Back to the Future News 11.16.16

• Paula Abdul to join Backstreet Boys for summer 2017 tour (CBS News)
• Car aficionado Jay Leno's advice: Don't buy cars from the '80s (CNBC)
• Kensington Palace to host exhibition for the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's death (Guardian)
• Heart disease rates in the US have dropped 20% since the '80s (LifeScienceDaily)
• Nintendo's NES Classic Edition sells out immediately (GMANetwork)
• Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Thing's Eleven, pushing to play a young Princess Leia (CNET)

Infographic: I Made News in the '80s

The '80s were marked by big personalities, people who left their mark in fields as diverse as politics, entertainment, and sports. For this assignment, you will create an infographic illustrating the impact of a major '80s news maker. In constructing your infographic, consider not only the cultural impact of this individual, but also how he or she helped shape the decade. Additionally, include relevant biographical information to help contextualize this person’s contributions.

Choose one of the following '80s news makers to profile in your infographic:

1. Nelson Mandela, political activist
2. Andrew Lloyd Webber, musical theater composer
3. HRH Sarah, Duchess of York, British royal
4. Bill Gates, tech pioneer
5. Keith Haring, artist
6. Greg Louganis, Olympic diver
7. Lt. Col. Oliver North, Reagan Admin. NSC member
8. Geraldine Ferraro, first female Vice-Presidential candidate
9. Joan Rivers, comedienne
10. Andy Kaufman, comedian
11. Fabio, model
12. Molly Ringwald, actress
13. Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist
14. Prince, musician
15. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, sex therapist
16. Calvin Klein, fashion designer
17. Janet Jackson, musician
18. Christie Brinkley, supermodel
19. Tina Turner, musician
20. Vice-President Dan Quayle, politician
21. Julio César Chávez, professional boxer
22. Michael J. Fox, actor
23. Boy George, musician
24. Joe Montana, NFL quarterback
25. Spike Lee, actor/director

Infographics are most easily utilized in PowerPoint (or a comparable program. Additionally, if you are experienced in it, you may also utilize Photoshop. This assignment must be delivered electronically.

Requirements:

• Include a works cited page

A well-executed infographic will:

• Have a title that articulates the goal of the assignment
• Have a concise thesis as the subheading—important
• Have a concise controlling argument dictating the design
• Visually translate perspectives and facts in a clear and enlightening manner
• Stay within the parameters of a profile of a major '80s news maker

Due: Tu 11.22 (DRAFT 1: BRING 2 COPIES); Th 12.8 (FINAL DRAFT; EMAIL BY 5 PM)

Week 13: The Golden Girls

Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors" (US #1, 1986)

Week 13: The Golden Girls

Tu 11.15/Th 11.17

Class: Presentations; Writer’s workshop

Due: EDITORIAL ESSAY

Upcoming:

Week 14: RUN-DMC

Tu 11.22/Th 11.24 [NO CLASS—HAPPY THANKSGIVING]

Class: REFLECTION 7; INFOGRAPHIC (DRAFT 1; BRING 2 COPIES)

Week 15: The World Wrestling Federation

Tu 11.29/Th 12.1

Class: Presentations

Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT

Week 16: Batman

Tu 12.6/Th 12.8 (FINAL CLASS MEETING)

Class: Presentations

Due: INFOGRAPHIC (Final draft; Email by 5 PM)

Week 17: MTV

SEC. 54 FINAL EXAM: WE 12.14/SEC. 43 FINAL EXAM: FR 12.16

Meet from 7:15 – 9:30 AM

Due: NARRATIVE ESSAY

Editorial: You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried

Teenagers of the ‘80s had one thing millennials didn’t: an auteur dedicated to capturing the teen experience. In fact, John Hughes’ films, which he either produced, wrote, or directed, became American cultural icons. Today, these films-namely Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)—serve as chronicles of ‘80s adolescence. Twenty-first century teens don’t have the benefit of such films. Instead, this era’s comedies have skewed more adult (e.g. The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Hangover). While an occasional teen movie comes along (e.g. Super Bad, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist), none have managed to attain iconic statuses the way Hughes’ films did. What are today’s teens missing out on? What’s the value of having your adolescence reflected on the big screen? In a concise editorial, explore the impact of Hughes’ movies on the ‘80s and the void left in teen cinema today. Cite exclusively from Gora's You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried to support your thesis.

