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https://www.easpublisher.com/get-articles/2478

This paper highlights the advantages of using technology to teach poetry in secondary schools.

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Poetry Foundation is a fantastic online platform to access all types of poems. They have a protest poem collection which has been scooped for the learning sequence activities. Poems also have the option to be listened to. This ensures all students have equal access to poetry. Students can look through and find a poem to analyse while also reading any background or contextual information regarding the poem. Encouraging students to use this site ensures the Bloom’s Taxonomy levels remember and understand and functioning and while also enhancing independent thinking.

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Pithy and powerful, poetry is a popular art form at protests and rallies. From the civil rights and women's liberation movements to Black Lives Matter, poetry is commanding enough to gather crowds in a city square and compact enough to demand attention on social media. Speaking truth to power remains a crucial role of the poet in the face of political and media rhetoric designed to obscure, manipulate, or worse. The selection of poems below call out and talk back to the inhumane forces that threaten from above. They expose grim truths, raise consciousness, and build united fronts. Some insist, as Langston Hughes writes, "That all these walls oppression builds / Will have to go!" Others seek ways to actively "make peace," as Denise Levertov implores, suggesting that "each act of living" might cultivate collective resistance. All rail against complacency and demonstrate why poetry is necessary and sought after in moments of political crisis.

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Poems of Protest, Resistance, and Empowerment | Poetry Foundation

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Why poetry is necessary and sought after during crises.

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Developed through the study of the English language in all forms.

Equips students with the skills to confidently listen to, read, view, speak, write and create texts in all learning areas.

As skills develop they understand how language used is determined by different contexts.

They develop the skills to acquire and build knowledge and understanding, and to communicate their emotions, opinions and ideas with others.

Through analysing, interpreting and evaluating a range of texts, students understand language features and conventions, and are exposed to a broad vocabulary.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-22345156d7

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In the English curriculum, students develop critical and creative thinking through listening to, reading, viewing, creating and presenting texts.

They also develop critical and creative thinking through interacting with others, creating and experimenting with literary texts, and discussing the aesthetic or social value of texts.

Through close analysis of texts, students critically analyse the opinions, perspectives and unstated assumptions embedded in texts.

They develop critical thinking as they express personal responses and preferences, state and justify their points of view, and respond to the views of others.

Students develop creative thinking skills by considering authors’ innovations, and planning, exploring and creating ideas for imaginative texts.

They develop creative thinking when they use and adapt language to represent novel ideas

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-22345156d7

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Through the English curriculum, students develop personal and social capabilities as they learn that language is central to personal and social identity.

When engaging with a range of texts, students explore diverse perspectives and how these shape different interpretations and responses.

Interacting with others in formal and informal settings helps students to become effective communicators.

They are able to articulate their opinions and collaborate with others.

Through close reading and discussion of texts, students experience and evaluate different personal and social behaviours and perspectives.

They develop connections and empathy with characters in different contexts.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-22345156d7

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Through the English curriculum, students develop intercultural understanding as they study texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts.

They learn that the English language has been influenced by different cultural groups, languages, speakers and writers.

Students engage with the oral narrative traditions and contemporary literature of First Nations Australians, wide-ranging Australian literature, and world literature including texts from and about Asia.

They explore cultural perspectives and world views from the past and present.

Students interpret and analyse authors’ ideas and points of view represented in traditional and contemporary texts in a range of media.

They learn to appreciate issues of intercultural meaning and sensitivity.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-65e413cd88

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In the English curriculum, students develop ethical understanding as they explore ethical issues within real-world and fictional settings.

They identify moral messages, ethical concepts, bias and stereotypes, and their representation in texts.

As students develop their understanding, they compare, evaluate and discuss how these messages are created through language.

Students analyse ethical perspectives on contemporary issues.

They evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the ways in which arguments are represented.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-b98d35bdd1

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Through the English curriculum, students develop the ability to use digital tools to communicate and collaborate, and read and access information.

They use a range of tools to create and edit digital and multimodal texts and presentations.

They select and evaluate sources, and respect intellectual property.

They consider the suitability of information, audience and online safety when using digital tools.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-78473bfbab

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In the English curriculum, students use numeracy skills to communicate, read and evaluate information that includes quantities, statistics and patterns.

They use numeracy skills to understand and present evidence and substantiate ideas.

They determine, examine and comment on any possible bias that is present in numerical data and quantitative sources.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2022). Understand this learning area. Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/english#accordion-1d9563351d-item-8c18d601eb

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Achievement Standard:

By the end of Year 10, students interact with others, and listen to and create spoken and multimodal texts including literary texts. With a range of purposes and for audiences, they discuss ideas and responses to representations, making connections and providing substantiation. They select and experiment with text structures to organise and develop ideas. They select, vary and experiment with language features including rhetorical and literary devices, and experiment with multimodal features and features of voice.

They read, view and comprehend a range of texts created to inform, influence and engage audiences. They analyse and evaluate representations of people, places, events and concepts, and how interpretations of these may be influenced by readers and viewers. They analyse the effects of text structures, and language features including literary devices, intertextual connections, and multimodal features, and their contribution to the aesthetic qualities of texts.

They create written and multimodal texts, including literary texts, for a range of purposes and audiences, expressing ideas and representations, making connections and providing substantiation. They select and experiment with text structures to organise, develop and link ideas and representations. They select, vary and experiment with language features including literary devices, and experiment with multimodal features.

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F-10 Curriculum | V9 Australian Curriculum

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ACARA acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and Place throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters, sky and community.

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English is structured with three interrelated strands:

Language

Literature

Literacy

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A great list to begin lesson brainstorming and planning

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7 Poetry Activities Students Love — TeachWriting.org

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Engage students in meaningful poetry reading and writing activities. Here are SEVEN assignments both secondary teachers and students will enjoy.

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A fun way to involve digital technologies into poetry. I think this would be a fun, interactive activity to help develop student's understanding.

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Engage your students in a poem writing experience that focuses on rhythm, rhyme, and any other poetic elements of your choice with this creative texting couplets assignment for twenty-first century learners.

What gets students excited? Pictures and texting! This assignment combines the best of both words, asking students to select a picture that will inspire them to write a series of text message couplets with a consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme. Add a layer of challenge for students who are ready by asking them to use figurative language, grammar elements, or vocabulary words.

This assignment is the perfect complement to your existing poetry unit. It has several variations in "smart phone" format for text message bubbles and picture placement. Also included is an editable PPT document that students can use to rearrange the text message bubbles to arrange them however they please.

I use this assignment as a "No Fear" writing and poetry activity, so it doesn't add to my grading load. Just use it as an engagement piece to get students writing and thinking creatively.

