STUDENTS AS EDITORS
/ Assignment:
Your assignment is to create your own anthology of poetry. You are the editor of this anthology — the person who chooses the poems and puts the book together. The lesson involves looking closely at poems and learning about tools that poets use to help readers see images and to convey ideas in poems. You will develop research skills and will create additional materials — commentary on poems, a table of contents, and bibliography. All this is part of being a good editor. Your anthology will be illustrated. You may draw, select photos, or use images from greeting cards, clip art, or other sources to decorate your books. Your anthology will be a personal collection that expresses your unique personality and taste. Work and planning can take place evenings and weekends. Remember, this is not a one-night or one-week assignment. It is a process of reading and choosing, of preparing to create a collection that reflects who you are. Have fun with it!
Your anthology will include the following pages:
Cover
Design a cover using a drawing, photos or other images. Include on the cover the book's title, and the name of the author and illustrator.
Title Page
List the title, and author/editor(you)
Table of Contents
List the book's chapters and the poems within them. Include page numbers to tell the
reader where chapters begin and poems appear. Your anthology must have page numbers on each page (excluding the cover). Also list a bibliography and glossary at the back of the book, (usually called "Appendix A and Appendix B").
Poetry Pages
·  You will choose at least 5 different poets for your anthology. You may have multiple poems by the same author or they may all have different authors. You should also include some poetry which you have written.
·  Your poetry anthology should include at least 10 to 15 poems. You may have more if you choose. You should pick poems that “speak to you.”
·  You should organize your anthology into at least three different “chapters.” The chapters will represent poems on different topics/subjects.
·  Include a variety of poetic forms (lyric poems, narrative poems, free verse poems, maybe even concrete poems)
·  Include poems which include different poetic devices which we have studied.
Glossary
Were there any words in the poems that you had never seen before or that you don't hear very often? Make a list of them here in alphabetical order and provide definitions. Find 10-20 words.
Bibliography
List the sources you used to write the book. Use the reference list I give you for citations. In the mean time, you should record the title, author/editor, date and place of publication, and page number for each poem. If your poem was found on a webpage, write down the title of the webpage, the URL, and the author of the poem.
Reflection
After you have collected your favorite poems, write a reflection approximately one typed page long discussing why you picked the poems you did and what they personally mean to you. Maybe pick a favorite poem or two and discuss why it’s your favorite. How do you relate to this poem? Also, discuss the assignment and if it has changed the way you view poetry. Remember, this part is a reflection of your personal thoughts about the project.
Web resources:
Academy of American Poets
Favorite Poem Project
Bartleby's - Search by verse, anthology or volume.
Bibliomania - Select "Poetry" from the "Choose a section" pull down menu and the poet from the "Choose" pull down menu.
CMU Poetry Index
Thirty Poets from Gale Group
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