TeachersFirst's Editors' Choice Poetry Month
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This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected by our editors from the hundreds of reviewed poetry resources and creative tools listed on TeachersFirst. Now April can be Poetry Month in any classroom. Even if you teach science or math, there is a place for poetry in your curriculum. Poetry is as brief and economical as a number sentence, but with feelings or messages between the words. Why not throw some poetry lines amid your chemical or algebraic equations to connect with verbal/linguistic learners and spark a new way of seeing any subject? Take time to plan a "poetry break" using these ideas from the TeachersFirst Editors.
Here are some poetic possibilities to get your students' creative juices flowing: Have students compose a limerick explaining a science term or historic figure. Have students collect a list of words from your current unit. Then offer extra credit for a poetic interpretation to be shared as a daily "poetry break" during April. Use one of the tools featured here to share poetic visions of biology, geometry, and more during April. Cover a classroom wall with white paper for "curriculum poetry" during April: encourage students to share poetry graffiti (classroom appropriate, of course).
Need other poetic ideas? Check out our "In the classroom suggestions" included in these reviews or try our keyword search for poetry AND a specific topic or grade level.
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The Dream Flag Project - Jeff Harlan and Sandy Crow
Grades
K to 12
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The Dream Flag Project is a poetry-humanity project that fits into any unit on writing, poetry, character development, history, art, social issues, or community service. Reading, writing,...more
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The Dream Flag Project is a poetry-humanity project that fits into any unit on writing, poetry, character development, history, art, social issues, or community service. Reading, writing, critical thinking, and artistic expression activities are available for a wide range of abilities and grades. Start with Langston Hughes, "The Dream Keeper" and his collection of poetry. Explore an introduction to the Harlem Renaissance and black history or focus on goal-setting to make the dream come true. This collaborative project is created by teachers for teachers with a step-by-step approach. The resources include ideas, lesson plans, printable handouts, opportunities to collaborate, and examples.
tag(s): black history (33), poetry (169), service projects (14)
In the Classroom
Transform your classroom into a community of poets and dreamers and even choose to participate in a global project by writing and sharing poems with students around the world. Share this site during Poetry Month. You'll love seeing the pride in students as they engage in reading, writing, creating, and sharing poetry that reflects their hopes and dreams for today and the future. Introduce the extensive photos, videos, and other resources on a projector or an interactive whiteboard. There are "quick links" to an abundance of resources. The outcomes can range from poetry reading and writing to integrating music, theater, videotaping, or social networking (be sure to check with your school's policies). Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. This can be done in a sixty minute lesson or expanded to a year long theme. It's your choice!
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Phreetings (photo+greetings) - Picture Sandbox
Grades
K to 12
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This very simple tool creates quick image+message greetings that can be shared via email or by url. Enter a search term to find images or videos, drag your chosen image, ...more
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This very simple tool creates quick image+message greetings that can be shared via email or by url. Enter a search term to find images or videos, drag your chosen image, and type in text below. Click "send" to open your email program to send the link or copy/paste the link to view it directly on the Internet. The url for each custom image and greeting combination shows clearly below the box where you type the message. Highlight it and press Ctrl+ C (or Command +C on a Mac) to copy it. Here is a sample "Phreeting" created in less than 15 seconds. Although not clearly stated on this tool, phreetings searches use Creative Commons images from Flickr. Clicking on the image in the "phreeting" opens the image page on Flickr. As with any search tool, it is possible to search for inappropriate topics, so make sure you have a clear policy about what students may/may not search and what the consequences are. Note: if you do not copy the url as you create, you will NOT be able to find it again!