Texting couplets take the fear out of poetry and help students to approach a challenging writing skill from a familiar lens...that of the smart phone! Try texting couplets with your students today, and leave some feedback to let us know how it went.

Looking for other unique and quality poetry-related resources?
Figurative Language Truth or Dare Get Schooled! Figurative Language and Literary Devices Board Game Teaching Diction through Poetry Poetry Journal Writing Prompts Pyramus and Thisbe Reading Guide: Symbolism, Theme, and Connections Analyzing Music to Teach Poetry Romeo and Juliet Figurative Language Bundle Romeo and Juliet Prologue Identification Exercise
You can find more unique ELA products by visiting my store!

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Texting Couplets: Poetry Writing Assignment Digital and Print

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Engage your students in a poem writing experience that focuses on rhythm, rhyme, and any other poetic elements of your choice with this creative texting couplets assignment for twenty-first century learners. What gets students excited? Pictures and texting! This assignment combines the best of both ...

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Are you introducing poetry to your students? One of the best ways to teach poetry is to explore the structure of the poem. These structures are also known as the elements of poetry. The basic elements of poetry include meter, rhyme, scheme, verse, and stanza. In order to dive deeper into poetry, students will first need to understand these structural elements. In this blog post, you will learn strategies for teaching poetry and ideas for your elements of poetry lesson plans.

What is the importance of teaching poetry?

If you are preparing students for post-secondary education or for the workplace, you might be wondering why teaching poetry is important. Similarly, your students might question the importance of poetry in a workforce that values hard skills. Even if your students never go on to study or write poetry, it is still a very useful skill for them to explore.

You can emphasize to students that various forms of literature and writing include elements of poetry. Poetry is more than just clever rhyme schemes; it is a mode of deep and impactful expression. At its core, poetry is an art - but this art lends itself to other aspects of culture and society. If you look closely, you can find connections between poetry and politics, persuasion, marketing, music, medicine, and more!

For example, your students likely agree that persuasion is an important skill. But do they know that poetic devices lend themselves to great arguments? In his revolutionary " Letter from Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. argues for equal rights for African Americans. He captivates his audience by showing them how inequality in America looks and feels. He does so through the use of several poetic strategies including imagery, rhythm, and metaphor.

Poetry can therefore serve as a deep dive into the artful expression of language. Your students will benefit from studying the elements of poetry in isolation because it will help them to apply this knowledge to the world around them.

Strategies for Teaching Poetry

One of my go-to strategies for teaching poetry involves scaffolding prerequisite knowledge. This includes teaching essential terminology and simply identifying how poetry is different from other forms of writing.

One way to do this is through inquiry-based learning. Prompt your students with the following questions:

" What comes to mind when you think of poetry?"
"How is poetry different from a persuasive essay? An expository essay?"

These questions will lead students to common conceptions of poetry, like the idea that poems rhyme or serve the purpose of entertainment. Your students may also identify differentiating factors from other forms of writing like grammar and structure.

You can note their responses on the board. To explore these concepts and differentiating factors further, you can use this slideshow lesson for introducing poetry .

Once students begin to identify the characteristics of poetry, you can introduce them to the basic elements of poetry.

What are the basic elements of poetry?

The basic elements of poetry are important prerequisites to understanding poetry. These elements include:

Meter: Meter is the rhythmic structure within a poem and is dictated by the number of syllables and the pattern in which these syllables are emphasized.

Rhyme: Rhyme is created when the last one or more syllables within separate words match. A poem is considered to rhyme when the last words of the lines within the verse share this relationship.

Scheme: A scheme refers to the rhyming pattern within a verse of poetry. The scheme could contain words that rhyme at each of every line throughout the stanza, or alternating lines, or in couplets. We often signify the rhyme scheme using an arrangement of letters.

Verse: The verse of the poem is a way to describe the relationship between rhyme and meter in a poem.

Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines within the verse of a poem. They often follow a similar pattern or meter or contain a similar idea, but not always. They are separated from other stanzas within the poem through the use of a break or a blank line.

If you teach high school students, you may also wish to teach specific terms including . Students will also benefit from learning about specific styles of poetry including and .

How to Teach the Elements of Poetry

The elements of poetry are essential terminology. This means that students will be required to understand these terms to succeed in your poetry unit. You can help students to understand these terms by creating a . Build this vocabulary wall as a collaborative activity by assigning different terms to different students. Alternatively, make this a group activity by having different groups explore a term.

These elements of poetry anchor chart worksheets include templates to facilitate this activity. These templates will prompt students to explore different essential terms. Students will also need to find examples for these elements of poetry. Once completed, these templates will serve as a useful anchor chart on your classroom bulletin board.

Introduction to Poetry Lesson

All of the strategies and activities mentioned in this blog post are included in this introduction to poetry lesson . This lesson includes an introduction to poetry slideshow for Microsoft PowerPoint® and Google Slides®. You can use this slideshow to activate background knowledge and explore how poetry differs from different forms of writing.

This lesson also introduces the basic elements of poetry and solidifies these concepts with key definitions. Students can then explore the characteristics of poetry in-depth using a vocabulary word wall activity. This resource includes a comprehensive answer key with definitions and examples for each of the elements of poetry. You can also use this answer key as a ready-to-print anchor chart .

Teaching the Elements of Poetry: Tying it Together

The elements of poetry are an important core lesson for any English Language Arts classroom. Whether you are teaching an in-depth poetry unit, exploring creative writing , or simply identifying poetic devices in literature, your students will benefit from understanding these structural elements. I hope that the strategies and activities in this blog post have helped you plan a great introduction to poetry lesson!

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The Elements of Poetry: Teaching the Structure of a Poem

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Are you introducing poetry to your students? One of the best ways to teach poetry is to explore the structure of the poem. These structures are also known as the elements of poetry. The basic elements of poetry include meter, rhyme, scheme, verse, and stanza.

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Some great tips included in this.

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Have you ever done a Google search for "poetry ideas" to teach in your high school English classroom? Let me spoil those search results for you - THEY'RE LAME! Poetry, especially at the high school level, it too important to be treated as a coloring activity, or worse, ignored completely.

So many of the poetry resources out on the internet and on Pinterest are, quite honestly, not rigorous at all. If you're truly looking to teach poetry (like, more than just rhyme scheme and a few adorable forms), you're not going to be happy with the coloring-book, bubble-lettered poetry activities out there. And maybe that's the problem: studying poetry isn't an activity. It's hard work that requires a lot of patience, confidence (on the part of the teacher), and clear teaching targets. Don't get me wrong...poetry can and should be fun! But we need to be very careful, as high school English teachers, to not oversimplify our poetry study. If you need help designing your poetry curriculum for this year, I've got a few things for you to keep in mind...

