Maywood Academy Profile

UTASNE Assignment INSCO

Maywood Academy High School is one of five high schools in Local District 6 of the Los
Angeles Unified School District. On August 25, 2009, the Los Angeles Unified School
District Board of Education voted 6-1 to approve a resolution that charges the District to
provide quality educational options to all students. As a result, MAHS was placed on a
Public School Choice list that allowed anyone to write a plan for the schools
development, curriculum and instruction. The plan written by parents, students and
teachers of MAHS was selected and is currently in effect at the school.
Norm Day Enrollment by Grade Level
Year
9th Grade
10th Grade
2009-10
372
280
2008-09
266
398
2007-08
357
496
2006-07
695
314
2005-06
384
155

11th Grade
254
407
220
112
0

12th Grade
407
205
74
0
0

Total Enrollment
1313
1318
1330
1121
539

Note: This data does not include SDP students.

Maywood Academys current ethnic population consists of: 99% Hispanic/ Latino; and
1% African American, White, Asian/Pacific Islander and/or other. The primary languages
spoken by MAHS students and parents is Spanish, with most students also fluently
speaking English.
Approximately 97.3% of our students come from low socio-economic level families.
Maywood Academy High School has been a School Wide Title I School since its opening
in 2005-2006. Title I funding is offered to schools that have poverty percentage of 40% or
above. Maywood Academy High Schools data indicates that 91.24% of the student
population is comprised of low income students for the 2009-2010 school year. Over 90%
of MAHS students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch.
Approximately 10% of students are identified as gifted, 19% are classified as English
Language Learners and 8% of students qualify for Special Education services.

Maywood Academy Journalism Program Profile

UTASNE Assignment INSCO
To date, the school newspaper has been a fledgling publication in its five years of
existence. The paper began as a bi-semesterly full, black and white printed publication.
Over time and with loss of funding, the paper was reduced to a PDF format that was
infrequently uploaded to the schools website. As was pointed out by Jeanne Acton in a
private critiquing session with the adviser, Just because you put the paper online, it
doesnt mean its an online paper.
Future plans for the newspaper include restoring it to a printed status, though in limited
publication (beginning with one print newspaper per semester that provides more
advertising pointing to the online publication). Additionally, the staff will use
[my.hsj.org] to publish an online news source that is up-to-date and critically important to
the development of student life on the MAHS campus.
An emphasis on curious and inquisitive journalistic approaches, as well as proper writing
and storytelling techniques will be the basis for the redevelopment of the journalism
program at MAHS. Visionary changes include introducing a Journalism Foundations
course where students will learn about journalism before publishing any type of material.
Also, a pulse on the movement to online promotion of the news will be an ongoing focus
of the journalism program.

Design and Layout (3-lesson Unit)

Lesson Plan Insco
Students will be able to:
-

Understand, practice and learn basic skills for designing layouts and spreads
Understand, practice and learn the principles of content-focused design
Understand, practice and learn the skills for a modular design approach
Recall, identify and use proper vocabulary as it relates to layout and design
Create and label a double-page spread layout that can be used for publication

Materials:
Whiteboard/markers
Blank layout paper (with grids)
Pencils
Jostens 1-2-3 Yearbook Curriculum Guide (or other comparable text)
Key Vocabulary:
Contrast
Dominance
Dominant Element
Gutter
Modular Design
Pica
White Space (Planned and Unplanned)
Required Reading (if using 1-2-3 Curriculum):
Pages 104-109, student guide (lesson 1)
Pages 110-115, student guide (lesson 2)
Pages 116-121, student guide (lesson 3)
Set Up:
Snowballs- Students will participate in a snowball fight using crumpled papers that
contain vocabulary and definitions of design and layout, both previously learned and new
to them. Allow students to fight with the snowballs for two or three minutes, then have
them collect one or two each to read aloud to the class.