tag(s): images (115), photography (97), vocabulary (251)
In the Classroom
Hold an image captioning contest on projector/interactive whiteboard at the start of class about verbs by searching "run" or another action word. As a quick formative assessment, have students create a Phreeting using an image of a curriculum concept (a leaf, for example), with a greeting that explains about photosynthesis. During poetry month, have students compose a haiku message to accompany an image they find. Write and share similes and metaphors using image prompts and share the links on a class wiki. Share the links to the many quick projects on your class web page. Mark this quickie tool in your Favorites on your teacher public page so students can use it to send greetings and questions by email any time. Younger students/classes can make "Phreetings" to send to school helpers, visiting firemen, and others. ESL/ELL, speech/language, or world language students can practice writing simple sentences about an image they find and share the result via email or a link you collect on a class web page. If you have a class Flickr account, search for your own photos and have students add captions explaining the activity pictured and send them to the principal or parents. At holiday season, send Phreetings as practice writing informal "letters" or thank you notes.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Read-alouds - TeachersFirst
Grades
K to 6
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This read-aloud collection is part of TeachersFirst's Help I lost my library/media specialist series, written by an experienced elementary library/media specialist. Although...more
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This read-aloud collection is part of TeachersFirst's Help I lost my library/media specialist series, written by an experienced elementary library/media specialist. Although nothing can replace the specialized knowledge of a teacher-librarian, this collection of poetry books to read aloud and related activities and lessons will inspire young poets -- even reluctant ones -- invite them to read and write poetry on their own. Find both printable and online resources to extend the poetry reading and writing. This is the perfect read-aloud collection during April, National Poetry Month. If your library does not have the books you want from this list, try using the ISBN numbers to borrow them on interlibrary loan from a public library nearby.
tag(s): poetry (169)
In the Classroom
Use the before, during, and after reading activities in this read-aloud collection as the core of a poetry unit or simply to honor National Poetry Month. Mark it in your Favorites so you can use it from year to year. Share some of the activity ideas and links with parents to use at home or with other teachers to make poetry a schoolwide literacy celebration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Shape Poem Generator - Read, Write, Think - International Reading Association
Grades
K to 4
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Engage students while learning about poetry with this easy to use Shape Poem Generator. Type in the author's name and see examples of shape poems. Choices of themes include nature,...more
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Engage students while learning about poetry with this easy to use Shape Poem Generator. Type in the author's name and see examples of shape poems. Choices of themes include nature, school, celebrations, and sports. Each theme offers several choices of shapes. Choose a shape and then type in several words or phrases that go along with the shape. Make a title and use the words and phrases as ideas to include in the poem. When finished, read the poem, go back and edit, or print the link on the page.
tag(s): poetry (169)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) to introduce the concept of shape poems. Choose a theme and create a poem together as a class. Use as a teacher-led center and have groups of students create shape poems using this site. Print and display student-created poems on a classroom bulletin board. Challenge students to create a word cloud of terms about themes used on the site before creating shape poems using a tool such as Wordle reviewed here.
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ETTC's New and Improved Poetry Forms - Educational Technology Training Center
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
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Fill in the blanks of online forms to create instant poems of many types. Click a poem form from dozens of options listed down the left side of the page. ...more
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Fill in the blanks of online forms to create instant poems of many types. Click a poem form from dozens of options listed down the left side of the page. The options include more traditional cinquains, haiku, and more. Don't miss "If I were in charge of the world" to lure even the most reluctant or disgruntled writer into sharing what he/she really thinks in a poem modeled after one by Judith Viorst. (Adults may want to try this one after a mad day!) Once you complete the form, click to create the instant poem and display the results on the page. Keep a copy by printing or -- even better-- by copy/pasting into a document or other online tool for sharing. Make any day better with poetry! The page is very simple, but the results are inspiring.