Choose Your Targets

What will the goal of this unit be? Do you want students to study a particular genre or school of poetry like the Harlem Renaissance or Romanticism? Do you want a diverse array of poetry so that you can focus on the basic analytical skills needed to approach any poem? Are you considering a mini-unit focusing on just one poet's works? All of these approaches are very exciting and relatively easy to organize, so decide on the approach you like and the targets you hope to achieve. This will help keep the unit focused on a skill or two that you can measure at the beginning and end (pretest/posttest). If you're using Common Core to write your targets, you won't find a lot of poetry-friendly areas, but certainly consider the language standard:

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How to Design a Poetry Unit that Doesn't SUCK

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Have you ever done a Google search for "poetry ideas" to teach in your high school English classroom? Let me spoil those search results for you - THEY'RE LAME! Poetry, especially at the high school level, it too important to be treated as a coloring activity, or worse, ignored completely

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This would be an engaging activity to get students thinking about how words relate to create text

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Teaching blackout poetry is an engaging way to help spruce up your poetry unit. Show a few examples, and your students will be eager to create a blackout masterpiece of their own. Keep reading to learn what blackout poetry is and just what you need to do to teach it.
So, you're thinking about teaching blackout poetry, huh? (You totally should.)

I look forward to teaching blackout poetry every year. But it's not just me. Blackout poetry is an activity my students love too. Can we do that again sometime? They ask. (My heart skips a beat.)

From one teacher to another, I know the last thing you need is to add something else to your overflowing plate. Luckily, blackout poetry can add a lot to your classroom without much work on your end. You just need some simple materials and a few steps, and voila! Your students will be on their way to creating poetic masterpieces.

What Is Blackout Poetry?

At its core, blackout poetry is a type of found poem that encourages students to create poetry from larger texts. It works by students carefully selecting words and phrases from texts ranging from newspapers, magazines, novels, and other printed texts to create a poem. Then, they black the rest of the text out.

The end result? Unique poems that emphasize a theme or emotion in the original text or take on a whole new meaning altogether! Safe to say, teaching blackout poetry is my teaching poetry analysis go-to.

Why I Love Teaching Blackout Poetry (And Why You Will Too).

Blackout poetry can turn into a piece of poetic and visual art. Visual learners and artistically inclined students are bound to love this creative opportunity. Some will enjoy the challenge of finding the poems "hidden" on the page. Others will just be glad they don't have to come up with the words themselves. Regardless of which category a student falls into, they're often pleasantly surprised with their final product. (You will be too!)

Teaching blackout poetry is a unique opportunity to get students thinking about popular poetic devices. Thanks to the need for students to carefully select words from the page, blackout poetry gets them looking at the words with a more critical (and creative) eye. As they determine which words they'll use in their poem, they must consider diction, tone, theme, and imagery. You can encourage them to employ poetic devices such as figurative language, , metaphors, similes, hyperbole, and rhythm.

Trust me. Blackout poetry is far more than selecting random words on a page and ignoring the rest. This poetic form requires students to interact closely with the text and derive new meaning. And that's what I love about teaching it; it's a unique opportunity for students to explore and express poetry.

Teaching Blackout Poetry: A Step By Step Guide

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED.

No intense planning or last-minute runs to Target required. Instead, teaching blackout poetry can be as simple as you want it to be. All you need for your students' success are pencils, black markers (Sharpies deliver the best results IMO), and pages of text that students can repurpose. Want students to dig deeper and get more creative? Provide art supplies like paint, colorful markers, colored pencils, or crayons.

What specific text to use is up to you, my friend. If you're looking for an activity during a poetry unit that encourages students to interact closely with words and play with meaning and form, you can have students bring in their own text. Encourage students to bring in a school-appropriate book, magazine, or even song lyrics a day or two before you plan on doing the activity. Ask them to mark a few of their favorite pages so you can photocopy them.

Alternatively, if you are currently reading a novel or just finished one as a class, encourage students to complete the activity using a handful of preselected (and photocopied) pages to create their poem! It's a creative way for students to see the various poems, interpretations, and perspectives that can come from the same text.

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO.

I always begin with a brief introduction of found poetry and a few examples. Consider sharing Austin Kleon's Newspaper Blackout Poems. (There are some great examples there too!) Due to the unique nature of this poetic form, it's helpful for students to see examples before they tackle it themselves. Then, simply share these five steps with your students and watch their poetic creativity unfold.

THE FIRST STEPS IN TEACHING BLACKOUT POETRY.

Step 1: Have students scan the text, looking for anchor words. These are the impactful words that jump off the page. These will be used to "anchor" their poems and their themes. They'll want to circle these words lightly with a pencil. It's helpful to remind students to not focus profoundly on reading the text, but rather just focus on the words, phrases, or general themes that jump out to them.

Psst... it helps to remind students to skim the page from top to bottom and left to right. They can't change the order of the words on the page when they're creating their poem.

Step 2: Students should write out the words and phrases on a separate paper in the order they appear on the page. This is an important step because the rest of the words can be a big distraction when students are trying to decipher the meaning and finalize their word choice.It might not look like a poem yet, but remind them it's all part of the process.

Step 3: Next, students will read through their list and circle their favorite words and cross out the rest. Remind them that the words should flow together to express an idea, create an image, or develop a theme. (If needed, they can rescan the text for "missing" or "connecting" words that might help solidify their idea or increase the flow.) Before moving on to the next step, encourage students to read the selected words aloud and consult their peers if they wish. I love hearing them complement each other's work or give constructive advice!

Step 4: Students will solidify their poem by going back to the page of text and finalizing their word choice and, therefore, poem. They will carefully outline their final selection of words with a black marker. Be sure to remind them not to rush through this part. Afterall, you cant erase marker!

Step 5: Use the marker to blackout all of the unused words. Yup. It's as simple as that. However, if you're looking for a way to bring the poems to life, add the step below. Imagery and poetry go hand in hand, right? Keep reading to learn how students can incorporate visual elements into their blackout poems.

The ART of Teaching Blackout Poetry

Blackout poetry can be just that - a poem with the rest of the words on the page blacked out. However, that misses a huge opportunity for student creativity and critical thought. That's where the element of art comes into play.

I always require students to include an artistic visual element with their blackout poem. Instead of grading students on their artistic ability, I consider how the art supports the poem by illustrating or adding to its overall meaning. Some students create epic visual representations of their poetry while others sketch some simple drawings or designs. Either way, this element adds some level of depth to the poem itself.

So, once students have their chosen words circled, ask them to think of a way to represent the theme or imagery of the poem visually. Then, before they take a sharpie to paper, have them sketch over their "throwaway" words using a pencil. Once they are satisfied with their design, they can begin outlining, adding color, and really bringing their poem to life.