Instruction (lesson 1):

1. Teacher will provide PowerPoint presentation on basics of design.
2. Students will select three vocabulary words that stick out to them during the
presentation.
3. Students will discuss, in small groups, their three selected words and why they
believe the words resonated with them. Students will identify what they now
know regarding their words and what they may still be confused about.
4. Students will read selected reading from 1-2-3 Student Guide.
Assignments (lesson 1):
1. Students will complete activity 17.1 (Strategic Design) in class, with a partner.
2. Students will complete activity 17.4 (A Perfect Match) as homework, to be turned
in the following day.
Instruction (lesson 2):
1. Teacher will provide PowerPoint presentation on Design, Part 2.
2. Students will provide alternative definitions in their journals for the three main
vocabulary used in the presentation dominant element, planned white space,
and template.
3. In small groups, students will present their definitions, with the most closely
associated definitions to be selected by the group to present to the class. Class will
vote on the top student-created definition for each word to be placed in the room
as decoration for the school year.
4. Students will read selected reading from 1-2-3 Student Guide.
Assignments (lesson 2):
1. Students will select a design from a popular magazine and, with a partner, complete
activity 18.4 (Design Checklist) in class.
2. Students will complete activity 18.1 (Design Makeover) as homework, to be turned
in within two days.
Instruction (lesson 3):
1. Teacher will provide PowerPoint presentation on Design, Part 3.
2. Using previously learned vocabulary, students will create a verbal Modular
Design list in their journals. Students need to use at least five previously learned
vocabulary words that would pertain to elements that fit within a modular design
spread.

3. Give one, get one students will mill about the class and share one vocabulary
word from their list. They will obtain a word from their partner before moving
along. At the end of milling about, each student should have at least eight
vocabulary elements that help define the contents of a modular design spread.
4. Students will read selected reading from 1-2-3 Student Guide.
Assignments (lesson 3):
1. Students will complete activity 19.2 (Modular to the Max) in class.
2. Students will begin group design of double-page spread in class, continuing
project for assessment as group work outside of class.
Final Assessment (unit-whole):
1. Quiz: Students will complete Quiz 18 from the 1-2-3 Curriculum individually, in
class.
2. Project Assessment: Using activities 18.2 and 18.3, students will, in groups, create
an entire DPS using the elements learned within the unit. The layout will be
graded based on a rubric. Sufficient layouts will be added to the archives for
actual use in publication.

Basics of Using Technology to Enhance Publication

Lesson Plan Insco
Students will be able to:
-

Identify and use current web vocabulary

Create and use a viable Twitter account for personal and school branding
Navigate the basic areas of my.hsj.org, including how to upload stories and
browse for content

Materials:
Whiteboard/markers
LCD projector and laptop
Student computers
Paper
Pencils
Key Vocabulary:
Social Networking (Site)
Tweet
DM
Upload
Widget
WYSIWYG
Set Up:
Students will surf the internet for five minutes in search of a recent article on social
networking and its impact on society. Volunteers will be selected to present their article
using the LCD projector. Whole class will call out selected elements and vocabulary on
the webpage, including links to share with SNS, comments and any other pertinent
elements.
Instruction (Twitter):
1. Teacher will lead students in class observation and discussion of Storify tutorials
on how to set up and use a Twitter account:
Tutorial 1: http://bit.ly/qFAaiQ
Tutorial 2: http://bit.ly/oKqEMe

2. Students will pair up to create a Twitter account. Students who may already have
a Twitter account will pair with a student who does not to provide peer assistance.
Assignments:
1. All students will search for and follow at least five newsworthy Twitter accounts
such as: New York Times, NPR, CNN, etc.
2. All students will tweet to @MAHSNews with their actual name and class period,
along with a two-to-three-word comment about their account.
3. Students will find the Share option on the article they selected in the Set Up and
share it through their Twitter account.
Instruction (my.hsj.org):
1. Teacher will provide overview observation and class discussion on the my.hsj.org
website.
2. Students will call up the website and sign in with their individual accounts on
their computers.
3. Volunteers will be selected to use overhead computer to navigate key links and
pages on my.hsj.org.
Assignments:
1. Students will upload a previously written article (published or not) to the school
news site at my.hsj.org.
2. Students will select at least two other uploaded articles to read and comment on
before the next class period/day.