EXTRA CREDIT

Make Your Own Poe Video (Make up an absence)

I was surprised to find that a number of enterprising Poe enthusiasts had made their own video interpretations of Poe's poems and posted them on Youtube. I like this idea a lot, so I will give extra credit to any student who makes their own video of a Poe poem. Here are the rules:

• The poem must appear in its entirety so that the audience can see/hear the poem and actually digest it (i.e. don't flash it on the screen for a second): the audience has to experience his actual words some way.
• The video must be burned to CD or given to me on a jump drive to download onto my hard drive.
• You must post it on Youtube and send me the link.
• You must leave it up all semester.

You may want to check out these examples: "Annabel Lee," "The Raven," or "Alone."

Also, here's a video without words that would not meet my rules, but it was disturbing enough that I thought I'd pass it along: "Annabel Lee."

Deadline: last day of class

Possible points: 8-20 points depending on quality OR removal of one absence.

Read Franklin's Essays

One of the tough choices I had to make for a survey course was to cut some of Franklin's writings. As an extra credit opportunity, you can choose to read and mark all of Franklin's essays in the anthology that are not part of The Autobiography and then offer a two-page informal (but edited) commentary on Franklin's other writings.

Possible points: 5 to 10 points, depending on quality of response.
Deadline: Last day of class

Visit the National Constitution Center

Much of the literature we are reading in this course is based on historical events that actually took place in Philadelphia. For this extra credit option, visit the National Constitution Center and see the "Freedom Rising" performance. Bring your ticket stub (with date) as proof that you saw it and post a page-long, edited reaction to the presentation, focusing on the attitudes and issues the presentation tried to instill in viewers.

Possible Points: 5-10, depending on Quality of response.

Deadline: Last Day of Class

Do a Grammar Revision of Your First Paper

See the instructions for the grammar revision here. Complete the assignment using the graded copy of Paper #1 as a guide. Turn in a typed grammar revision plus my handmarked copy of your first paper to my box by noon on Tuesday, May 4, 2010.

Possible Points: 1 to 20 depending on quality and completeness of coverage.
Deadline: Noon, Tuesday, April 28, 2011