tag(s): creative writing (67), figurative language (9), poetry (169), writing (291)
In the Classroom
Share this page with students during a unit on poetry or to inspire a poetic look at content in any class: maybe science or even math! Allow students to choose from all the poetry forms or from a selection of options. Use poetry as a way for students with verbal-linguistic strengths to explain challenging concepts and terms. In elementary classes, the simple "about me" and basic figure of speech poems will introduce students to poetry and figurative language. Be sure to keep electronic copies of the results, not just paper print outs. Copy/paste the poems students create into an online class literary magazine (on a wiki or blog) or have students illustrate and read poems using Voicethread, reviewed here. Include poetry as one of may project options when students are deciding how to present research projects.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Write It - Scholastic
Grades
7 to 12
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At this publishing site for secondary students, you have many opportunities to learn the craft, view other writers in action, have work critiqued, and interact with other student writers....more
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At this publishing site for secondary students, you have many opportunities to learn the craft, view other writers in action, have work critiqued, and interact with other student writers. You can take a master class with featured writers that include conversations with authors discussing their challenges and triumphs. There is a chat forum to post work and get input from fellow students with suggestions for revision (participation in chat requires registration to the site; however, the chat logs can be viewed without registration). An online portfolio can be created after registration on the site. The "Authors in Action" section is a wonderful resource to view short videos of student authors performing their own work and is sorted by genres.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (67), descriptive writing (11), poetry (169), process writing (14), writers workshop (7)
In the Classroom
Share videos from the site with students when discussing the writing process. The master classes are perfect for use on interactive whiteboards or a projector as a way of starting classroom discussions on the writing process and different techniques and methods used by authors. Have students read their own finished works of writing and share them using a tool such as SchoolTube reviewed here. If you do Writers Workshop in your classroom, use videos and information from the site to demonstrate writing and critiquing methods.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
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The Wilderness Downtown - Chris Milk
Grades
4 to 12
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This interactive music video will bring in a street view of any address you enter. The pop group, Arcade Fire, worked with Google to develop this video for its song ...more
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This interactive music video will bring in a street view of any address you enter. The pop group, Arcade Fire, worked with Google to develop this video for its song "We Used To Wait." The video is best viewed in Chrome, but can also be viewed in Safari, and most of it on Internet Explorer. It uses Google Maps and Google Street View to bring the address you entered directly into the movie. You don't have to enter an exact address for the interaction to happen. You can put in a city, state, and country and get some very good results. A warning will appear that the information isn't complete, but click on "continue anyway" to see the results. Not only is this a sentimental trip down memory lane for you, but there are a myriad of ways to use this video with your students. Note: the video actually launches in multiple smaller windows, so allow all of them to montage on your screen! The final "postcard" that prompts you to write to your younger self uses the same artistic font as the title page. Take a screen shot of it to preserve what your message.
tag(s): creative writing (67), descriptive writing (11), poetry (169), video (67), writing prompts (50)
In the Classroom
World history, and world culture teachers could use this video by putting in a city and country where you know there are historical buildings from the time period you are studying. Science and math teachers could put in cities and countries for the origins of famous scientists or mathematicians or locations of major environmental events. And, of course, world language and geography teachers can input any city and country you are studying.Any student, but especially ESL/ELL students, will discover forgotten memories after putting in an address and watching the film. Students who have always lived in the same home may want to put in the address of a favorite relative or vacation spot. At the end there is a prompt to write a postcard; however, it cannot be mailed to anyone in particular. So, have students jot memories ignited by the video on paper or in an open word processing document. Have them use one of the memories as a prompt for a memoir. Or use a tool such as Instablogg reviewed here to have students create a simple (one time use) blog post with a unique URL so others can view.
During Poetry Month or a poetry unit, talk about the song lyrics as poetry, then have students write their own poems and read them along with their personal location video (with sound muted). Make poetry a personal performance piece!
Have you ever wanted to show your students the setting of a novel you are reading as a class? Imagine using the setting for Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet and putting in the street, city, and zipcode for Hyde Park and the University of Chicago. Powerful! At the end of the book there is a chase scene, and the students will really be able to visualize this section of the book. You might want to show the setting at the beginning and ask the students to write about why the person is running. After reading the novel, students could select different music to fit their impression of the book. Just mute the music in the video and allow their selection to play. Have students explain why they felt their choice fit that part of the novel better. Have students do this and vote on the musical selection they think fits best by using a tool such as Thinkmeter reviewed here.
This video could also be used as a prompt for a creative writing. Ask the students to listen carefully to the words in the music and connect the runner with the words, and explain why the figure is running? What might the figure be running from? Toward? Or, students could create a poem for the video, and even put the poem to music, or use the music from a favorite song for their poem. This site invites creativity and multimedia responses.
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obooko - Tony Stanton, Sarah Bainbridge, Tim Johnson
Grades
7 to 12
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Join the writers and readers of obooko, the free site to publish and read ebooks. Readers' Choice Awards of 2011 winner for free eBooks , obooko offers a platform to ...more
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Join the writers and readers of obooko, the free site to publish and read ebooks. Readers' Choice Awards of 2011 winner for free eBooks , obooko offers a platform to share your work and read the works of others. Become a reviewer and write comments on other ebooks. As authors, you retain all rights with no charges or contracts. This site is legal and does not infringe on copyright laws. There are numerous categories to choose from: Romance and Women, Crime, Religion, Thriller, Mystery, Teens, and much more! This site is not intended for children under 13. Some of the content may not be appropriate for the classroom. So be sure to preview.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (67), ebooks (14), mysteries (19), novels (13), poetry (169), religions (27)
In the Classroom
For your language arts class, obooko contains many examples of contemporary writing. Selections for critiquing and editing are readily available without hurting any class member's feelings. Look at examples for current ideas and places to begin brainstorming. Included are free templates for different types of writing. Have each member of your class become a published author! Use the titles as writing prompts or read only half of the story and have students finish it in their own way. Bring each student's story into the lives of many. Assign critiques using obooko. You might even create a school or class obooko literary magazine during poetry month.Library/media specialists may want to select certain ebooks to load on school iTouches for students to read and review. Start an obooko reading club with these free options.
