Magazine Magic

Magazine Magic

2nd Semester Project

7th grade

This semester, the project is writing-based rather than reading-based, although you will have some reading and research to do. You will be creating your own magazine. While we will work on some of these articles in class, most of this project will be completed at home. You will determine a theme for your magazine, which will be carried out through your articles and activities. You will develop several pieces of writing for your magazine: a short story, three feature articles, an advice column, a book evaluation, an interview, an autobiographical incident, two advertisements, letters to the editor, and a public service announcement. Your magazine will also include some fun and games, such as a crossword puzzle or word search and jokes/cartoons/ riddles. The purpose of this project is to create a product that is reflective of critical and creative thinking using different writing styles, while addressing content, convention standards, and vocabulary building. Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty. It is a form of cheating! Therefore, you must cite all your sources! Please remember, Wikipedia is not a reliable site; therefore, you may not use it as a source.

This is a comprehensive project, so please make sure that you do not leave this to the last minute. If you do, you will find that you are unable to do a super, marvelous, fantastic job, and your grade will suffer!

Due date: Wednesday, May 5

Magazine Specifics

Just like all magazines have a title, cover art, and a table of contents, so must yours. You need to include the following as part of your project:

§  The magazine must have an original title created by you.

§  The title must appear on the cover of the magazine in at least 30 point font.

§  You need a theme for your magazine, which will be demonstrated through your articles, art work, and activities.

§  Make sure you put your name on the front cover, bottom lower right-hand corner.

§  The cover design may include any artwork and/or computer graphics.

§  The magazine may be contained in a folder with brads or in a notebook. Make sure that your magazine has an actual cover, not a plastic cover with a cover page under it. A real magazine has a cover, and yours must also have a cover.

§  The cover must look appealing, colorful, and thematic.

§  The cover may use a design similar (but not identical) to that of an authentic commercial magazine.

§  The table of contents will be the last page to be written in order to coordinate activities, articles, and page numbers.

§  Remember that the activities and articles are the minimum requirements. You may add articles, activities, and/or artwork to enhance your magazine.

§  Each activity and article must have an original title, not the title used on the descriptor list. You may organize your magazine articles and activities according to your preference.

§  Illustrations may be hand drawn, and/or graphics from the computer may be used. You may not use someone else’s artwork! Actual pictures may be used if you cite your source(s).

§  No cut and paste or Xeroxing from other magazines will be acceptable.

§  Create a works cited list at the end of your magazine. All your research must be documented.

§  Format your magazine articles in columns. You may want to use Publisher to create your magazine.

§  Two project-check dates are scheduled to check progress. The progress checks will count in the project category of your grade.

Activities Descriptors

1. Vocabulary: Create a vocabulary activity that uses fifteen or more vocabulary words that relate to the theme of your magazine. This activity may be a crossword puzzle, word scramble, or a mystery/code puzzle. A separate answer key is required.

2. Letters to the Editor: Write five letters to the editor about readers’ concerns from a previous edition of your magazine. You will want to look at several different magazines’ “Letters” sections so you can get an understanding of what a letter to the editor looks like. Each letter needs to have a title for it (again, look at magazines for examples). Your letter can reference a general concern about your magazine topic, or it can reference a specific topic of concern. Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s full name and the city and state. You may make up the writers’ names.

3. Jokes: Write five original jokes, riddles, or cartoons. You may include more than five. The jokes, riddles, and cartoon should relate to your magazine theme. Your jokes, riddles, and cartoon must be original! Again, no plagiarizing!

4. Create a contest for your readers. The contest should pertain to your magazine theme. Some questions you might consider are: What will the readers have to do? What is the prize? How will winners be determined? When is the deadline for entries? How do the readers enter?

Articles Descriptors

1. Short Story: Write a fictitious account of a person(s), place(s), or event(s). You must show conflict between well-developed characters and the environment. Use at least ten lines of dialogue. Use descriptive language. Develop the plot with logic and sequence. The story must have a resolution. The plot must relate to your magazine theme. Minimum 500 words, not including articles and conjunctions.

2. Three Feature Articles: Each article should be a minimum of 300 words, and a maximum of 500 words (not including articles and conjunctions). All articles must have an introduction and a conclusion! Remember, these are factual articles, so you must research your information.

Article #1: Write an article with facts, data, and modern research on a chosen subject. Concentrate on making this article newsworthy. This article is factually-based. This article may focus on new products or inventions that have been designed or people who have made contributions to this magazine theme, but remember that this is not an advertisement for a product! You will need to research this information. One way to avoid the “advertisement” feeling is to explain the pros and cons of the product. A minimum of three sources must be cited.

