Name:

Spoken Word Poetry Assignment

The Mission: To create your own spoken word poem and create a recording
of it to present to the class.

Guidelines: Your poems must be written individually, however, they may be

performed with a partner or in a group. Please ensure that if you are
helping out with a group recording you get your own project done as well.
Recordings must be 2-5 minutes in length.

If you do not want to submit a recording, you

may hand in a 500-word reflection on your
creative process instead. This would include
your inspirations, challenges, and what you
have learned from the process of writing a
spoken word poem.

Your poems should be about substantial issues

such as a time someone misjudged you,
significant social issues, or an important event
in your life.

While these poems will be passionate, honest,

and personal, they cannot be hurtful. You
may not include a personal attack on another
individual or group. You may criticize a social
problem or injustice but simply do not name names.

The Deadline: You will have three class periods to work on your writing and
another three class periods for recording and editing your videos.

Scripts are due Friday April 13th and videos must be sent to me
Wednesday April 18th.
Name:

Rubric

_____ Depth and insight (10 marks total)

 Does your poem reference a substantial issue?
 Does your poem shift from a particular issue to an in-depth exploration of
the larger topic and themes?

_____ Language use (10 marks total)

 Do you use concise, vivid, and creative language?
 Do your word choices reflect both meaning and aesthetic sound?
 Is there evidence of a poetic devices being used within the poem?
o Device used: _____________________________________________

_____ Mechanics and editing (7 marks total)

 Do you follow spelling and grammar rules?
 Is there evidence of revision to reflect careful re-thinking of the structure or
focus of your poem?

_____ Video performance (8 marks total)

 Is the video 2-5 minutes in length?
 Are you using appropriate pitch, pacing, volume, and intonation in your
voice?
 Is your delivery fluent and coherent?
 Have you used facial expressions, gestures, or body language to add
meaning to your poem?

_____ Written reflection in the absence of a video (8 marks total)

 Is your reflection 500 words in length?
 Is your writing thoughtful, well-organized, and descriptive?
 Have you made insightful observations into your own learning process?

Your total grade: _____ / 35

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