Final Projects

It is often useful to do a summative final project in a course to demonstrate learning. The following projects are good options:

The Poetry Portfolio

The poetry portfolio consists primarily of final drafts of poems. It should begin, however, with your own prose statement on poetic craft – your own “ars poetica.” It may include an appendix telling the stories behind each of your poems.

The Poetry Anthology

Select 10-25 poems from various poets and organize them thematically (not chronologically) in your own poetry anthology. Write a preface to the anthology describing your editing process. Include brief notes before each poem (or series of poems by the same poet) with information about the authors and their writings.

The Class Chapbook

In this project, we need an editor in chief, managing editor, layout editor, business manager, fundraising manager, publicity manager, and copy editor to coordinate the publication and sale of a chapbook of poetry by various authors in our course.

The Poetry Blog

Create an online poetry blog. You may start it at the beginning of the semester and write entries throughout our class reflecting on what you are learning. Write well, and make it beautiful.

The Online Literary Magazine

In this project, we need an editor in chief, managing editor, layout editor, business manager, fundraising manager, publicity manager, and copy editor to coordinate the online publication a chapbook of poetry by various authors in our course.

The Tradition/Peer Poet Reflection Paper

Choose one poet you admire and write reflectively on that poet’s work and the way it influences yours.

The Collaboration Project

Work with another artist to combine your poetry with another medium: photography, sculpture, watercolor, film, musical instrumentation, and so on. This final project is not a performance only; the collaboration project must have a hard copy form, such as pictures, a DVD, a CD, or website.

In all the projects, be creative, and enjoy!