Talking Poetry with Blabberize

Materials and Technology

Student Interactives

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Classroom computer with projection capabilities and speakers
• Computers with Internet capabilities, headphones, and microphones
• Document camera (optional)
• Chart paper, chalkboard, or whiteboard

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STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   K – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing Poetry

Acrostic Poems

This online tool enables students to learn about and write acrostic poems. Elements of the writing process are also included.

 

Grades   K – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing Poetry

Diamante Poems

This online tool enables students to learn about and write diamante poems.

 

Grades   K – 5  |  Student Interactive  |  Writing Poetry

Theme Poems

Formerly known as Shape Poems, this online tool allows elementary students to write poems in various shapes.

 

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PRINTOUTS

• Poetry Books with Good Illustrations
• Blabberize Instructions
• Blabberize Rubric
• Image Websites
• Acrostic Discussion Questions
• Diamante Discussion Questions
• Diamante Poem
• Acrostic Poem
• Theme Poem Rubric

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WEBSITES

• Blabberize
  

  At this website students will bring their poetry to life using a mouth placed on a digital image.  They will record their poems and the mouths will then move with the text.

• The Poetry Archive
  

  Using The Children’s Archive selection of this website, one will search for recorded poems according to theme, form, or author.

• Repeat After Us
  

  This website has recordings of copyright free poetry, tongue-twisters, and nursery rhymes.

• Different Types of Poems for Kids
  

  This website will provide examples of the three types of poetry the students will write.

• Ken Nesbitt’s Poetry4Kids.com
  

  Nesbitt provides detailed instructions and more examples of how to write an acrostic poem.

• Flickr: Creative Commons
  

  This website can be used for images, and most are copyright cleared with credits provided.

• Pics 4 Learning
  

  Copyright-friendly images can be found at this website that targets teachers and students.

• Imagebase
  

  Free photos can be found at this website.

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PREPARATION

1. Sign up for a free account at Blabberize, and familiarize yourself with Blabberize using the Blabberize Instructions printout.  Depending on the technology skills of your students, you might want to make one copy of this printout for each student.
2. Students who have email addresses will be able to create their own accounts, but for those students who do not have email addresses, create an email account at any provider for class use.  Use that email account to create a class account for Blabberize.
3. Decide where you will post the students’ finished products.  One possibility is to create a classroom wiki at Wikispaces, another free resource.  Websites that will be used in the lesson can also be posted here.
4. If a classroom wiki is not established, make one copy per student of the Image Websites printout.
5. Reserve time in your school’s computer lab or library for three sessions.
6. Select at least three recorded poems from the websites The Poetry Archive and/or Repeat After Us.com that will be shared with the students in Session One.
7. If a document camera is available, choose at least three poems from Poetry Books with Good Illustrations printout to share.  If a document camera is not available, find images to show with three more of the recorded poems at the aforementioned websites.
8. Choose at least three poems from Blabberize by using the search words “poems” or “poetry” that will share as examples of the finished project.  These Blabbers illustrate various success:  Cupcakes (a diamante poem), Candy Canes (a shape poem),  Solid (an acrostic poem), Poetry Project, and The Rock.
9. Check that the student interactives Acrostic Poems, Diamante Poems, and Theme Poems will work on the classroom and library or lab computers.  Flash Player is required for all interactives to work, and Technical support is available for the Flash plug-in.
10. Make one copy of the following printouts for each student:  Acrostic Discussion Questions, Diamante Discussion Questions, Blabberize Rubric, Acrostic Poem, Diamante Poem, and Theme Poem Rubric.

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