supervision. Students who attend video shoots are doing so in a manner similar
to any other homework assignment that would require the student to research at an off site location and
I, the teacher, in most cases will not be present. It is an essential part of the learning process for video

production that students can work independently from my supervision and still apply the techniques
taught in class, work within a crew of peers and collaborate in a way that meets the needs of the script,
or event highlights. Students may also participate in events taking place at the WCTV studio in the
Twp of Washington without my direct supervision. Coverage of events for this class or club, and either
for WCTV or WWRSD, may take place independent of my direct supervision. Students will have a
scheduled Production Meeting time with the Advisor/Teacher prior to leaving with equipment, where
the advisor will review roles and responsibilities of the shoot, but the student will be responsible to
work independently or within his/her group for the remainder of the shooting time at a particular event.
The student must also immediately report any loss or damage done to any piece of equipment
while within his/her possession within 24 hours to an administrator or the advisor. If a
loss/damage goes unreported, the student may be held responsible for replacing the equipment to
the school at the expense of the parent/guardian.
The undersigned parent or guardian assumes all risk and liability in connection with the
students participation in any and all of the Westwood Regional School District sponsored events that
require a Film Club or Digital Media student to cover/videotape that event. I (we) hereby release,
discharge and hold harmless the Westwood Regional School District, its officers, employees and
agents from all liability, claims, or demands for any damage, loss or injury to the student, the
students property or parents property in connection with participation in these activities.
I do hereby certify that my student will be held responsible for properly reporting any issue with regard
to the equipment he/she is using, and failing to do so may result in repair or replacement of the
equipment at my cost. I do hereby certify that to the best of my (our) knowledge my (our) child is in
good health and is fully able to participate in these activities. In case of accident or illness, permission
is granted for emergency treatment to be administered. It is further understood and agreed that the
undersigned will assume full responsibility for any such action, including payment of medical costs.
I (we) hereby advise that the above named minor has had the following allergies, medical reactions or
unusual physical condition which should be made known to a treating physician. (If none, please write
none on the line below)
*IF ANY PARENT WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME
DIRECTLY: jody.lazarski@wwrsd.org
Date:_________
Parent/Guardian Signature:__________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardians Printed Name:______________________________________________________
Student Signature:__________________________________________________________________
Student Printed Name: ______________________________________________________________
Known Allergies:___________________________________________________________________