If you are uncomfortable sharing here or school policy prohibits it, have your classes create a similar website (wiki) with published pieces from your school or class. Not familiar with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be shared by URL
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morgueFile - Kevin and Michael Connors, Johannes Seemann
Grades
4 to 12
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Use MorgueFile for free images for inspiration, reference, and use in creative works. These images are legal for use without concern about copyright. Photographs were 'freely contributed...more
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Use MorgueFile for free images for inspiration, reference, and use in creative works. These images are legal for use without concern about copyright. Photographs were 'freely contributed by many artists to be used in creative projects by visitors to the site," though they do request that proper credit be given (see "about"). Enter your search term and refine your search to find images in various categories, size, color, and other options. Click on the image to go to its own page. Save on your computer by clicking Download. Inappropriate images can be reported on this page as well. Create a login to use an organizer to manage photos you have found. Be sure to check out the portfolio tab to view other photos as well as the Classroom tab. Use the Classroom tab to learn about cameras, lenses, and taking better photographs.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): copyright (39), images (115), photography (97), writing prompts (50)
In the Classroom
Use this site in every subject area where images can convey concepts or students make projects. Find free images easily for use within the classroom. Use images for drag and drop activities on IWB, such as sorting vegetables from fruits, etc. In Art class, have students find images to demonstrate different design concepts such as rhythm, line, etc. Project an intriguing photo on your interactive whiteboard or projector as a writing prompt for a short story (or poem). Use images for practice writing in world languages, by having students describe the scene or tell a story about it. Assign cooperative learning groups to different images and have them create a Voicethread (in English or another language) about what they think the image portrays. Voicethread reviewed here allows users to narrate a picture. Use images from this site to illustrate a literary magazine or poetry blog during Poetry Month. Be sure to follow guidelines in "about" to cite images and model this for your students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Flipsnack - Smartketer LLC
Grades
5 to 12
8 Favorites
0 Comments
Use FlipSnack to create a free, online flip book from PDF documents. Create a Flip book when you want to embed a book, magazine, catalog, newspaper, portfolio, or other kind ...more
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Use FlipSnack to create a free, online flip book from PDF documents. Create a Flip book when you want to embed a book, magazine, catalog, newspaper, portfolio, or other kind of document into a website, wiki, or blog and have viewers flip through the pages interactively. Upload your pdf document and choose a title. (Choose carefully, since it is the title of the book.) Choose a template and customize by dragging elements and changing colors and then Publish. Now any content can become an online "book."
In the Classroom
Make a flipbook of a presentation as an engaging alternative to a web page or PowerPoint. Share classroom information such as rules and expectations in an easy to read format. Use for a great way to bring digital storytelling up front in your classroom. Make photosynthesis a story instead of bits of equations and information. Portray a time period in history or create books of different political or societal opinions. Create a flipbook with the viewpoints and personalities of characters in a story. Practice a different language by creating a themed flipbook. Lower grades can combine writing into a class flipbook to be shared online or read aloud. Any written assignment can easily be re-visioned as a flipbook! Make your literary magazone a flipbook or build new poetry collections during poetry month. Share all your flipbooks on individual laptops, or the interactive whiteboard or projector. Create simple flipbooks of Dolch words for beginning readers.Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Products can be embedded
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Figment: Write Yourself In - Jacob Lewis and Dana Goodyear
Grades
6 to 12
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Figment: Write Yourself In is a terrific program for both readers and writers! Looking for something new to read? Want to get your student's or your own writing published? You ...more
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Figment: Write Yourself In is a terrific program for both readers and writers! Looking for something new to read? Want to get your student's or your own writing published? You don't even have to register to read or listen to a book. It's all free. If you or your students are aspiring authors you can register and publish your writing here. Figment also has contests where the community votes for the best piece of writing for a certain prompt. Books are tagged, so you can search by tag. The Figment library has all the genres listed for you to click on and search, a section for "newest additions," "recently updated," and "all the rage." For reading and listening, the only skill you will need to know is to know how to search the site. If your intent is to publish yours or your student's writing, you will need to register.
