Summary
This lesson allows students to reflect on and discuss their perceptions about writing. Shifting the focus from writing from scratch to using words already written as a starting place, students engage in reading and creating blackout poems from newspaper articles. Students also practice listening and speaking skills as they read and present their creations. Ultimately, students determine if and how their perceptions about what writing is changed as a result of this lesson.
Essential Question(s)
What does it mean to be a writer or poet? How can we alter our perceptions of writing by turning ordinary, everyday writing into meaningful poetry?
Snapshot
Engage
Students watch a video about Austin Kleon, a blackout poet, and engage in a Magnetic Statements activity.
Explore
Using the I Think/We Think instructional strategy, students read and respond to poet Austin Kleon's blackout poems.
Explain
Students create an original blackout poem using a newspaper article as a mentor text.
Extend
Students read and present their blackout poem to their classmates.
Evaluate
Students complete a reflective free-write and both a self and peer evaluation.
Materials
Magnetic Statements (attached; for facilitator’s use)
I Think/We Think handout (attached; one per student)
Example Blackout poems (online)
Newspapers
Sharpies or black markers
Writing materials - pen, pencil, paper, etc.
Computers/tablets
Dry erase pockets and markers (optional)
Engage
20 Minute(s)
To begin, show students the “Blackout Poet” YouTube video, an interview with Austin Kleon. Because many students might be unfamiliar with Blackout Poetry, this video will provide some helpful background information.
As students watch, ask them to think about their own personal feelings and conceptions about writing; students should also consider a specific time they struggled with writing.
Kleon discusses writer's block, so after the video students will participate in the instructional strategy Magnetic Statements; this will help uncover their ideas and attitudes about their own struggles with writing and/or a time they felt they had writer's block.
Here's a rundown of how the Magnetic Statements instructional strategy would work in this particular lesson:
Print and post the statements around your classroom.
Give students a few minutes to visit and read each statement.
Students should go to the one statement that most attracts or repels them. Feel free to limit the amount of students allowed to select each statement.
Students should discuss with the other students gathered around their statement reasons why they were either attracted to or repelled by that statement.
Each group should report our why they were attracted to or repelled by the statement.
Kleon's solution to his writing dilemma was to create blackout poetry out of newspaper articles. Students will be doing just that for this lesson.
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Using computers, allow students to work in pairs or in groups of three to research Austin Kleon's blackout poems located on his website. (Alternatively, students can use this website.)
Instruct students to read and respond to at least three poems using the I Think/We Think instructional strategy. Have individual students respond to a poem and then collaborate with the group. Ask them to fill out both columns of their handout throughout this group activity.
Here's how I Think/We Think would work in this lesson:
Give each student one I Think We Think handout (attached).
For each poem, ask students to read and respond to the poem, focusing on poetry elements such as structure, sound devices (alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, etc.), meaning, figurative language, etc. Check out Elements of Poetry on lexiconic.net for more detailed information on the elements of poetry if you or your students need a reference.
Give students time to record their thoughts in the "I Think" column. Tell them to leave the "We Think" column alone for now.
Once students have sufficient time to record their thoughts, have them get with a partner or group to share what they recorded.
After sharing out, have the partners/groups record their common understanding of poetry elements from the poem in the "We Think" column.
Once students have read, responded to, and discussed three blackout poems, ask for each group to share out with the whole class.
Explain
25 Minute(s)
Moving from reading example blackout poems to creating their own poetry, give students time to peruse newspaper articles and choose one to use as a mentor text for their own blackout poems.
Encourage students to model Kleon's procedure of finding an anchor word that resonates with them and grabs their attention. Instruct them to make a box around that word and then move around, trying to find words that connect to the initial word. Some of Kleon's poems were abstract and some were more literal, so it is up to students to choose the meaning and message of their poem.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
As an extension, give students sufficient time to read and present their newly created blackout poem to the class. Have them first read their poem aloud and then show their classmates how it looks visually on the paper.
Evaluate
Evaluate students' I Think/We Think charts and blackout poems. Also have students complete both a self and peer evaluation for their group members.
In addition, have students write a short, reflective Quick Write, discussing if and how their opinions about writing changed from the Magnetic Statements activity to now. Encourage students to revisit those statements to see if their opinions about writers/writing have been altered as a result of participating in this lesson. Be sure students offer justification in their writing as to why or why not. The reflective Quick Write should attempt to answer the essential questions presented at the beginning of the lesson. This can be accomplished by asking students to write about the process of taking a piece of written material and turning it into a poem. Ask “Did your creative process change the meaning of what it is to be a poet or writer?”
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Blackout poetry. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/84
K20 Center. (n.d.). I think/We think. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/141
K20 Center. (n.d.). Magnetic statements. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/166
K20 Center. (n.d.). Quick write. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/1127
Kleon, A. (2016). Austin Kleon. https://austinkleon.com/category/newspaper-blackout-poems/
Kleon, A. (2016). More of Austin Kleon's newspaper blackout poems and a way for students to share their own: Newspaper blackout. http://newspaperblackout.com/
Texascountryreporter. (2010, February 22). Blackout Poet [Video file]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqB9kXzJ0UA
Welch, C. (2015). Elements of Poetry. Lexiconic Resources. http://learn.lexiconic.net/elementsofpoetry.htmhttp://learn.lexiconic.net/elementsofpoetry.htm