Show off Their Work

In my experience, students are always excited to share what they did. So, be sure to showcase your students' masterpieces. You can minimize the pressure of sharing by doing a gallery walk or simply decorating your classroom walls with their poetic art.

A Note on Grading Blackout Poetry

Could you grade this activity based on completion? Sure. However, blackout poetry is an excellent opportunity to assess students' ability to dig a little deeper. Therefore, I grade blackout poetry using a simple rubric or a student reflection. Whichever way you divide to go, here are some elements you can consider:

Is there a clear and well-developed theme in the poem?

Is the theme supported by appropriate tone and diction?

Does the word choice create powerful images and elicit emotion for the reader?

How do the artistic elements complement, highlight, or develop the poem?

While I never grade based on artistic ability, I always include an element of neatness, use of markers, and color or shading. You can also give students a word count range or a limit on consecutive words to provide more guidance and prevent regurgitation of what is already on the page.

That's a wrap! Now it's time to bring the magic of blackout poetry to your classroom. Just bookmark my Beginner's Guide to Teaching Blackout Poetry to reference as needed. And while you're at it, share it with your teacher friends! Chances are, they'll be eager to introduce this form of poetry into their classrooms too.

Just be warned. Once you've experienced blackout poetry, you might have a hard time not finding poems hidden on the page when you read. (Challenge accepted.)

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A Beginner's Guide To Teaching Blackout Poetry

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Teaching blackout poetry is an engaging way to help spruce up your poetry unit. Show a few examples, and your students will be eager to create a blackout masterpiece of their own. Keep reading to learn what blackout poetry is and just what you need to do to teach it.

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Keeping content relatable to students to keep them engaged

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If you are a teacher on the hunt for poetic devices in songs, then it seems as though you've discovered one of the best strategies for teaching students poetry! Song lyrics are one of the most effective ways to engage students in your poetry unit. They are also a great way to explore examples of poetic devices in popular culture. In this blog post, you'll learn how to use poetic devices in songs to teach students poetry. You'll also find a few lesson plan ideas and resources with examples of poetic devices in popular song lyrics.

How do you encourage learners to read poetry?

A few years ago, I took over a classroom for a teacher who was on maternity leave. She was absolutely thrilled at the timing of her leave because she was just about to begin her unit on poetry. "I hate poetry, and I don't know how to teach it," she admitted to me. I was surprised by this - there are a lot of subjects I'm reluctant to teach, but I always found teaching students poetry to be rewarding. Poetry is short, it is forgiving with grammar, and it relates to one of my students' deepest passions: music.

Of course, not every student enjoys the subjective nature of poetry. A poem can be read with many different interpretations. Depending on the student, this is either a dream or a nightmare! It's true that teaching poetry analysis can be challenging for students and teachers alike. This is why it is a great idea to start within your students' comfort zones.

Not every student feels comfortable with analyzing poetry, but almost all of them have an artist or song that they adore. If you were to ask them what their favorite song is about, I'm sure they would have a lot to say! They might even offer a few inferences based on their understanding of the artist's biography or cultural references. We can use this excitement to hook them on reading poetry.

How do you identify a poetic device?

To help learners to read poetry, you will first need to explore the elements of poetry with your students. You will then need to teach them how to analyze a poem. This will involve being able to identify a poetic device.

To identify a poetic device, students will need to understand the terminology involved. Some terms that can be helpful to know include: alliteration, anaphora, assonance, consonance, double entendre, enjambment, imagery, juxtaposition, metaphor, meter, mood, personification, simile, and tone (to name a few!)

To solidify essential terminology, you can facilitate a . You can create templates for each poetic device and include a prompt to have students define the term and find an example. You can also use these pre-made poetic device word wall templates, which include a comprehensive answer key to consolidate this activity.

Have each student fill out the vocabulary worksheets independently by creating individual workbooks. Alternatively, you can turn this into a collaborative activity by having students define different terms in groups. Students can then present their terms to the class before hanging them up on the word wall.

Once students have completed this activity, they will have a poetic device anchor chart in your classroom. Students can refer to this anchor chart during the entire unit on poetry.

How do you teach poetry analysis?

Now that students have explored the terminology of poetic devices, they can dive deeper into poetry analysis. To teach poetry analysis, you will need to show students . You can continue to use students' favorite song lyrics to hook them with this lesson.

You can use these informational handouts to teach poetry analysis. These handouts will guide students through a lesson on the relationship between poetry and song lyrics. It will also show students how to annotate poetry. You can scaffold annotating poetry by modeling the process using the lyrics to "Therefore I Am" by Billie Eilish. This resource includes an annotated example that you can use for reference.

Students can then select their own song lyrics to analyze. You can use this free poetry analysis bookmark as an individual anchor chart for this activity.

Finding Examples of Poetic Devices in Songs

You can find virtually any type of figurative language in songs. So long as there are lyrics, you will find poetic devices in every genre of music.

There are several resources online that explore poetic devices in songs:

I especially like Repeat Replay's Top Picks: Songs with Figurative Language . This article highlights poetic devices in classic songs from the last few decades in music, including Simon and Garfunkel, Louis Armstrong, and Queen.

LiteraryDevices.Net also shares modern examples of poetic devices in songs, including Katy Perry and Demi Lovato.

Power Poetry also features a few poetic devices with examples that your students are sure to recognize! If they are fans of Lana Del Ray, Taylor Swift, or Billie Eilish, then they will love exploring these examples.

If your students are more mature, Rap Genius has an incredible glossary of literary devices in hip-hop songs. Hip-hop and rap are rich sources for exploring the artful use of language. Given the explicit nature of many songs within these genres, you will want to be sure that your classroom environment is a suitable place to share this resource.

Using Poetic Devices in Songs to Teach Poetry

If you're a fan of teaching poetry, I hope this blog post has inspired a few new lesson plans and activities for your classroom. If you're not - I hope studying poetic devices in songs converts you! It is sure to hook even your most reluctant learners and help make poetry a little more relevant to their lives.

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Using Poetic Devices in Songs for Teaching Students Poetry

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Looking for engaging strategies for teaching students poetry? Finding and analyzing poetic devices in songs will get your students hooked!

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This digital tool will allow students to create illustrations for their written poems and record themselves reading them. This can create a multimedia class poetry book that can be shared. Additionally, I can upload an image that students can then draw on and record themselves talking (perhaps creating a story?)

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design discussions
no-schedule meetings
professional development
collaborate with clients
sales and marketing

replace text-only discussions
interactive lectures
support UDL principles
no-schedule office hours
professional development

student presentations
conversational practice
professional development
rich assessment
safe and accountable

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design discussions no-schedule meetings professional development collaborate with clients sales and marketing replace text-only discussions interactive lectures support UDL principles no-schedule office hours professional development student presentations conversational practice professional development rich assessment safe and accountable

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This is an iPad app that stimulates texting. This would be a great tool to use for the texting couplet activity as it creates an exportable video of the text being written. A creative way for students to showcase their poetry.