tag(s): digital storytelling (40), persuasive writing (18), poetry (169), short stories (16), writing (291)
In the Classroom
There are several ways you can use this site. For younger students: Once your students have completed a piece of writing, have them submit it to the class using MixedInk reviewed here. The class can then collaborate by choosing ideas from any of the pieces submitted and sending in a "class" approved story, poem, etc. to Figment. Older students: Have them submit their poems, short stories, current event articles, or persuasive writing to MixedInk for peer edit and advice. After the class has collaborated on the writing, submit to Figment for a more general audience. Some teachers have their students write novels for National Novel Writing Month, and at "Figment: Write Yourself In" they will be able to publish them.Students will need a screen name that is not their real name, and a password. See the Profile area for Scholastic's "You Are What You Read" reviewed here for several suggestions for creating a screen name. For younger students you may want to have a "class account" and supply the password. Be sure you and your students write their screen name and password down. Just make sure they sign their writing with their screen name. With older students you can use the same procedure as above, or students can sign up with their own email. Read tips for safely managing email registrations here.
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Stories in Flight: FlickrPoet - Thomas Sturm
Grades
3 to 12
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This site matches the words you enter with photos on Flickr reviewed here. It uses search tags, titles, and descriptions of photos to match up with...more
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This site matches the words you enter with photos on Flickr reviewed here. It uses search tags, titles, and descriptions of photos to match up with the words you type in the text box. You can get new pictures for the same words by clicking "Show Story" again. Use Stories in Flight: FlickrPoet to put photos with your favorite poem, quote, lyrics, or other piece of writing.
Note: Since Flickr houses photos contributed by the general public, some photos may be rated PG or depict something that may make student laugh. Nouns, active verbs, and vivid adjectives are most likely to return results that make sense.
Note: Since Flickr houses photos contributed by the general public, some photos may be rated PG or depict something that may make student laugh. Nouns, active verbs, and vivid adjectives are most likely to return results that make sense.
tag(s): creative writing (67), creativity (66), digital storytelling (40), flickr (8), poetry (169)
In the Classroom
Stories in Flight: FlickrPoet would be perfect to use in April during National Poetry Month. Or introduce any poetry unit by showing Stories in Flight: FlickrPoet on your interactive whiteboard or projector. (Prescreen your word choices to be sure what you will get.) Have students work together on the IWB to create poems, or choose a favorite paragraph from their writing, then use this site to add images. Click on "Show Story" and compare the different outputs. For some interesting, high level discussion, ask students what makes something a "poem" vs. simply a collection of words. Ask them if they are satisfied with the images matched to their writing, and how they could make better matches for what they were thinking. Do they prefer imagining the metaphors or seeing them in concrete images, for example?You may want to have a class Flickr account. Have students play with Stories in Flight: FlickrPoet using the "Show Story" several times, and then find their own pictures to go with their writing by using the search bar on Flickr. They can then publish their creations using a web site maker such as Weebly reviewed here. Offer this as one of several "visual poem" options during Poetry Month or poetry units.
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Magnetic Poetry - Dave Kappell
Grades
K to 6
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1 Comments
As part of the commercial site for Dave Kappell's Magnetic Poetry kits, The Kids Poetry Page extends the original idea of Magnetic Poetry online. This engaging site features the commercial...more
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As part of the commercial site for Dave Kappell's Magnetic Poetry kits, The Kids Poetry Page extends the original idea of Magnetic Poetry online. This engaging site features the commercial venture to further the sale of Magnetic Poetry and other products. The Kids' Poetry Page lets you can play online (FREE) with several of the kits. Moving the word tiles, you create poetry to save, print, or publish online. An email address is necessary to publish online, but it is not shared with the poem. A gallery highlights poems created by kids. A similar adult section is available with the use of different poetry kits. A detailed teachers' section includes multiple ideas for classroom use submitted by educators. As with any tool that allows students to work with words, it is possible to create suggestive or inappropriate "poetry." Be sure to spell out consequences for inappropriate content, just as you would with pencil/paper assignments. A few of the words available could be used to refer to body parts, however, it took our editors quite a while to find any. If your list shows up with a word that you feel is not appropriate, simply click to get a new set of words.
