Welcome, current Journalism Education Association members. Please feel free to use the lessons below. You’ll note they’re organized chronologically (as they were published) with links to downloadable interactive PDFs. I’ve also included short descriptions of the content included inside each issue to make content easier to find.
Want to be a part of future newsletters? Whether you’re a veteran or a rookie, we’d love to include you and your expertise or experiences in upcoming issues. Fill out this Google Form today and add your voice to the conversation.
Questions? Contact Jim Streisel, MJE
Past Issues
Volume 2 (2024-25 school year)
Fall 2024 (semester 1)
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 02.01 (Aug. 12 to 18, 2024)
Welcome back! This year promises to bring a lot of new additions from the JEA curriculum team. In addition to these newsletters, we plan to add podcasts, monthly web meetups and more. We’re also bringing back in-person curriculum consultations at national conventions and virtual consultations throughout the year for JEA members.
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 02.02 (Aug. 19 to 25, 2024)
JEA Curriculum Chat podcast preview; JEA lesson: Composition basics for photojournalism; Team builder: Photo scavenger hunt with Brian Smith, CJE; Style help: Members of Congress
JEA Curriculum Chatter Issue 02.03 (Aug. 26 to Sept. 1, 2024)
JEA Curriculum Chat podcast Episode 1: Mitch Eden (retired) from Kirkwood (Missouri) High School provides tips to help teach student leaders; JEA lesson: How personality types can influence leadership
JEA Curriculum Chatter Issue 02.04 (Sept. 2 to 8, 2024)
JEA Curriculum Chat podcast Episode 2: Matt Schott from Francis Central High School in St. Louis, Missouri, shares a lesson titled “Shoot adjectives, not nouns” that encourages students to take more engaging and interesting photos; JEA lesson: What makes a photo powerful?
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 02.05 (Sept. 9 to 15, 2024)
SPECIAL EDITION: Sign up to join the Sept. 24 web meetup about grading with JEA president Val Kibler, MJE, from Harrisonburg (Virginia) High School. Click HERE to sign up.
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Volume 1 (2023-24 school year)
Fall 2023 (semester 1)
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 1 (Aug. 14 to 20, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Localization (Canadian wildfires); JEA lesson: Elements of news; Bell Ringer: Daily oral language with Jim Streisel, MJE; Style help: Titles
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 2 (Aug. 21 to 27, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Creating interview questions (Brandon Stanton, Humans of New York); JEA lesson: Interviewing practice; Team-builder: Creative self-portraits with Jim Woehrle, CJE; Style help: State names
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 3 (Aug. 28 to Sept. 3, 2023)
Weekly lesson: The beat system; JEA lesson: Establishing relationships in beat reporting; Adviser advice: Kelsey E. Martin, CJE; Style help: Periods and commas
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 4 (Sept. 4 to 10, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Meeting deadlines; JEA lesson: Organizing your staff; C:JET fall 2023 preview; Style help: Paragraph indentations/spacing
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 5 (Sept. 11 to 17, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Finding profile stories; JEA lesson: Newsgathering for a profile story; Team-builder: Nameplates with Megan Kelley, North Platte (Nebraska) H.S. ; Style help: Spacing after periods
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 6 (Sept. 18 to 24, 2023)
Weekly lesson: The First Amendment; JEA lesson: Overview of the First Amendment; Bell-ringer: Daily inspiration activities with Mitch Eden, MJE, Kirkwood (Missouri) H.S., retired; Style help: Times
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 7 (Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2023)
Weekly lesson: FERPA; JEA lesson: Researching essential media law cases; Team-builder: Giant tennis ball game with Jonathan Rogers, MJE, Iowa City (Iowa) H.S.; Style help: Affect v. effect
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 8 (Oct. 2 to 8, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Style; JEA lesson: Why style matters; Focus: A call for candidates for the JEA board; Style help: Everyone v. every one
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 9 (Oct. 9 to 15, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Pitching a story; JEA lesson: Story pitch meetings; Focus: Sign up for curriculum help at the Boston convention; Style help: Ages
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 10 (Oct. 16 to 22, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Honing students’ observational skills; JEA lesson: Fact finding and observation; Team-builder: Obstacle course building with Sue Flaming, Caney Valley H.S., Ramona, Oklahoma; Style help: Decades
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 11 (Oct. 23 to 29, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Turning observations into stories; JEA lesson: Managing equipment and collaborating with others; C:JET winter 2023 preview; Style help: Time, date, place
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 12 (Oct. 30 to Nov. 5, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Planning future coverage; JEA lesson: Gathering data; Quick, easy lesson: Three questions with A.J. Chambers, MJE, Horse Creek Academy, Aiken, South Carolina; Style help: Toward and backward
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 13 (Nov. 6 to 12, 2023)
Weekly lesson: More localization; JEA lesson: Journalistic research; Quick, easy lesson: Five minutes of fame with Sergio Luis Yanes, MJE, Arvada (Colorado) H.S.; Style help: Who and whom
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 14 (Nov. 13 to 19, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Editing; JEA lesson: Deep revision; Team-builder: Blind Puzzles with Callie Williams, CJE, Astronaut H.S., Titusville, Florida; Style help: Address abbreviations
