Spring Break: Choose Your Own Literary Adventure!

Spring Break Work~Continuing with Poetry Month on your own! 

Please read whole post to understand your "Choose Your Own Literary Adventure."

Remember: Your goal is to have a chapbook of at least 10 poems you have revised and are proud of by May 1st. 

Periods 1 & 2

Congratualations on finishing your Inquiry Project! (Psst...If you haven’t yet, you need to by Monday, April 21. Don't flake.)

Periods 3, 5, & 6

Congratulations on embarking on your Inquiry Project! 

Seek out at least one source that can help you answer your guiding question about your topic. If you don’t know your topic or guiding question yet, figure one out and find a source! Remember, the expectation is TWO book sources (one nonfiction, one fiction or memoir), and TWO non-book sources: a podcast, a movie, a documentary, TV show, an interview, a museum exhibit, a series of songs/poems about your topic, an article, a website. ENJOY the pursuit of answers to your questions!

Final products for Inquiry Project will be due Thursday, May 15th. See earlier posts for more information. We will review the project expectations more when we get back from break.

Now for Everyone’s Spring Break Literary Choose-Your-Own-Adventure:

1. Book-Lovers Unite! Attend the FREE Los Angeles Festival of Books at USC on Saturday 4/12 or Sunday 4/13 for the biggest public literary event in North America. See the authors and info here: http://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/

The Expo line goes straight there!

Saturday highlights: JOHN GREEN, Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco, Graphic Novel panels, Francesca Lia Block, LOTS more!

Sunday highlights: SANDRA CISNEROS, Stephen Chbosky, Sonya Sones, Barbara Ehrenreich, Laura Halse Anderson, LOTS more!

Write a few poems inspired by what you saw/heard/read/observed/or experienced.

2. Write a poem-a-day, using the world as your prompt. Remember the point of poetry writing—to become a better observer of the world around you.

Try a dialogue poem (nothing but people talking—an excuse to eavesdrop!), an ode, a list poem, a haiku series, a “found poem,” a lyric poem (inspired by a song), or any other kind of poem that suits your fancy.

3. Find a “Ghost Poet” Mentor and read as much of his/her poetry as you can (he or she does not have to be decease, just someone you believe can be a kind of wise guide for you in your own poetry writing). Better yet, find a Spanish language poet who has English translation, and immerse yourself in the beauty of poetry in two languages!

4. Read a book of poems. Boom.

5. Try a variation of poetry writing—word/poem art, or something you create that captures poetry to you. See Ms. W’s Pinterest page, particularly the “30 for 30” Roots + Poetry Board or the Samples Board for word art poetry: http://www.pinterest.com/MsWitham/

6. Watch a Poetry-Inspired movies: Dead Poets Society, Poetic Justice, the documentary series “Brave New Voices” about young spoken word artists competing for glory, or a Shakespeare movie. (Hint Hint)

7. Do a Story-Corps inspired interview of a family member or friend who has a fascinating story. Turn the experience into a series of Point of View poems, told in that person's voice. Hear some great interviews at StoryCorps.org and check out their list of Great Questions here: http://storycorps.org/great-questions/

8. Traveling over break, out of state or just within our city? Write a series of place poems that capture the locations you find yourself in. Think sensory details (sight, smell, sound, taste, touch, feeling)~how can you help someone else live through the poetic "snapshots" you create?

9. Something else literary--You decide. Make some poems from it. 

Again, remember: Your goal is to have a chapbook of at least 10 poems you have revised and are proud of by May 1st.