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Grades level iconsGrades 9–12
Session time icon60+ Minutes
Genre information iconPoetry
Video resource type iconVideos

Remix Your Writing

by Robin Reid Drake, 826CHI
826CHI Teaching Artist, Robin Reid Drake, shares an original writing prompt that encourages students to borrow lines from their favorite pieces of writing and then remix them into something new.
About the Author

Robin Reid Drake (she/they) is a Chicago (Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Bodéwadmiakiwen & Myaamia lands) based writer, artist and educator originally from Greensboro, North Carolina (Eno, Sappony & Shakori lands). White, trans & queer, Drake is passionate about combining abolitionist somatics, creative practice and popular education to heal lines of violence in herself and her communities. She holds an MFA in writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a BA in writing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and certification in meditation & mindfulness instruction from MNDFL Studio in New York City. Drake’s written work can be found in DREGINALD, Palimpsest, WUSSY, Understory Quarterly, and Foglifter Press’ Home Is Where You Queer the Heart, among others.

What Your Students Will Learn

You will learn how to write a cento poem.

Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.5 Common Core Standards Icon
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grades 9-10 here.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.5 Common Core Standards Icon
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grades 11-12 here.)
What You Will Do

Cento poems are completely made of words and lines from existing works (“Cento” is a Latin word that means “patchwork garment!). In this lesson, you will try this new approach, while borrowing precise words and phrases from your favorite pieces of writing. The result will be a brand new text, unique to you. STEP 1 First, watch the video. Then, read the Mentor Text, “Cento Between the Ending and the End” by Cameron Awkward-Rich (originally published on August 30, 2018) that’s found on page 1 of the Remix Your Writing–Handout. After you read the poem, read the “About This Poem”...

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