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Unleash your creativity! Also read the FAQ down below ;)

1. Write a text conversation in TextingStory
2. Create a video from your story
3. Watch your creation and share it with your friends

Picture & GIF support: get the "Add pictures" purchase!

TextingStory allows you to write conversations just like any messaging app, except you can switch side by swiping left or right over the message area. You can also press the characters' names.

Take all the time you need to write your conversations. The videos are automatically accelerated for a consistently fast-paced result!

This is a simple app with endless possibilities.

Check out our VideoTyper app also if you enjoy the typing effect!

********** Frequently Asked Questions **********
If your question is not here or the answer doesn't help => iphone@yvz.fr

Q: Nothing is happening when I press on the "create video" button, what can I do?
A: Restart the app and make a long press on the "create video" button, then "update video"

Q: Can I save the videos as GIFs?
A: Yes, make a long press on the "create video" button, and choose create GIF.

Q: How do I switch between characters in a group chat?
A: You need to tap the profile icon above the messages to add more names. Once you've edited the names you can tap the current name to switch between names!

Q: How do I add pictures or GIFs in the stories
A: You need to go into the settings screen then press on the "purchase" button to get to the purchase screen. From there you can get the "Add pictures" in-app purchase. It unlocks character pictures as well as the camera icon in the typing area and the ability to paste pictures or GIFs in the typing area.

Q: I don't see the typing area in the videos, why?
A: Check if "Show typing" is ON in the settings.

Version 3.27

Minor improvements under the hood

TextingStory

I love texting story is the best app I've ever had I use it for my gotcha I use it for other things too it's the best app that I've ever had please write many reviews about how good it is a rated five stars you should too it's the best app ever you can chat with your friends but you can actually type what your friend says you can make more catches with the legs of the catch of people are like talking to each other I just use it for coaches and other things to also make it so it's like that I'm talking with my friend for a TikTok or something different and hopefully you read it five stars like I do I love this app please make other apps like this please do. Read that I love us as a single team practice typing your word you can do everything that you want to you can do anything you want you can make gutters you can put some photos on PicsArt you can make a TickTock with a Likee if you don't have TikTok but you have Likee. That's all I have to say bye.

Fun

Making stories as actual texting is pretty fun if I do say so myself. The only thing keeping me back from giving this rating a 5 star review is the glitching and payments. I do like how fast and responsive it is compared to other apps I have experienced before but there are times when I either make a new story or change the names and it just crashes and brings me back the the home screen. I also wish we can get more options to like having profile pictures and different fonts, but I need money for that. Personally I won't complain about that because I'm still able to text with no issues, but I dislike the fact that I'm constantly being glitched out of the app...However I'm mainly relieved that it doesn't erase my progress. I hope the creators can fix this glitch because it's starting to get in my way of entertainment, Other than that, it's probably one of the best texting games I've ever tried (which aren't many in general)
Everything is quick and responsive, not difficult to understand and use, and it's a great way to put your creativity to the test.

It's fixed now, thanks for reporting this!

It's so awesome worth every penny

So I really like this app! I use PowerDirector and I put the video in it for some of my Gacha story's! I still don't post em tho... anyways it's a really good app and I even went ahead and just made one with no Gacha in it! Just something to watch and have fun on it! Download this app I really think I will be good for everything! And here's the thing story time! When I frist got the app I was really excited I went on and I saw the frist thing Alex and John I dident know how to change the names so I kept it and just called the "John" hmmm I forgot but let's say Sara and I made a story watched it and I was very poroud of it! Now if you want to make one I really I want you to it's so awesome! Have a nice day and think about it 🤔 💭! It might just make thing more interesting 🤔 🧐please get it! Bye!!!!!!
From:Lilly
To: whoever reads this XD
Ps. Person who made this please thank me for getting this app it wloud make my day interly!

The developer, Yvz Digital Lab, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Compatibility

Requires iOS 12.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Languages

English, French, Japanese, Spanish

Copyright

© 2016-2020 Yvz Digital Lab

In-App Purchases

1. Select colors

2. Add photos & GIFs $0.99

3. Select sounds $0.99
more

Family Sharing

With Family Sharing set up, up to six family members can use this app.

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‎Unleash your creativity! Also read the FAQ down below ;) 1. Write a text conversation in TextingStory 2. Create a video from your story 3. Watch your creation and share it with your friends Picture & GIF support: get the "Add pictures" purchase! TextingStory allows you to write conversations just...

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This is an interactive website that allows students to create poetry using words from a word bank. They can drag and drop the words on the screen and change the background image.

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Australian Association for the Teaching of English.

This association has an abundance of resources, unit plans and lesson sequences available to assist in planning.

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AATE Digital contains a collection of digital resources designed to support the teaching of English in Australian classrooms. Many are provided as public access, some require a subscription. AATE is pleased to partner with various organisations, including our affiliated state and territory English teaching associations, to make these resources available to you.

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AATE Digital contains a collection of digital resources designed to support the teaching of English in Australian classrooms. Many are provided as public access, some require a subscription. AATE is pleased to partner with various organisations, including our affiliated state and territory English teaching associations, to make these resources available to you.

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A super helpful resource finder that allows you to paste the curriculum code to find matching resources to help with lessons

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Intro: Project on the board a video of a spoken performance of a protest poem on EdPuzzle.

Project the written form of the poem on the Canva Interactive Whiteboard. As a class discuss the elements that make it powerful and analyse the poem for language, imagery, and persuasive techniques. Students take turns coming up to the board and highlighting an element.

Body: Students brainstorm social issues they care about. Using the website Poetry Foundation students find a protest poem that links with their social issue. Using the techniques from the class analysis, students analyse their chosen poem.

Exit Ticket:Students share their poem analysis to the class blog and comment on another.

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Intro: Class discussion on the rise of social media activism. Project examples of social media activism posts on the board – as a class students identify the target audience, messaging, and impact of the posts. Discuss social media ethics and misinformation and how they impact social justice movements – show video from EdPuzzle on how to spot misinformation online.

Body: In groups, students are given time to research current movements being spread on social media. They are to create an infographic on Canva that debates its reach, messaging, and effectiveness.

Exit Ticket: Students share their infographics onto the class blog and comment on another.

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Intro: Brief revision on poetry devices and forms - video shown from EdPuzzle.

Body: Students choose a social issue and brainstorm poetic devices. Students draft their protest poem and share to the class blog for peer feedback.

Exit Ticket: Students give draft feedback to 2 other students by making comments under their blog post.

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Intro: Students take on board peer feedback and edit their poems.

