I need help finding a source!

Dear Readers,

After giving it my best shot, I have been unable to locate a source of some material I'd like to use in my new book on creativity. Here is what I know:

The material is a list of ways (about 100, I'd guess) students can communicate in other ways than just an "essay." Things like posters, debates, cartoons, diaries, etc.. (See complete list here.)

In my old handouts I called this Projects & Possibilities and only this as the source - Oftedahl & Olson 1996. The list is prefaced by "No matter what your subject area, break out of the ordinary and do something EXTRAORDINARY!" I am embarrassed to say that I don't remember if this statement is mine or from the original document.

So if anyone is up to a challenge, I'd appreciate learning the original source so I can gratefully attribute the idea to the rightful creator. And I promise a copy of my new book to the first person who sends it to me. I promise.

Thanks for considering this,

Doug

Comments

[Dianne McKenzie]

Don't you hate that!

Funny this is - I have been looking for this resource you created just recently, and just found it stashed on my wiki as a resource I used many moons ago just by searching the authors name you put in your post. I had 'collected and curated it" so I didn't lose it , but I did lose it- now your original is on my diigo list ;-) Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

I have attempted to search for you,via LOC, Worldcat, Abebooks, Amazon, Questia but alas, to no avail ... someone with access to more powerful database will have to save your day!

[Nicole Laura]

I can't look inside the book to be sure, and can't seem to find chapter lists, but perhaps your list came out of one of these two books about "Practical Ideas for Teaching Writing as a Process" by Carol Booth Olson. They were published in 1996--and she was the editor, so maybe Oftedahl wrote the chapter, and you cited Olson as the editor?

Here are the two WorldCat links:
Practical Ideas for Teaching Writing as a Process at the Elementary and Middle School Levels:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/practical-ideas-for-teaching-writing-as-a-process-at-the-elementary-school-and-middle-school-levels/oclc/33572698?ht=edition&referer=di

Practical Ideas for Teaching Writing as a Process at the High School and College Levels:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/practical-ideas-for-teaching-writing-as-a-process-at-the-high-school-and-college-levels/oclc/36843601&referer=brief_results

Good luck!

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Diane,

Thanks for trying.

Doug

Nicole,

Wow, these are great. I'll see if I can inter-library loan them from someplace and check it out. I think you may be the winner. Send me your mailing address. It will be some months before the book is available, I'm afraid.

Thanks so much,

Doug

[Dianne McKenzie]

Google books has a digital copy of the chapter page of the High School and College level one - it looks like Oftedahl is not in that one ...

http://books.google.com.hk/books?id=aLvDVvvdmmgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Practical+ideas+for+teaching+writing+as+a+process+at+the+high+school+and+college+levels&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NNUZU83aM-HPiAed1YHgCQ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Practical%20ideas%20for%20teaching%20writing%20as%20a%20process%20at%20the%20high%20school%20and%20college%20levels&f=false

[Donna]

It's not 100, but it reminded me of Joyce Valenza's "Fifty (or so) Ways to Leave Your . . . Term Paper or Book Report and Tell Your Story"

http://bit.ly/1nnlL7D

or her "Digital Storytelling Tools" Collection?

http://bit.ly/1nnmsxG

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks much for the effort, Dianne and Donna. Joyce's article is great and I will use it with her permission.

Doug

[Mary]

So this may be way off the wall, but there are 2 Oftedahls (Craig and Randi) who work at the Warroad Pubic Schools in Warroad, Minnesota and there's a Gary W. Olson listed on LinkedIn as working as the counselor at the high school (although the district directory no longer lists him). I'm wondering if perhaps you picked up some kind of handout they developed at a state education conference or meeting in 1996 and that's why you have such limited citation information. Might be worth an e-mail to one of the Oftedahls.

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Mary. If necessary, I will follow up these leads. Thanks for the info.

Doug