I have 125 Creative Writing students this year; they are currently studying Edgar Allen Poe. We have read many of his short stories and poems. I have a friend in California, Duffy Hudson, who plays Edgar Allen Poe in a one-man Broadway-style show. In previous years, Duffy has flown to Florida to do his show for my students, but, of course, everything is different in 2020. Duffy will spend an hour answering questions in the costume and character of Poe (THIS IS A VIRTUAL EVENT). He is definitely the expert in this field. My students will be able to ask him any questions they like about Poe, his lifetime and his work, thus enhancing their knowledge of Poe and his significance in the History of American Literature.
My school is diverse: 30% African American, 30% Latino, and 30% white.
Approximately 65% of our student body is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. They are students who respond to experiential learning. I love working with these creative writing students and watching them grow as writers.
My Project
The guest speaker will perform as Poe (this is part of his one-man show "In the Shadow of the Raven") and answer student questions about Poe. They will gain a deeper understanding of Poe's inspiration and motivation. This will be a virtual event done over Microsoft Teams.
Experiences are a student's best learning opportunities.
With this project, students will "go back in time" to see and hear how Poe lived and how he came to influence all those who came after him - horror writers and movie makers. They will match new information from the performance to what they already know about Poe in order to reshape their understandings.
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