Body: Using Canva students convert their protest poems into multimedia pieces. They can incorporate music, imagery, and voiceovers to amplify their message.

Exit Ticket: Students upload their multimedia protest poem onto the class blog.

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Intro: Discussion on responsible social media use and online etiquette.

Body: Students write a 500-word reflection discussing the process, especially the collaborative feedback from other peers, and share on the class blog.

Exit Ticket:Students can share their poems on the school’s social media platforms to collaborate and engage with the community.

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Pew Research is a comprehensive fact platform that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Year 10 English students could use this to research current social issues.

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AC9E10LE06:

Students learn to compare and evaluate how ‘voice’ as a literary device is used in different types of texts, such as poetry, novels, and film, to evoke emotional responses.

AC9E10LA03:

Students learn to analyse text structures and language features and evaluate their effectiveness in achieving their purpose.

AC9E10LY03

Students learn to analyse and evaluate how language features are used to implicitly or explicitly represent values, beliefs, and attitudes.

AC9E10LE04

Students learn to evaluate the social, moral, or ethical positions represented in literature.

AC9E10LY06

Students learn to plan, create, edit, and publish written and multimodal texts, organising, expanding and developing ideas through experimenting with text structures, language features, literary devices and multimodal features for specific purposes and audiences in ways that may be imaginative, reflective, informative, persuasive, analytical and/or critical.

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F-10 Curriculum | V9 Australian Curriculum

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This digital platform has an abundance of video resources for any subject and any grade. This is a safe sight to search for videos relating to certain topics as it is catered towards education. The videos I found to incorporate into the learning sequence are interactive and have pop-up multiple-choice questions after important information is discussed. Utilising this resource in the classroom will promote critical thinking and peer-to-peer discussion.  I scooped this resource from Ashleigh Chase's padlet.

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Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

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This Edutopia article is a great explanation of how to combine poetry and social media. This resource inspired the mini-unit and learning sequence. Students discuss protest poems and the current increase in social media use to give a voice to protests. Poetry is considered a boring and difficult unit to students. However, using relatable content, such as social media and social justice, and utilising ICT’s will transform poetry into a multidimensional character that will enhance students’ motivation, creative and critical thinking skills and encourage self-expression (Umar & Maria, 2021).

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The genre of Instapoetry can be a useful tool for engaging students and improving their literacy and media literacy skills.

I'm always on the lookout for engaging language arts activities. Earlier this year, while surfing Instagram, I came across a beautiful poem carefully sketched on a thematically symbolic image. Like. Share. Follow. Just like that, I became an Instapoetry junkie.

Instapoetry can be defined as short, free verse poems that are often paired with a symbolic sketch or shared on an image that represents the poem. Instapoets like Rupi Kaur carefully craft themes, colors, and images to suit their poetry-the work is not only about writing but also using visual art to communicate meaning. Many of the poets, including Kaur, are also artists who illustrate their own poetry, while others take "Instaperfect" photos or use carefully chosen stock photos to visually represent their poetic works.

It didn't take me long to decide that this was something I wanted to explore with my students. It turned out to be an engaging way to combine lessons in reading, writing, the writer's craft, and media product analysis and creation.

Studying Instapoetry as a Genre

We began our study of the genre of Instapoetry with an open mind. Using the Teen Vogue article " 10 Poets You Should Follow on Instagram Right Now," I organized students into 10 small groups to analyze the work of one Instapoet each and share their findings with the whole class.

The poets wrote or shared short poems (epigrams, couplets, blackout poetry, free verse, etc.).

Each account focused on consistent themes or topics.

The poets' Instagram usernames, or handles, reflected the topic of their poems.

Each account had consistent colors, images, and fonts.

The poems used emotional language to explore universal human themes.

As a class we created an anchor chart with the common elements we could identify in each of the accounts. We decided that common elements of Instapoetry included the following:

Once we had analyzed the genre, many of my students became very excited and wanted to begin work on their own Instapoetry accounts-the culminating assignment-immediately. I let them start on " Becoming an Instapoet " right away; the rest of the students waited until the end of the teaching unit to tackle this final task.

Based on this experience, the next time I teach this unit I'll give the final assignment at the outset so that students can develop their Instapoetry accounts at the same time as we work through the lessons in the unit.

Analyzing and Writing Free Verse

Once we had a good handle on the genre of Instapoetry, we took some time to study free verse poetry, reading poems and discussing poets' use of theme, symbolism, and figurative language.

Then it was time to practice. We studied the author's craft of various Instapoets, and students wrote blackout poetry, epigrams, imagery poems, couplets, free verse, and anagrams, sharing their work with their peers and me for feedback.

After studying the genre and getting practice with writing poems, it was time for my students to put it all together and create their own thematic Instapoetry accounts. I created an outline of an example account to show them what theirs could look like. I'm a huge fan of teacher exemplars, and it was fun to create and share my own Instapoetry with my students as we played with the genre together.

Reading and Sharing Instapoetry

The final step of our Instapoetry unit was reading and sharing each other's work. This was by far my-and many of my students'-favorite part of this unit. I had asked students to post their poetry over the span of a week or so, and we started each language arts lesson by taking a look at a few students' work.

I also gave students 10 minutes or so each day to read each other's posts and like or share their favorites. We tracked everyone's individual favorite (and most shared) poems, and talked about what made certain poems both visually and intellectually engaging. These were great conversations focused on the craft of poetry and on media techniques. We made it a bit of a contest; the three students with the most shared and liked poems got recognition and a treat from my classroom prize box.

Overall, Instapoetry made for a great unit I'd recommend to anyone wanting to spice up their language arts units. It can easily be adapted to work with younger or older students, and I've already thought about how I could use it as an alternative to a book report (e.g., create an Instapoetry account about the themes or characters in a novel, or create one written from the perspective of a character).

Moreover, I found that Instapoetry was a great medium for teaching theme and symbolism since students could play with these concepts both visually and in writing. It was a great interdisciplinary unit-there was a significant media analysis and product creation piece, and my students not only became better poets but developed their understanding of the complexity of communicating through social media.

Although traditional language arts teachers may shy away from this poetry trend, the reality is that students today aren't picking up poetry volumes from dusty library shelves. Instapoetry has made poetry cool for a generation of students who wouldn't access it on their own, so why not study it?

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The genre of Instapoetry can be a useful tool for engaging students and improving their literacy and media literacy skills.

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This blog post is an informative discussion on the pros and cons of social media activism. With a rise of AI, Tik Tok and Twitter use, misinformation is running rampant. This post has inspired me to include an activity where the students discuss social media ethics and misinformation to ensure they are finding credible sources and current social justice movements.

