Out of Her Mind -- Musings on Education and Life

I.   Email Cut-Up Poetry Assignment                                 Faulkner Directions:   Open up a Microsoft Word document.   Minimize that document. Open up an email account.   If you don’t have one, now’s your opportunity to create one.   They’re FREE!   But you all have an email account through the school system, so I expect you all to be able to complete this assignment. Look through your emails.   Cut the subject lines you like, find interesting or humorous, etc, and paste into your Word document.   The BULK mail folder is an excellent source of funny subject lines! Continue step three until you feel that you have enough words and phrases to craft a poem. Rearrange these subject lines to create a poem of your liking.   You MAY add punctuation, change word tenses, etc.   BE SURE TO TITLE YOUR POEM.   IT MUST BE A POEM OF AT LEAST 10 LINES! Type your name on your poem and print ONCE.

Below is an assignment I have designed and implemented in many iterations.  I most recently adapted this assignment for use in my AP (Advanced Placement) English Literature and Composition course.  The primary difference for the AP is assignment is that students had to reveal the entire story and they had to include a Major Works Data sheet.  Students completed this project in groups based on the classic works of literary merit that they self-selected and read over the summer. This project is a favorite of mine because students learn to problem solve, to collaborate, to use a variety of tech tools, to follow copyright laws, and to summarize and depict a book all while being very engaged in the work itself. I presented this assignment in a workshop entitled: "Bringing the Boys In: Engaging Reluctant Readers." Please feel free to use and adapt this assignment.  If you use it, please provide attribution.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me at girlfaul