Article #2: Write an article on a travel topic. Choose a destination that reflects your topic. Research your destination and find interesting facts and areas of interest. Make sure you explain how this destination relates to your topic. You will need to research this information. A minimum of three sources must be cited.

Article #3: Your choice. Find something interesting about your magazine theme that you would like to explain to your readers. If you’re magazine topic is about gourmet food, then you might write about the history of ice cream. If your topic is about auto racing, you might write about important changes in the rules of NASCAR. Remember, this should be factual, so you will need to cite at least three sources.

3. Event: Write about an important and exciting event about your topic. For example, if your magazine is about dogs, then you might write about the Westminster Dog Show. Explain, in your words, what the event is and how your readers might participate in this event. This should be a real event, not one that is made up. Word count should be a minimum of 275 words, not more than 350 words.

4. Advice Column: Create four problems and respond with four solutions to the problems that you have written. Address the advice letter with “Dear” (followed by the name of your magazine). Sign each problem with a fitting response. Use a “friendly” letter-writing format to answer each problem. The problems and solutions must relate to your magazine theme. The advice column may be fictional.

5. Evaluation: Evaluate a book. The book needs to relate to your magazine theme. You must present a judgment on the worth of the book with reasons and evidence. Do not just summarize the plot and events. Give reasons why you like or do not like the book. Be specific and use supporting details and examples to back up your evaluation. Recommend this book to a specific audience, using both age group and interest. This book may be fiction or nonfiction. Your book evaluation should be approximately 300 words. Avoid the use of “I”. Write your opinions, but write them without using “I” or “you”.

6. Interview: Choose an important person (an author or expert in the field) who shares your interests about your magazine theme and write an interview, using a question-and-answer format. You must have ten questions and ten corresponding answers. All questions and answers must be in complete sentences. The questions must relate to your magazine theme; do not just ask biographical questions. You will need to research your person. If your person is still living, you might even try to contact this person and e-mail (or mail) your questions to him/her. You never know – you just might get a response! Remember, you must have an introduction. You need to introduce the readers to whom you’re interviewing in the introductory paragraph.

7. Autobiographical Piece: ( I Remember…)Write about how you became involved with this interest, hobby, or subject. Explain about the specific events in your life that led up to this magazine choice. How old were you when you became interested in this topic? Who influenced you to pursue this interest? Will this interest carry through to a career choice? Have you influenced anyone else to become interested in this activity? The article should be a minimum of 300 words and should be written in a narrative format.

8. Public Service Announcement: A public service announcement is like a commercial or advertisement, but it generally promotes health and safety issues. Mostly, they are used to raise public awareness. Common examples of PSAs are: Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaigns, gambling awareness, Red Cross blood drives, and drug awareness. Please make your PSA original- do not cut and paste someone else’s work. That is still plagiarism. Your PSA should be a legitimate issue, not one that is fictional. You may use MADD or the Red Cross as the topic of your PSA, but you must do your own research, art work, and copy (writing).

9. Two Advertisements: Create and draw two original products that relate to your magazine. Include the name, price, explanation of the benefits of buying the products, and where the products can be found. Each advertisement should be on a separate sheet of paper. Make sure your advertisements are neat, brightly colored, and designed well. Your advertisement should fill the entire page. You may use colored pencils for your illustration, but the rest of the information should be in ink.

Timeline

The two project checks will count as your 3rd quarter project grade. When you turn these items in, they should be close to a final draft- no messy rough drafts that look like you have just thrown something together because the project check was due. I will only mark on them if there are significant mistakes. You will need to work on a computer for this project. You will have some class time to work on this project, but you will have to work on this project at home as well. If you need computer time, please arrange with me (Miss Rothschild) to come in before school to work on the magazine.

Project Check #1 Wednesday, February 10 (third quarter grade)

Ø  Short story

Ø  Feature #1

Ø  Advice column

Ø  Vocabulary

Ø  Advertisement #1

Project Check #2 Thursday, March (fourth quarter grade)

Ø  Event

Ø  Feature #2

Ø  Book Evaluation

Ø  Letters to the Editor

Ø  Jokes

If you follow the suggested timeline, this is what you will have to complete from March 11- May 5:

Ø  Feature #3

Ø  Interview

Ø  Autobiographical piece

Ø  Public Service Announcement

Ø  Advertisement #2

Ø  Contest

You will also need to proofread all your articles and make appropriate revisions!

You will turn in your rough drafts and your project check sheets with your final magazine product. Your rough drafts/project check sheets will be filed in your writing folder.

Magazine Magic

I have read the second semester project requirements for Magazine Magic. I understand this project is due on Wednesday, May 5. I also understand that the two project checks count as my project grade for the third quarter, and the final grade will count in the fourth quarter.

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Student name Date

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Student Signature

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Parent Signature

Comments:______

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