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89 Initiative | The first European think-do tank

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TW: It is important to note to readers that this article will discuss the Black Lives Matter and Reclaim the Night/Streets protests that were catalysed by the deaths of George Floyd and Sarah Everard respectively.

Social media's power to mobilise people into action is undeniable. Academics and journalists first began to discuss the use of social media as a tool for activism during the 2011 Arab Spring, which became nicknamed the 'Facebook Revolution' and the 'Twitter Uprising'. Since then, social media has been used by activists, protestors, and revolutionaries to attract global support for fights against a range of injustices. But just as it is a platform through which information and momentum spread at an unparalleled rate, so too do misinformation and division. The COVID-19 pandemic and the increased use of social media as a means to stay connected in a socially distant world has afforded social media even more power, but it's responsibility to safeguard against polarisation can slip through the cracks. The use of social media throughout COVID-19 to mobilise people across the political spectrum to respond to perceived injustices is an interesting lens through which social media's role and responsibility can be understood, and aids an understanding of the challenges that the future of socio-political communication will face.

In the past year, we have witnessed a number social movements that were amplified thanks to social media. The ease of access to journalism and information that social media affords has allowed for a reduction in 'information asymmetry' between those in power and those fighting for change, by providing both parties with evidence to support and inform their cause. This evidence can be shared with international audiences, eliciting support and commentary in communities that are not bound by geography. Social media's visual culture means that evidence of injustice can be communicated widely and quickly, which holds those responsible accountable for their actions. For example, George Floyd's murder in May 2020 was filmed and sparked international Black Lives Matter protests. This momentum required impactful footage and a means by which it could spread, and social media platforms perfectly fit the bill. Once this spark was lit, social media became a tool through which people could organise protests at an unparalleled rate. Social movements are also able to use social media as a platform to educate and inform, particularly at a time when more people are not able or willing to protest in person. For example, the Reclaim the Nights/ Reclaim the Streets protests that were sparked by the murder of Sarah Everard were accompanied by a push for education on gender inequality. The '#notallmen' hashtag was rebranded by protestors to share women's experiences and move the dialogue away from a men versus women binary that threatened to fuel counter-protests.

However, social media's ability to spread information quickly is a double-edged sword: misinformation can also spread equally as quickly, which can fuel the flames of division. Egyptian revolutionary Ghonmin said that after the success of protests organised on social media, these platforms became a battlefield of misinformation, and "the same tool that united us to topple dictators eventually tore us apart." Because social media makes information available at a magnitude that traditional media could not even dream of, it often requires bite-size, eye-catching click-bait, and the cost of this is sacrificing neutrality. Regardless of the legitimacy of the perceived need for protest, 'click-bait' activism requires binaries: a cause requires an opponent and is therefore conflictual, and a small minority of extremists can easily come to represent a whole group in the eyes of its opposition. Although this isn't necessarily unique to modern-day protests that are organised online, the nature of online communication allows these binaries to divide at an unparalleled rate because an unparalleled amount of information and misinformation is available. For example, the storming of the US Capitol was a riot that was fuelled by misinformation that spread in an echo-chamber of perceived injustice against Trump. These echo-chambers across the political spectrum are fuelled by social media, and because social media provides people with international allies, the need to form a community of mutual respect with those around us is reduced - and this online polarisation turns violent when it takes to the streets. Furthermore, although these international communities are sources of momentum and support, they do not nurture the same sense of trust as traditional protests does, and thus are arguably more vulnerable.

No political movement denies social media's power to both galvanise and polarise. In this era of rapid information (and misinformation) distribution, we have a responsibility to understand how these platforms can be used to effectively educate and mobilise. These platforms serve an important political function across the political spectrum, but their users and creators must now decide how to balance the right to free speech and ease of access to information with the responsibility to protect factfulness.

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The Role of Social Media in Protests: Mobilising or Polarising? - 89 Initiative | The first European think-do tank

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TW: It is important to note to readers that this article will discuss the Black Lives Matter and Reclaim the Night/Streets protests that were catalysed by the deaths of George Floyd and Sarah Everard respectively. Social media's power to mobilise people into action is undeniable.

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Canva is a fantastic, accessible, and easy to use tool that students can use to create visual elements. They can also create videos and add voiceovers. Canva will be handy for my lesson sequence as students are asked to create a social justice infographic and to convert their written protest poem into a multimedia presentation. Encouraging the use of Canva will assist students in reaching the modification and redefinition stages of the SAMR framework as it provides brand new learning opportunities and transforms the task.

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: I discovered Edublogs during the first assessment task. I found it easy to use and a safe site for students to interact with each other's work. Edublogs will be used throughout my lesson sequence as students are to share something at the end of every lesson to receive and give feedback to others. Integrating blogs into the learning sequence will ensure students are receiving high-end pedagogy through the modification and redefinition stages of the SAMR framework. This will see a complete redesign and creation of the task that will allow for significant growth in learner lead complex thinking and inquiry. Using a class blog will also encourage collaboration with the wider community and peer-to-peer feedback. Students are encouraged to create work that isn't confined to paper.

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Celeste is a 15 year old girl who likes to spend her free time scrolling on Tik Tok. She is very creative and posts a range of videos regularly - she uses it as a video journal to share her thoughts, get ready with me's, funny things her friends do and as a platform to advocate. She is very passionate about the planet. She has used the same Yeti water bottle for the last 3 years, takes her own bags to the store and uses her keep cup to drink her daily oat chai latte on the way to school. She is very empathetic and feels deeply. She is deflated with everything happening in the world right now and feels like she needs to do something but is not sure what to do. Celeste has always been easily distracted since she can remember. She tends to leave her school work till the last minute, however, she finds working in a team keeps her accountable and provides motivation to complete tasks. It wasn't until last year where Celeste got diagnosed with ADHD - everything now makes sense. This is her first year being in Miss B's English class; she had Mr O'Malley last year and boy did he drone on and on about Shakespeare - yawn. Her friends say Miss B will always try to relate the boring literature to contemporary examples. Celeste is nervous about the poetry unit this term as previously its all been Wordsworth or Yeats - double yawn.

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Canva has the option of an Interactive Whiteboard feature that connects all students onto one platform. Students can work collaboratively while using their own independent devices. I can integrate this resource smoothly and effectively into the English classroom on the daily. I have scooped this from Krystle McConville's Padlet

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Join Celeste as she discovers the power of poetry

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Join Celeste as she discovers the power of poetry

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From the window I could see a bird darting across the school yard. It made me think of something Miss B talked about last week when we were discussing modernist poetry – something about creating beauty in the mundane? I found myself imagining what adventure the bird was on when I heard Miss B mention social media. My eyes darted back to the front of the class, she was announcing this week’s focus: protest poetry and social media. Excitement ignited within me. Social media, I thought, I knew that all too well. Could it really be used for something more than funny videos?

