National Poetry Month

 We did not realize that this was National Poetry Month, luckily there are still four days remaining until we are blessed with a new beginning. The blog belonging to Teachers Pay Teachers mentions that, "April is National Poetry Month in the U.S., a celebration of poetry and its profound effect on our society and cultures. It’s an opportunity to instill in your students the importance of poetry — both on our understanding of the world and as a tool for social and emotional development." Source: https://blog.teacherspayteachers.com/10-fun-activities-for-poetry-month/  That blog recommends a paid resource regarding Slam Poetry, however funds are rather diminished at this moment so I found three free sources instead on the topic. Barron and I are going to explore this type of new poetry from the following generous links and we hope you will come on this exploration with us:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Hosting-a-Classroom-Poetry-Slam-Teacher-Guide-9312948?st=359838341327e2a62ff0e92b882094c2

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Slam-Poetry-Power-of-Words-Free-3007615?st=359838341327e2a62ff0e92b882094c2

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Slam-Poetry-Day-One-Lesson-Plan-3784327?st=359838341327e2a62ff0e92b882094c2

Slam Poetry is the combination of creative writing and creative performance. It's not like rap or hip-hop because there's no music or beats. It's not like theater or acting because there are no costumes or props. It's just about words.

At a poetry slam, the audience is an active participant. Everyone knows it can be scary to get up in front of people and read or perform. So when the slam master (teacher) calls the next poet to the stage, (front of the room) we clap and cheer them all the way from their seat to the stage. And if we like something that the poet said, or how they said it, we give them snaps. We snap our fingers because it’s just loud enough they can hear, but it’s not so loud that we miss the next thing they might be saying. This creates a really fun, interactive and supportive environment in a classroom.

The first step is the hardest, and taking a creative risk and try something new takes courage and a safe and supportive environment. This is a HUGE part of why slam poetry has proven to be so effective in schools. It provides a unique opportunity not only in how students approach being creative as writers, it also transforms the classroom into a safe and supportive place to take a creative risk.

As a slam poet myself, I felt a video series was the best way to communicate this material so teachers can see and hear the dynamic combination of creative writing and performance. I have taught this material to students from Grade 3 - 12. You can check out this free intro video to see how engaged students are!Slam Poetry

Source:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Slam-Poetry-Power-of-Words-Free-3007615?st=359838341327e2a62ff0e92b882094c2

I came across this webpage: https://teachingmadepractical.com/ideas-poetry-month/

This webpage also has some neat suggestions: https://notsowimpyteacher.com/2022/04/celebrate-national-poetry-month.html

https://www.ministeringprintables.com/free-spring-printable/