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This site includes advertising.
tag(s): creative writing (67), iwb (20), poetry (169), sight words (16)
In the Classroom
Share the magnetic poetry on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Once students have created their poem, challenge students to read it to the class by creating a podcast. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). This is an excellent resource to share during Poetry Month. Why note make a poetry center on your interactive whiteboard for students to work with a partner? While this site is intended for poetry writing, it could also be used by younger students learning sight words, as many of these words are on most "sight word" lists for kindergartners and first graders (it, is, the, etc.). Be sure to share this link on your class website for students (and parents) to try at home.
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Comments
I am wondering if the kit I looked at was intended for adults. With words like breast, lie, bed... Note from the editorial staff: we have updated our review and included a disclaimer. We did find one set of words that included the words listed above, after clicking through several sets of words. If you stumble upon this set and feel it is not appropriate for your students, simply click to get a new set of words. There are several different sets of word lists.Doris, MI, Grades: 0 - 3
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Random Poem Generator - Mathijs1988
Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Anything can be turned into a poem by using this web site! Enter a url for a web page that has text, choose a rhyme scheme (Haiku, ABAB alternating, or ...more
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Anything can be turned into a poem by using this web site! Enter a url for a web page that has text, choose a rhyme scheme (Haiku, ABAB alternating, or AABB), then select "poemize this page." Results will include words from the selected web page in poem form. Examples are included on the main page showing how this can be done with text from Romeo and Juliet, Pokerface by Lady Gaga, and more. After the poem appears, there is a choice for creating a new poem from the same site.
tag(s): poetry (169)
In the Classroom
Introduce your poetry unit by showing this site on your interactive whiteboard and demonstrating the three types of poems created from items known to students. Create poetry from student-created websites for classroom display. Have students create poems from websites then use this site to create poems and compare the different outputs. Choose websites that aren't language arts related such as math, history, or science sites and create poetry from their content. For some interesting, high level discussion, ask students what makes something a "poem" vs. simply a collection of words.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Interactive Raven - TeachersFirst
Grades
6 to 12
13 Favorites
0 Comments
Here's TeachersFirst's famous on-line presentation of Poe's classic poem, with notations explaining definitions and literary devices. Roll over words for definitions, literary devices,...more
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Here's TeachersFirst's famous on-line presentation of Poe's classic poem, with notations explaining definitions and literary devices. Roll over words for definitions, literary devices, and more.
In the Classroom
This is a great on-line independent study for students who need additional help with either vocabulary or poetic devices. Introduce the site on your projector (rollovers will not work on an interactive whiteboard), then have students work alone or with a partner to become acquainted with the full text of Poe's masterpiece, accessing definitions and literary devices on their own. Challenge students to create their own dramatic readings of the poem using a tool such as Podomatic (reviewed here)or accompany their reading with illustrations using Voicethread (reviewed here).
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Bookemon - Bookemon, Inc.
Grades
K to 12
23 Favorites
1 Comments
Students and teachers can write their own original books, add your own images and artwork as illustrations, and read your published books in interactive, online form. For a fee, you...more
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Students and teachers can write their own original books, add your own images and artwork as illustrations, and read your published books in interactive, online form. For a fee, you can also have printed copies made, but there is no fee for the online publication and sharing. This is the ultimate in "digital storytelling." Click "Explore" to browse many "public" examples on the templates page of books created by others.
Here is an example of a book created by the TeachersFirst Edge editors. Once you set up free membership in this site, students (or teachers) can select to create from a blank start or using templates provided. You can also create a book starter of your own as an example so students can follow the prompts you have created. The book creator allows you to upload your own images and to create books from a Word document or PowerPoint file you have already made. EdCenter uers can collaborate on books.
After you save and publish the work, share the URL so people can read the entire thing online, either among an audience of "just my friends" or publicly. They also offer the embed code to place your books in a class or school web page, wiki, or blog, but at the time of this review, this code was not working properly. The BEST option is to copy the address of the new window displaying the interactive book. There is an option to have the book printed for a fee, but this is not required. You can also read books created by others (if they make them public). Use the fully-public option to create learning materials for classes to access year to year for at-home review or reading practice.