The first lesson was a whirlwind of powerful verses. Miss B projected a video of someone reading Langston Hughes “I look at the world”. I listened in awe. It was a poignant critique of social injustice. I didn’t realise poetry could be so powerful. Miss B had us use our devices to join her interactive whiteboard on Canva. We collaborated as a class dissecting the poem like literary detectives, using the last 6 weeks of knowledge, to analyse metaphors, decipher context clues and pick out rhyming schemes. Miss B had this projected on the classroom board so we could all be involved, as some students didn’t have their tablets. I noticed a repetitive phrase in the second line of each stanza. I highlighted it on my device and typed my thoughts about it. I heard Sarah commend me for my find. Miss B used it as a discussion point with the class. We then had the chance to work individually to find a protest poem that resonated with an issue we care about. Using the website poetry foundation, I found a poem that spoke up for environmental pollution. “Song for the turtles in the gulf” by Linda Hogan. Using Canva I analysed the poem; highlighted devices and added my thoughts. We all posted our analysed poems onto the class blog. We have been using the blog all term to create our own learning portfolio. I commented on Hayden’s analysis and Sarah commented on mine.

The next lesson shifted our focus to social media activism. Miss B shared some Instagram posts she found that highlighted activism and targeted social justice movements. One of the examples was from 2020 and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. As a class we discussed the messaging behind the posts. It was powerful to see how much traction a social media post could give to a movement. Miss B also warned us of social media ethics and how misinformation can tarnish a movements credibility. We watched a video on how to spot misinformation online – I kept a list to refer to when researching. Miss B organised us into groups. We were given the task of researching current activist movements on social media and creating an infographic on it. I was grouped up with Abby, Mark, and Dana. Using the internet browser, we researched the #MeToo movement. We checked for signs of misinformation to ensure we were using correct statistics. Using Canva we created a visually appealing infographic that discussed the movements messaging, reach and effectiveness. The team let me take the lead on the design and they helped with suggestions and finding the research. We uploaded our infographics to our class blog. We each commented on another students.

Now came the exciting part – creating our own protest poems. After watching a revision video on how to use poetic devices, that Miss B projected on the board, we had the whole lesson to embark on our creative journey. After reading the poem about the turtles, I was even more passionate about climate change. I typed away, frustration fuelling my verses. I hit a wall with metaphors. Dana, sitting beside me, suggested googling example metaphors to power my inspiration. I plugged in “pollution metaphors” and voila! I read through the list to spark ideas of my own. “Choking skies” I added to my verse. I posted my draft poem onto the class blog and, while I waited for feedback from other students, I read the poems by Mark and Crystal, commenting my feedback and suggestions.

The next lesson involved transforming our poems into multimedia posts. Using the suggestions and feedback left under my poem I made some edits. Using Canva I decided to add a video of a polluted sky behind my words and recorded myself reading it. I thought it was quite powerful, the way my raw emotions spoke coupled with the bleak visuals. I uploaded my poetry video to my blog. Liam commented saying it was a testament to the power of multimedia storytelling. I viewed Sarah’s and Emily’s pieces and was in awe of how impactful they had created them. I made sure to comment my thoughts for them to read.

The last lesson made me both nervous and excited. Miss B said we had the chance to post our multimedia poems onto the schools Instagram and Facebook pages. I wondered what the community would say about our protest poems. Before we consented, Miss B discussed the importance of social media use, online etiquette and using our voices for positive change. When the school posted our poems, the response was overwhelming. Comments poured in from parents and the wider community. Some expressed concern for the issues we highlighted, and others commended us for finding our voices. Miss B tasked us with writing a reflection on the process we undertook and how important it was to amplify our voices and listen to the suggestions and feedback from our peers. I posted this onto my class blog. I realised this project wasn’t just about classroom learning, it was about the collective power of our generation to spark change; to use the tools we are constantly glued to for something bigger. The digital world had transformed into a megaphone for our voices, a platform for action.

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A practical break down of the SAMR model with real-world examples on how to utilise and integrate technology into the classroom. Scooped from Tessa Beutel's Padlet

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SAMR Model: A Practical Guide for K-12 Classroom Technology Integration

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Discover how to enhance student learning using integrated classroom technology and the SAMR Model in your K-12 blended classroom.

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The TPACK framework explains how the technological knowledge, content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge of teachers is combined to create authentic and engaging learning experiences for students. This resource was scooped from Jasmine Barton's Padlet

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Gartic phone is an interactive online tool that gets students thinking creatively and critically. Students respond to prompts, practice idea ideation and enhance writing skills. This would be great as an ice breaker activity. This resource was scooped from Jasmine Barton's Padlet

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This website has some helpful resources to ensure we, as teachers, are extending our duty of care to our students on the online world. Scooped from Robert Lowther's Padlet.

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Practical advice for young people about staying safe online

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Professional learning communities are integral to the development of self-efficacy and confidence in teachers and the improvement of teaching practices (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2024). Throughout this unit I have engaged in online learning spaces and interacted with fellow pre-service teachers. At the beginning of this unit, I was someone who tried to develop everything on my own. However, after in engaging in online collaboration I have gained new perspectives and received support and inspiration from others. Sharing insights and contributing to professional discussions on digital pedagogies and strategies to enhance student engagement has transformed both my personal and professional growth. As teachers we have made a commitment to being life-long-learners.

Throughout the unit I have engaged and experimented with several digital tools with the intention of incorporating them, into lessons, to improve student learning and my digital pedagogy. By utilising online blogs, exploring, and developing a padlet and crafting presentation tools on Canva I have been able to develop my digital knowledge to understand the relevant ways teachers can use appropriate sources to enhance learning. By focusing on this I have been able to demonstrate professional standard 6.2 by engaging in professional learning and improving practice” (AITSL, 2017).

By exploring the padlets of my peers, I have been able to gain new perspective into digital pedagogies and best teaching practices. Through the exchange of comments many insightful suggestions have been made that have inspired new ideas. Collaboration in learning has been an advantage in developing professional networks and making real-world connections. By committing to active participation, I have been able to demonstrate professional standard 7.4 by engaging with professional teaching networks and broader communities (AITSL, 2017).

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Umar, A. D., & Maria, I. J. (2021). The teaching of poetry through information technology systems in secondary schools. East African Scholars Journal of Education, Humanities and Literature, 4(12), 477-483. DOI: 10.36349/easjehl.2021.v04i12.006

Botticello, C. (2022). Best blogging platforms for students. Blogging Guide. https://bloggingguide.com/best-blogging-platforms-for-students/

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2024). Professional learning communities. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/feedback/aitsl-professional-learning-communities-strategy.pdf

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Australian professional standards for teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards