Assignment 1.1

Welcome to the Arts, Media, and Entertainment (AME) pathway.

So, what does that mean? Let’s break it down:

• CTE stands for Career Technical Education. It’s school, but with a career focus. Instead of just learning math, science, or history in isolation, CTE courses connect your learning directly to skills and jobs. Think of it as “school that points you toward the real world.”

• AME is one of California’s 15 official CTE sectors. Each sector is like a big umbrella of related industries. AME covers careers in:

  • Design, Visual, and Media Arts
  • Performing Arts
  • Production and Managerial Arts
  • Game Design and Integration (that’s us!)

Sectors are broken into pathways — a focused track of study. You’re in the Game Art & Design Pathway, which means your classes will center on skills like 3D modeling, visual storytelling, environment design, and building interactive projects in game engines like Unreal.

Why are we covering this?
Because understanding the big picture matters. You’re not just “learning Blender” or “doing a school project.” You’re building portfolio pieces that line up with real career roles in game studios, animation, and interactive media. Every project you do here is designed to prepare you for that future.

Quick Questions to Think About

• When you think “game industry,” what jobs come to mind first? Artist? Coder? Producer?
• Which sounds most exciting to you right now — making things look amazing (art), making things work (programming), or making sure the whole team finishes a game (production)?
• Do you imagine yourself working solo, freelancing, or as part of a big studio team?

Assignment Directions

1. Account Setup

   • Log in to school email, Canvas, and Jupiter. Confirm you have working access.

2. Portfolio Launch

   • Create a portfolio site (Google Sites or Canva). Title it with your full name.
   • Add a Homepage with a short intro (2–3 sentences about yourself and your interests).
   • Add a placeholder page called Career Roles where you’ll post future research.

What to Turn In

• Portfolio Link (submitted in Canvas)
• Homepage Intro live on your site

Journal Activity

For this week’s journal entry, write a short reflection (150–200 words):

• Which part of the AME sector do you find most interesting (games, design, animation, film, performance, etc.)?
• What role do you imagine yourself in five years from now?
• Do you think you’d enjoy being part of a large team, or do you prefer working on projects alone?

Upload your journal entry to Canvas by the end of the week.