This site requires a simple registration. Teachers can set up an edCenter for their school or class in accordance with school policies. See more detailed suggestions "In the Classroom" below and in our sample book!
After you save and publish the work, share the URL so people can read the entire thing online, either among an audience of "just my friends" or publicly. They also offer the embed code to place your books in a class or school web page, wiki, or blog, but at the time of this review, this code was not working properly. The BEST option is to copy the address of the new window displaying the interactive book. There is an option to have the book printed for a fee, but this is not required. You can also read books created by others (if they make them public). Use the fully-public option to create learning materials for classes to access year to year for at-home review or reading practice.
This site requires a simple registration. Teachers can set up an edCenter for their school or class in accordance with school policies. See more detailed suggestions "In the Classroom" below and in our sample book!
tag(s): creative writing (67), digital storytelling (40), writing (291)
In the Classroom
SKIP the profile and friends areas to get to the book creator to play with the tools a bit. Before you get too involved, create an edCenter to minimize advertising and create books in your own teacher-friendly class environment. Use the edCenter to register students and establish privacy settings for your class. No student emails are required.On the Create Books page, choose from using a blank book, starting from a file, or using a template. Choose "school" to see projects from other classes or a sample created by you or a student team working in advance along with you. Explore ready-made themes (seasonal, topical, etc.) or use "open theme." Choose book dimensions (match layout shape to any uploaded files, such as PowerPoint slides). Enter settings and description of your book (editable later), including who is allowed to "see" it: everyone, just friends, or private. Again choose a "theme" - more of a category where Bookemon will list your completed book. A logical option is "school." Experiment with tools to upload files (within file limits), add images, add text, etc. Written help is offered as you go, but there is no video demo. SAVE often. Turn margins on to avoid chopping content. To share the book, you must "publish" it (i.e. finalize).
Once published, locate the book under "My Books" and use options to share (by email--and see the URL to copy from there), "Make a new edition" to create a new version--also useful for treating the original as a template for later books), Post to Other Sites offers embed codes not currently working properly. The BEST option is to click the book COVER which opens a new window without ads or "stuff," and copy the ADDRESS of that window to paste into email, etc. You can also make that clean-window view a Favorite on a classroom computer!
Use your edCenter settings to manage social networking features. This will avoid the "public" Bookemon features such as opportunities to share address books, use social tools such as Facebook to share your books, etc. Teacher-controlled edCenter accounts are probably the easiest option for managing within school policies.
With younger students, have them begin their work in PowerPoint then upload for whole-class books. See an example, created by the TeachersFirst Edge editors . The example is full of ideas for classroom use from Kindergarten to high school, including science concept tales, poetry books, general writing, math problem solve-its, and more. ANY grade can use this tool, depending on the amount of direction by the teacher. By the way, the correct answer to the problem in the sample book is c. 27. Another idea, have students create personalized books for their parents or grandparents for special occasions (Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Grandparent's Day).
Tip: Use this site for a guided introduction to social networking as a class, an excellent teaching opportunity for 21st century literacy skills and online safety discussion.
Edge Features:
Includes an education-only area for teachers and students
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log in (NO email)
Products can be shared by URL
Includes teacher tools for registering and/or monitoring students
Comments
This is one of my all time favorite creative tools. Very versatile. Great for making "buddy books" or for teacher-created learning "books." Make one as a whole class to summarize a science unit in primary grades. I even use it personally to make fee online "gifts" for children I know. I did purchase one print version, and it looked great.Thinking, PA, Grades: 5 - 10
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TeachersFirst: The Highwayman - TeachersFirst
Grades
7 to 12
15 Favorites
0 Comments
This online edition of Alfred Noyes' poem introduces both the text and the poetic devices and vocabulary in this famous poem. The unit can serve as an independent study tool ...more
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This online edition of Alfred Noyes' poem introduces both the text and the poetic devices and vocabulary in this famous poem. The unit can serve as an independent study tool or a review for those who need a refresher on poetic devices.