Remember, an editorial expresses an opinion on a current issue. It may take a formal or informal tone, but its primary goal is always to persuade readers. Because editorials were born in newspapers, they are traditionally succinct in form and can often carry the "voice" of the author.

Below are a series of recent editorials from around the country:

• "Here's Hoping Colin Kaepernick's Protest Movement Can Teach Schools a Lesson in the 1st Amendment" (Los Angeles Times)
• "Should Obama Pardon NSA Leaker Snowden? Nyet" (Chicago Tribune)
• "Why We Should Treat Islamophobia as a Public Health Issue" (Dallas Morning News)
• "Birtherism is Donald Trump's Big Lie" (Washington Post)
• "Why Terrorism Won't Undermine Us" (Boston Globe)

Requirements:

• Approximately 3 pages in length
• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• Works cited page

Due: Thu 11.17

Back to the Future News 11.9.16

• Eighties-fest coming to San Jose in January (San Jose Mercury News)
• Pakistan deports National Geographic's iconic "Afghan Girl" (New York Times)
• New doc chronicles the final days of an arcade (Austin Chronicle)
• Michael Jackson's son pens tell-all book (E! News)
• How the '80s set the standard for Hollywood love scenes (Vulture)
• Nintendo releases a throwback edition of its famous console (Inquisitor)

Week 12: The Tiananmen Square Massacre

Robert Palmer, "Addicted to Love" (US #1, May 1986)

Week 12: The Tiananmen Square Massacre

Tu 11.8/Th 11.10

Read: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)

Class: Reading discussion; Presentations; Lecture—“Infographics 101”

Upcoming:

Week 13: The Golden Girls

Tu 11.15/Th 11.17

Class: Presentations; Writer’s workshop

Due: EDITORIAL ESSAY

Week 14: RUN-DMC

Tu 11.22/Th 11.24 [NO CLASS—HAPPY THANKSGIVING]

Class: REFLECTION 7; INFOGRAPHIC (DRAFT 1; BRING 2 COPIES)

Week 15: The World Wrestling Federation

Tu 11.29/Th 12.1

Class: Presentations

Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT

Week 16: Batman

Tu 12.6/Th 12.8 (FINAL CLASS MEETING)

Class: Presentations

Due: INFOGRAPHIC (Final draft; Email by 5 PM)

Week 17: MTV

SEC. 54 FINAL EXAM: WE 12.14/SEC. 43 FINAL EXAM: FR 12.16

Meet from 7:15 – 9:30 AM

Due: NARRATIVE ESSAY

 

Reflection 6: Technorama—Exploring the Technology of the '80s

Calculator watches, video cameras, handheld video game devices: all of these were once among the Eighties’ most cutting edge tech. Though much of it now seems quaint, maybe even primitive, that technology laid the foundation for that which we interact with today. From smart phones to laptops, most of today’s technologies would not have been possible had it not been for the ‘80s. For this reflection, examine the ways in which that decade’s technology helped usher the technological advancements of this century. What do we owe to the gadgets of that era? And does any of the technology from the ‘80s intrigue you?

Cite at least two of the following articles in your discussion:

• "How '80s Technology Made the Modern World" (Popular Mechanics)
• "Eight Technologies to Thank the 1980s For" (TechRadar)
• "The Totally Righteous Technology of the 1980s" (CNN)
• "Your Guide to the 80s Technology in the Netflix Original Series Stranger Things" (NextThing)
• "Fourteen Tech Gadgets From the 1980s That We Want Back Right Now" (Business Insider)
• "These Were the Gadgets of the 80s Wall St. Banker" (MSN)

Requirements:

• MLA Style
• One page in length
• Works cited page

Due: Th 11.2