All you need is a computer, projector, and an Internet connection to give students the power to make their words larger than life. Digital poetry can turn a typical school poetry slam into a multimedia event. Read on to captivate the most tech-savvy wordsmiths, grab links for your interactive whiteboard, and partake in some 21st century word play.
Software and Online Tools for Digital Poets
PowerPoint, Animoto, and Keynote will allow your students to make words and images dance across a screen, but nothing beats Prezi. Think of Prezi ("The Zooming Presentation Editor") as PowerPoint on steroids. In seven easy steps, Prezi can be used to get kids passionate about poetry — passionate enough to practice their verse as if they were rock stars performing for their fans. Check out Anna rehearsing "Hope and Faith in Japan" and Jonathan and Jacob rehearsing "Firebird" for local poetry slams:
Step 1: There are several college courses devoted to creating visual poetry. Show your students the work of digital collegiates at PBS or visit the BBC. Use the visual poems on these sites to inspire young digital natives to create presentations.
Step 2: The YouTube generation loves a good video how-to. Show your students a Prezi tutorial. Every few minutes, in between students' "oohs" and "aahs," stop the video so they may paraphrase the steps. (Take a quick look at the Prezi tutorial video posted by Prezi. It is simple and entertaining.)
Step 3: You've got them hooked. Allow poetry teams to brainstorm topics and begin drafting. Or allow students to use Prezi to bring their favorite poem to life. Take a look at Natalie and Ella's digital version of a Georgia Heard poem. (Click the video's Play button. The Fullscreen and Autoplay features will appear when you roll the cursor over the word "More" on the bottom, right-hand corner of the video.)
Step 4: After revision and editing, offer time to search the Web and download copyright-free images and videos to insert into Prezis.
Step 5: Have students review premade Prezi "cheat sheets" (how-to dittos) before clicking on their Prezi canvases. For younger students (3rd and 4th graders), consider creating a simple Prezi poem as a class project before diving into partner work. During the guided exercise, let advanced class members commandeer your mouse or touch pad.
Let the digital drafting begin! Make sure poets pay careful attention to the size and position of their screen words and the intended purpose of zooming in and out of text and images. (For tips on using effects wisely, see a previous post on student documentarians and the "Ken Burns Effect.")
Step 6: Allow students to critique each other's work before final edits are due.
Step 7: Practice the presentations. The moving text and visuals demand that speakers rehearse verses again and again to create an experience for their audience.
Put Prezis on an interactive whiteboard or use a projector to blast them across a school wall or gymnasium. Place a step stool beside your whiteboard for shorter poets who need to be boosted in front of or adjacent to the projected image.
Are your students currently using Prezi for poetry or nonfiction presentations? Please comment below. My 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders would like to collaborate online with other Prezi students.
Wonderful Interactive Poetry Websites
Check out these super sites on your interactive whiteboard or in your tech lab to get kids playing with words.
1. Were you a fan of magnetic poetry kits for the fridge? If so, you'll love MagPo's kid-friendly online games.
2. Get your students to test their knowledge of poetic phrasing with Read Write Think's Line Break Explorer. (The audio on this interactive tool will help a young poet understand the importance of line breaks for meaning and rhythm.) Students can also use Read Write Think to whip up, print, and even email acrostic poems, 19 different shape poems, or diamante poems.
3. Want an incredibly unique shape poem? Check out Tagxedo. This genius word cloud generator will highlight the most frequently used words and turn your children's poetry into custom shapes. Upload your poetry doc and your image of choice. Install a Silverlight plug-in and then click to modify your colors and fonts. (Yes, expect to print a lot of Justin Bieber-shaped poems!)
4. 
Get ready. Thursday April 14th is National Poem in Your Pocket Day.
If you have a mobile tech device, don't settle for just one "poem in your pocket." Check out the New York Times for great poetry apps to carry dozens of your school's favorite poems, find a rhyme for any word your students conjure up, or use apps to create your own magnetic poetry.
What digital resources will you use for National Poetry Month? Please share!
All you need is a computer, projector, and an Internet connection to give students the power to make their words larger than life. Digital poetry can turn a typical school poetry slam into a multimedia event. Read on to captivate the most tech-savvy wordsmiths, grab links for your interactive whiteboard, and partake in some 21st century word play.
Software and Online Tools for Digital Poets
PowerPoint, Animoto, and Keynote will allow your students to make words and images dance across a screen, but nothing beats Prezi. Think of Prezi ("The Zooming Presentation Editor") as PowerPoint on steroids. In seven easy steps, Prezi can be used to get kids passionate about poetry — passionate enough to practice their verse as if they were rock stars performing for their fans. Check out Anna rehearsing "Hope and Faith in Japan" and Jonathan and Jacob rehearsing "Firebird" for local poetry slams:
Step 1: There are several college courses devoted to creating visual poetry. Show your students the work of digital collegiates at PBS or visit the BBC. Use the visual poems on these sites to inspire young digital natives to create presentations.
Step 2: The YouTube generation loves a good video how-to. Show your students a Prezi tutorial. Every few minutes, in between students' "oohs" and "aahs," stop the video so they may paraphrase the steps. (Take a quick look at the Prezi tutorial video posted by Prezi. It is simple and entertaining.)
Step 3: You've got them hooked. Allow poetry teams to brainstorm topics and begin drafting. Or allow students to use Prezi to bring their favorite poem to life. Take a look at Natalie and Ella's digital version of a Georgia Heard poem. (Click the video's Play button. The Fullscreen and Autoplay features will appear when you roll the cursor over the word "More" on the bottom, right-hand corner of the video.)
Step 4: After revision and editing, offer time to search the Web and download copyright-free images and videos to insert into Prezis.
Step 5: Have students review premade Prezi "cheat sheets" (how-to dittos) before clicking on their Prezi canvases. For younger students (3rd and 4th graders), consider creating a simple Prezi poem as a class project before diving into partner work. During the guided exercise, let advanced class members commandeer your mouse or touch pad.
Let the digital drafting begin! Make sure poets pay careful attention to the size and position of their screen words and the intended purpose of zooming in and out of text and images. (For tips on using effects wisely, see a previous post on student documentarians and the "Ken Burns Effect.")
Step 6: Allow students to critique each other's work before final edits are due.
Step 7: Practice the presentations. The moving text and visuals demand that speakers rehearse verses again and again to create an experience for their audience.
Put Prezis on an interactive whiteboard or use a projector to blast them across a school wall or gymnasium. Place a step stool beside your whiteboard for shorter poets who need to be boosted in front of or adjacent to the projected image.
Are your students currently using Prezi for poetry or nonfiction presentations? Please comment below. My 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders would like to collaborate online with other Prezi students.
Wonderful Interactive Poetry Websites
Check out these super sites on your interactive whiteboard or in your tech lab to get kids playing with words.
1. Were you a fan of magnetic poetry kits for the fridge? If so, you'll love MagPo's kid-friendly online games.
2. Get your students to test their knowledge of poetic phrasing with Read Write Think's Line Break Explorer. (The audio on this interactive tool will help a young poet understand the importance of line breaks for meaning and rhythm.) Students can also use Read Write Think to whip up, print, and even email acrostic poems, 19 different shape poems, or diamante poems.
3. Want an incredibly unique shape poem? Check out Tagxedo. This genius word cloud generator will highlight the most frequently used words and turn your children's poetry into custom shapes. Upload your poetry doc and your image of choice. Install a Silverlight plug-in and then click to modify your colors and fonts. (Yes, expect to print a lot of Justin Bieber-shaped poems!)
4.
Get ready. Thursday April 14th is National Poem in Your Pocket Day.
If you have a mobile tech device, don't settle for just one "poem in your pocket." Check out the New York Times for great poetry apps to carry dozens of your school's favorite poems, find a rhyme for any word your students conjure up, or use apps to create your own magnetic poetry.
What digital resources will you use for National Poetry Month? Please share!
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