Feb. 21-24: Paragraph Review, Short Stories, Freedom to Read

***A Tale of Two Media project (47 marks) Due Thurs., Feb. 24***

Thurs. Feb. 24/11- Freedom To Read Week Activity

***New Contest - Why Media Matters (Deadline May 1/11)

Review the Fundamental Freedoms (section 2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:

Fundamental Freedoms

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

a) freedom of conscience and religion;

b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

d) freedom of association.

Freedom of the press is an important cornerstone of a democracy. In some societies, information access is much more restrictive than it is in Canada.

1. Find out where Canada currently ranks on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. Where did Canada rank in 2002?
2. Review 2010 Attacks on the Press
3. Review statistics on journalists killed

View the following videos:
Report on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index


Learn about the most dangerous country for journalists.


Internet censorship in China


Blogging and its impact on traditional news media


Wed. Feb. 23/11 - Ashes For the Wind

"Ashes for the Wind" was written by Colombian journalist and author Hernando Téllez. Although Téllez wrote this story around 1945, the problems of Colombia's internally displaced persons (IDPs) persist today.

This Refugees International YouTube clip, produced in 2008, outlines the scope of the IDP problem in Colombia.

An April 2008 news agency report provides another view on Colombia's IDP crisis.
In 2009, LinkTV produced a documentary, Stories That Kill, about the state of journalism and freedom of expression in Colombia. 
- Blk. F: course selection during this class


Tues. Feb. 22/11 - Harrison Bergeron
- Read Harrison Bergeron (see stories link). Complete terminology notes according to the long sheet instructions.
Harrison Bergeron was written by American author Kurt Vonnegut. In this YouTube clip, Vonnegut offers advice for short story writers. After reading "Harrison Bergeron," do you think that Vonnegut has followed his own advice?
- Blk. F: attending performance in JP gym during this class.


Mon. Feb. 21/11

- 20 min. silent reading.
- Read and review the information on paragraph writing on pages 41-46 of Process and Practice.
- Do the topic sentence and paragraph structure exercises on pages 47 - 52.