Back to the Future - Sixties Research Paper - Freewrite - Joan Didion - 300 Words

Jay's Note:  This is Joan Didion.  She is one of my favorite authors.  She's famous for putting herself write in the middle of her stories.  She is great at sharing the most intimate observations ( I bet she has written a ton of FREEWRITES in her life!)

Estimados Estudiantes,

Today, Let's get the ball rolling on your research papers with THE FREEWRITE. 

Let's put our initial thoughts, ideas, and knowledge down on paper before we begin the essay.  

* Our goal: Let's put 300 words down on paper about OUR SIXTIES TOPIC.

Here is what I ask you to bring to the activity:

1. 1-2 Research articles - Hopefully I reminded you to search for articles with an author's name at the top underneath the title.   Are your articles "full text"?  They should be at least 200 words in length.  These articles will help you generate ideas to write about. 

2. 1-2 Images - Have you ever heard the expression, "A Picture Tells a Thousand Words"? Pues,  you need 300!  Find interesting pictures of your research topic.  I will help you identify key elements of the image that can help you ignite your writing.

I.  Here is how you start:

Consider these questions:  WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, HOW?

( Below, I provide you with a few examples of how Jay would go about it.  here I try multiple topics, but YOU STICK WITH JUST ONE.  Try to write 50 words to answer each question or writing prompt.  Sometimes LESS. Sometimes MORE.  Keep going until you reach 300.)

* WHO are you writing about?  

Jay's ex:  The Beatles were a rock band from Liverpool, England they exploded in 1964.  John was the leader.  Paul played bass.  George was on guitar.  Ringo was the drummer. They had long hair and great music.  Women loved them.  Men wanted to be like them.  When they played their songs, you couldn't even hear the lyrics over the screaming fans.  Everywhere they went, it was "Beatlemania!"  The world would never be the same. 

* What are you writing about?

Jay's ex:  The Beehive Hairdo looks like it sounds.  In the sixties, women piled their hair high up above their head in a cone, the shape of a traditional beehive.  To achieve the look, women teased their hair upwards with a comb over and over and then  smoothed the outer surface.  French movie star and sex symbol Bridget Bardot was famous for her beehive.  First Lady Jackie Onasis often sported a nice one.  Today the Beehive Lives! Adele is known to take the stage with a behive. Before she died, Amy Winehouse's hair got bigger and bigger. She once said, “The more insecure I feel, the bigger my hair has to be.” 

* "Where" are you writing about?

Jay's ex: In 1969, young Americans were drafted into military service to fight in the Vietnam War.  Most didn't even know where Vietnam was!  Vietnam was and is a relatively tiny country located in Southeast Asia.  It's bordered by China to the north. To the west is Laos. Cambodia is to the southwest. In the sixties it was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam.  When the North invaded the South, the United States made the fateful decision to intervene. Our government feared that the North was supported and controlled by Communist China.  If we allowed for  North Vietnam to take over South Vietnam, it would only  begin the spread of communist rule in the region. If we didn't do anything to stop it,  other countries would fall like "dominoes."

* Does this help?  I stopped after a few examples, but you keep writing until your reach 300 words. Write 2-3 WHATS if you want to.  Go for mulitiple WHOS.  It's up to you.  Keep writing.  It's FREE!

II.  This is what you do next:  Find a Great Picture about Your Topic.

Write this down:  I found a great picture to include in my research paper..

Summarize It.  Can you briefly tell us what it is about?

* This is a picture of Janis Joplin in concert.  Janis died of a drug overdose at the age 27.  One one hand, she was bold, adventurous, defiant.  On the other, she was frightened and insecure.  Janis's bold, raw voice paved the way for future female rockers.  She was the Love and Passion and Blues.  You could hear it in every note of each heartbreaking song.

Describe It.  What did you see first.  What did you not see until later? What do you see in the person's face?  What is happening here?

Many pictures I find of Janis are WILD and PSYCHODELIC.  They didn't call her QUEEN of the HIPPIES for nothing.  But, this picture I like because she looks just like us. She's dressed in a red sweater.  It matches the color of her hair. There are no feathers in her hair.  And there are no rings on her fingers. She's got her eyes closed and her hand opened up. She's up there singing her brains out.  She's giving EVERYTHING. 

Quote it. Is there anything that was said in your article you could keep?

Janis  once said, “On stage I make love to twenty five thousand people; and then I go home alone. "

III.  Write Down Your Personal Thoughts - Why do you think this topic will be interesting to write about?

* Jay's ex:  I chose this topic - The Women's Movement - because it is as important to discuss today as it was in the sixties.  Back then, women fought for their rights.  They wanted equal opportunity.  They demanded control of their own bodies. These women paved the way for the freedom we have today.  BUT THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER!  Our voice needs to be heard.  In writing this paper, I feel like I'm doing my part!

Do you have 300 words?

* If the answer is yes - Copy and past your work together.

* If the answer is no - Print out another article and image.  Keep writing until you reach 300 words.  Ask the tutors in the lab for help.

For Grading Purposes, this what you do:

* Copy and Paste your work into CANVAS assignments

* Insert an image at the top. 

* Print out a copy for your project binder - Type FREEWRITE at the top. 

(Each week, I will make SUPRIZE binder checks. Be Ready!)

This is going to be great.  You will see.

Paz,

JL