Personal Cultural Landscape Anthology
You will be compiling an anthology
An anthology is a collection: poems, songs, images, photos, articles, any form chosen by a compiler. In this case, the compiler is you. You will be creating an anthology that reflects your sense of place.
We all need a sense of place—a sense of belonging. In this work, you will reflect on, create, and share your own.
Through this anthology you will inform an audience of both personal and objective views of Vermont’s and your own cultural landscape.
First you will gather resources. Use the web and/or library resources. Choose and compile sources that you want to share in your anthology. For each of these, you will provide copy the source, provide background on the source and write a reflection on why you chose it.
You will also include your personal sense of place into the anthology. What draws you in? Where do you belong? How do you know you belong there? These are difficult questions. You will have time and opportunity to think, reflect, and create a unique piece that in the end can only reflect you and your own personal sense of place.
Though there are several steps, you can complete them in any order and the design of the anthology should be based on your own style. You will create your own personal anthology.
Your own sense of place
1. Create a landscape memory map
a. This map highlights your connection to place
1. think about specific areas or landmarks that have a personal significance to you. It might be the field behind your house, the town center, a place where you hike, the ball field etc…
2. The map should include at least 6 places in your life important to you in some way.
b. Design a way to show these landmarks-- you may draw a picture, label the area, use a personal symbol, etc.
c. You should add annotations or explanations about why you included these places.
d. Use colored pencils, markers, etc. You will need a final, polished draft of the memory map for your anthology.
2. Take a picture using a digital camera (you may borrow one, if you need to.) Choose two of the places from your map to take the picture. Write a poem or a narrative explaining why each of these places means something to you.
3. From the remaining four places, draw or create an image that reflects that place
Writers in Vermont
Choose two poets with two poems that you personally enjoyed. Copy and paste the poems into the anthology along with a quick biography of the poet. Write a reflection about why you chose those two poems. What drew you to them—words, style, rhythm? (Two reflections)
Artists in Vermont
Include the images, short biography of the artist. Write a reflection about why you chose each of the art pieces. What drew you to them—color, mood, design, topic? (two reflections)
Food in Vermont
4. Food is undeniably an important part of culture. Choose two Vermont recipes (you can research these on the Web) OR since you are all Vermonters, you can ask your parents, grandparents...etc for the recipe of your favorite dishes. Include the recipes in your anthology. For each, write a reflection about why you chose that recipe. (Two reflections)…….P.S. We will have a cooking day when you will cook one of the recipes you chose. Keep that in mind for level of time and difficulty.
5. Choose one other aspects of culture/place that you would like to include in your anthology. This could be a person, place, belief, think about all the elements of culture. Choose one; explain the artifact, story, “hero” ….etc. and write a reflection as to why you chose this aspect of culture. (
Reflection questions to answer:
What is the particular piece describe the image, poem, canvas…etc.
Why did you choose it?
How does this choice tell us something about you?
Required: (check these off as you complete them)
q Illustrated cover with a title
q A final version of your landscape memory map
q 2 photos downloaded from Vermont Landscape website
q 2 poems or narratives from images chosen on Vermont Landscape website
q Photographs of 2 locations from your landscape memory map
q 2 poems or narratives about photographs from landscape memory map
q 1 drawing/visual of another place on your landscape memory map
q 2 Poems from Vermont Poets’ Website
q 2 reflections about poems from Vermont Poets’ Website
q 2 paintings from Vermont Artist’ website
q 2 reflections about pieces chosen
q 2 recipes
q 2 reflections about recipes
q 1 other cultural aspects
q 1reflections on each of the cultural aspects
q A final reflection on the process of collecting this anthology. What did you learn about your sense of place in Vermont? What did you learn about yourself…organizational skills, creative skills, time keeping skills? Or anything else that you would like to muse about.
q A back cover
Now that you have the basics consider how you can go above and beyond in creating an exceptional piece that shows your connection to place:
§ Consider paper size and color
§ Include more poems
§ Include more narrative
§ Decorate the pages
§ Add more visuals
§ Create a pop-up book
Make the anthology as unique as you are.
Personal Cultural Landscape Anthology
Final Assessment Checklist
______/4 Illustrated cover with a title
§ Cover is creative and includes an engaging title.
______/4 Final version of landscape memory map
§ Original artistic work showing thoughtfulness and intentionality in creation of memory map.
______/4 3 locations from landscape memory map
______/28 All written pieces included
The tone of the written pieces in the anthology enhances the purpose of the writing. Word choice is lively and varied. Clearly communicates ideas. Free or almost free of grammar, usage, and mechanics errors.
______/12 All required photos/ art pieces/ poems included (Don’t forget the third visual from your mind map that you need to draw)
______/8 2 recipes
______/12 3 cultural aspects chosen and reflect upon ( can be enhanced with photo, drawing, or example)
______/8 Includes introduction and closing reflection—back cover
______/8 Unique, creative and presentable
______/12 Four pieces from the anthology chosen and presented to the class.
= 100
Standards addressed:
1.5 Writing Dimensions (students write with purpose, voice tone, organization, and details)
1.9 Narratives (in written narratives, students organize writing in a coherent whole)
1.23 Poetry (in writing poetry, students use a variety of forms)
4.6 Understanding Place (students demonstrate understanding of place)
Grade Level Expectations:
Writing Process WHS: 1 (students use the writing process)
Analyzing how location and spatial patterns influence cultural traits H&SS9-12:13
Analyzing and evaluating the impact of expressions of culture in Vermont H&SS9-12:13