The Year of Magical Thinking Lesson Plan

Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold Part 2

Kind of Activity:

Mixed Media

Objective:

Students will watch a documentary about Joan Didion's life and work and write a review.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3

Structure:

Last class, students watched the first half of the Netflix documentary on Didion and took notes. For this session, show the last 45 minutes of the film and instruct students to continue taking detailed notes.

Following the film (either in class, as time allows, or as homework), ask students to write a two-page review of their impressions of it, making use of the examples from their notes. How did viewing...