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 15 (Nov. 20 to 26, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Appreciation; JEA lesson: Decorating, accessorizing publications room; Bell-ringer: Vague Topics with Jackie Uptegrove, Raytown (Missouri) H.S.; Style help: Months
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 16 (Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Social media; JEA lesson: Examining states’ student free expression status; Apply for the FAPFA; Style help: Numbers, compass points in addresses
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 17 (Dec. 4 to 10, 2023)
Weekly lesson: Alternative coverage; JEA lesson: Designing an infographic; Team-Building: Journalism speed dating with Kristin Taylor, MJE, The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles; Style help: Who v. whom
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 18 (Dec. 11 to 17, 2023)
Weekly lesson: More localization; JEA lesson: Q&A coverage; Lesson idea: Holiday photo shoot with Danielle Allen, Colonia (New Jersey) H.S.; Style help: Adviser or advisor/Theater or theater
Spring 2024 (Semester 2)
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 19 (Jan. 15 to 21, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Artificial intelligence; JEA lesson: Creating ethical guidelines and procedures; Bell-ringer: This Caught My Eye with Makena Busch, CJE, Mead H.S., Spokane Washington; Style help: Who’s or whose
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 20 (Jan. 22 to 28, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Virtual consultation sessions available; Bell-ringer: Circle Time with Sara-Beth Badalamente, CJE, Huron H.S. and Clague M.S., Ann Arbor, Michigan; Style help: Alot or a lot
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 21 (Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Socratic Seminar; JEA lesson: Designing with spot color; C:JET spring 2024 issue preview; Style help: Versus
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 22 (Feb. 5 to 11, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Photojournalism Post-it activity; JEA lesson: Exploring Pulitzer Prize-winning photos; Team-builder: Play-Doh Monsters with Brianna Sheen, Cypress Creek H.S., Houston, Texas; Style help: Abbreviations and acronyms
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 23 (Feb. 12 to 18, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Classroom photos; JEA lesson: Capture the moment; Adviser Advice: Front-load staff building with Morgan Bricker, CJE, Weir H.S., Weirton, West Virginia; Style help: Who and that, T-shirt and U-turn
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 24 (Feb. 19 to 25, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Scholastic Journalism Week; JEA lesson: SPLC Presentation, Freedom of Information; Adviser Advice: Know media law and teach it with Logan Aimone, MJE, University of Chicago Laboratory H.S.; Style help: Common misspellings
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 25 (Feb. 26 to March 3, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Cutlines 101; JEA lesson: Caption writing and headlining photos; Focus: Sign up for curriculum help at Kansas City convention.; Style help: Misspellings Part 2
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 26 (March 4 to 10, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Editor selection; JEA lesson: Choosing staff leaders, recruiting staff; Bell ringer: Activities for the whole week with Jodi Snodgrass, Faith Lutheran Middle School, Las Vegas, Nevada; Style help: Misspellings Part 3
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 27 (March 11 to 17, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Typography; JEA lesson: Digging in to typography; Bell ringer: Eat your headlines, served five ways with Kaitlin Edgerton, MJE, Grosse Pointe South H.S., Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan; Style help: Buses or busses, ZIP codes
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 28 (March 18 to 24, 2024)
Weekly lesson: The Eclipse; JEA lesson: Capture the moment; Focus: Sun safety tips and photo inspiration with Bradley Wilson, MJE, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas; Style help: Space talk
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 29 (March 25 to April 1, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Self-evaluation/Gallery walk; JEA lesson: Staff bonding through encouragement; C:JET summer 2024 preview; Style help: More spelling help
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 30 (April 8 to 14, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Thinking visually; JEA lesson: Sidebars and supplemental design formats; Team builder: The hot seat with C.E. Sikkenga, Grand Haven (Michigan) H.S.; Style help: Spelling continued
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 31 (April 15 to 21, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Learning to lead; JEA lesson: Training leaders how to be leaders; Team builder: Thursdays with Matthew Schott, CJE, Francis Howell Central H.S., O’Fallon, Missouri; Style help: Making compound words plural
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 32 (April 22 to 28, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Selecting leaders; JEA lesson: Creating a leadership contract; Team builder: Play-Doh headline-writing game with Michael Reeves, MJE, James Bowie H.S., Austin, Texas; Style help: Spelling V through Z.
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 33 (April 29 to May 5, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Review writing; JEA lesson: Evaluating website credibility; Team builder: Reinforcing skills with Carrie Teller from Ed W. Clark High School, Las Vegas, Nevada; Style help: Legislative titles
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 34 (May 6 to 12, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Rubrics; JEA lesson: Analyzing student work to create rubrics; Team builder: Fun and games with Phillip Caston, CJE, Wando High School, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina; Style help: President and vice president
JEA Curriculum Newsletter Issue 35 (May 13 to 19, 2024)
Weekly lesson: Get help for next year; JEA lesson: Planning and end-of-year staff banquet; Team builder: Slime time with Katie Moreno, MJE, Organized Adviser founder, Houston, Texas; Style help: New AP stylebook