1. Discuss why the book is entitled Preposterous? List the synonyms for preposterous. Chart the psychological characteristics of an adolescent. Is this an accurate title? Why? Why not? [knowledge, comprehension, analysis, evaluation]

2. Take a poem written from a boy/girl point of view and rewrite the event from a female/male point of view. [comprehension, synthesis]

3. Pick a poem or group of poems on any theme/subject listed above and create a bibliography of materials on that subject. Look for fiction, in any format, as well as non-fiction and local, personal sources of information. [knowledge, comprehension, application]

4.Create a list of the things about which teens today are concerned. Write a poem, story, or play about one of them. Have other people written about your topic? Locate some and see if their point of view agrees with yours. [knowledge, comprehension, application, synthesis]

5. Take a ridiculous situation that has happened to you or a friend and as a group project create and produce a situation comedy sequence (15 min.) or a mini-soap opera. [comprehension, synthesis]

6. Interview parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors and collect their strongest memories of when they were teenagers. What preposterous things do they remember doing when they were teens, what effected them the most? Compile their memories, arranged by date. This does not need to be written; it could be on audio or video tape. Is there a difference in the way generations were effected by their adolescence? [knowledge, analysis, synthesis, evaluation]

7. What things do you think that you will remember about being a teenager? Write a letter to your future grandchild about it. [knowledge, synthesis]

8. Take any one poem or related poems and study theme, point of view, poetic devices, etc. [knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis,]

9. Compare this anthology to one written for adolescents such as Class Dismissed or Class Dismissed II (see Resource List). Select two or three poems from each collection to compare. Create a T chart to compare the two collections.

a. What is the point of view of the poems? Who is speaking?

b. How is dialogue used in the poems? What effect does this have?

c. For whom were the poems written? What was the audience?

d. What are the themes /subjects of the poems?

e. How is language used in the poetry? What is the level of difficulty? Is it understandable? What images are created? Do they use figurative language or allusions?

f. Who are the authors of the poems? How does this make one anthology different from the other

Review all the information gathered from a study of these two anthologies and construct a pro/con statement for each collection.

For example: XYZ is interesting to read because of the variety of language and styles; however, it is also confusing because of the vocabulary and complex ideas. [knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation]

10. Teenagers often lack self confidence which often leads them into trouble. Research the causes, results, and cures for low self-esteem. Several groups can be formed to deal with different aspects of this topic. [knowledge, comprehension, analysis, synthesis]

Resources Various indexes for short stories, poetry, and fiction.

Social Issues Resource Series volumes

Card catalog, Readers Guide to Periodical Literature, Newspaper sources

Dunning, Stephen, et al. Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle and Other Modern Verse. New York: Lothrop, Lee, Shepard Co., 1967.

Glenn, Mel. Class Dismissed: High School Poems . New York: Clarion Books, 1982.

Glenn, Mel. Class Dismissed II: More High School Poems. New York: Clarion Books, 1986.

Janeczko. Paul B. Poetspeak: in Their Work, About Their Work. New York: Bradbury, 1983.

Janeczko. Paul B. Strings: a Gathering of Family Poems. New York: Bradbury, 1984.

Prepared by JeriAnn Holt, Erskine Academy, So. China, ME.