Bell Ringer #2

Uncategorized
Written By Dave Davis

MISSING WALLET

The ASB Bell Ringer exercises are quick, mini-lessons designed to jump start a class period.

Category: Writing

Materials: Paper and pen/pencil, or keyboard/printer.

Assignment: Read the paragraph below and re-write it into broadcast style, using active verbs when possible, and making it more conversational.  

Tip:  In the active voice you “make things do things.” Active version:  “The receiver caught the pass.”  Compare to the passive version:  “The ball was caught by the receiver.”

Avoid:  Adjectives, which can shade the story with reporter opinion.  

Paragraph: A previously stolen wallet was found under a lab table by sophomore Kris Miller yesterday. The missing wallet was given to Mr. Jon Peterson, the school safety officer, just before first period.  Unfortunately, missing was 52 dollars and a Visa debit card.  The wallet belonged to science teacher Mr. Ed Harper.  The debit card was canceled right after the wallet was discovered missing by Mr. Harper last Monday.

Lesson: This exercise teaches students to write in an active, conversational, broadcast style.

Dave Davis

Dave Davis started a Broadcast Journalism class at Hillcrest High School in the fall of 1989. Since then, the school's student-produced show, "HTV Magazine," has become one of the nation's most-honored high school broadcasts.

In an effort to provide valuable, useful, hands-on instruction to broadcast teachers from across the nation, Davis founded ASB Workshop in the summer of 2000. Since then, the week-long workshop has provided training for hundreds of high school and middle school teachers from 47 states, plus Mexico, England, South Korea, and Japan.

In the spring of 2009 he was named the Springfield (MO) Public Schools Teacher of the Year. He lives in Springfield with wife Martha, and has two daughters who live and work in the area.

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Bell Ringer #1