tag(s): poetry (169)
In the Classroom
Share the start of the poem on your projector or interactive whiteboard. Then turn students or partners loose to explore the poem and discover the details on laptops or at home. Extend the unit by challenging groups or individual students to create their own visual interpretations of a stanza using a tool such as GlogsterEDU reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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podOmatic - podOmatic
Grades
1 to 12
9 Favorites
0 Comments
Create simple audio podcasts using this online tool and the free space they provide. Simply put, this tool lets you create and place sound recordings online for people to listen ...more
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Create simple audio podcasts using this online tool and the free space they provide. Simply put, this tool lets you create and place sound recordings online for people to listen to and/or download from a web site. There are MANY free podcasts in a variety of subject areas (art, health, technology, music, business, and more.) The site itself is a "web 2.0," social networking style site, so some schools may have it blocked. Ask about unblocking just YOUR teacher account so you can have students access it while at school and under your supervision.
What can it do? You can record sound directly with the microphone built-in or plugged into your computer and make it available for people to listen to online or download to their MP3 player. See and hear a sample we made for you.
Create a minicast through a simple upload of images and audio that turns your images into a short video. Transitions are also available for your minicast. Share through a blog, twitter, or Facebook with a link (adding the link to Facebook opens up the minicast player on your wall.) Minicasts are web-based and can even be played on an iPhone or Droid.
What can it do? You can record sound directly with the microphone built-in or plugged into your computer and make it available for people to listen to online or download to their MP3 player. See and hear a sample we made for you.
Create a minicast through a simple upload of images and audio that turns your images into a short video. Transitions are also available for your minicast. Share through a blog, twitter, or Facebook with a link (adding the link to Facebook opens up the minicast player on your wall.) Minicasts are web-based and can even be played on an iPhone or Droid.
tag(s): images (115), photography (97), podcasts (30)
In the Classroom
Attach a mike or use your built-in computer mike; create the podcast by clicking a record button, (you may have to tell your computer to "allow" nonsecure items over and over). Choose a background for your podcast page. Share it with others using one of several sharing options on the "My Podcast" tab, including copying the link to paste in an email or newsletter or embedding the podcast in your class web page or wiki. Create a minicast of images taken during a lab or a portfolio of images from a photography, art, or any other class. Add music and share as part of a digital portfolio.Podomatic does not allow memberships for those under 13. Teachers using this tool with younger students should do so under supervision and with a teacher-controlled account. The site is a "general public" site, so the home page has links to recent podcasts that may not be appropriate for the classroom. Discuss this possibility and tell students NOT to click on other's work or simply avoid sending students into the site on their own. Carefully select or SKIP many sharing mechanisms for safety's sake. Limit any identifiable information within the podcasts. You may want to share the links to class podcasts only with your students and parents. If you have students record podcasts as assignments, you may need multiple accounts because the free accounts have limited file space. An elementary teacher might have enough space for 25 students to keep a limited number of products on his/her own account, depending upon length. The site will tell you how much space each podcast takes and how much you have left.
You could record your assignments or directions; you can record story time or a reading excerpt for younger ones to listen to at a computer center AND from home! Have better readers record selected passages for your non-readers (perhaps older buddies). Launch a service project for your fifth or sixth graders to record stories for the kindergarten to use in their reading and listening center. Have students create "you are there" recordings as "eyewitnesses" to historical or current events; make a weekly class podcast, with students taking turns writing and sharing the "Class News;" have students create radio advertisements for concepts studied in class (Buy Dynamic DNA!); have students write and record their own stories or poetry in dramatic readings; language students or beginning readers could record their fluency by reading passages; allow parents to hear their child's progress reading aloud, etc. Compare world language, speech articulation, or reading fluency at two points during the year. Have your Shakespeare students record a soliloquy! Write and record a poem for Father's or Mother's Day (or other special events) and send the URL as a gift to that special person.
Edge Features:
Parent permission advised before posting student work created using this tool
Includes Interaction w general public/ public galleries with unmoderated content
Includes social features, such as "friends," comments, ratings by others
Requires registration/log-in (WITH email)
Products can be embedded
Products can be shared by URL
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Six Word Stories - Pete Berg
Grades
5 to 12
7 Favorites
0 Comments
Six Word Stories challenges students to create a meaningful "narrative," book summary, reaction to a movie, or other literary reflection in just six words. Based on a famous one by...more
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Six Word Stories challenges students to create a meaningful "narrative," book summary, reaction to a movie, or other literary reflection in just six words. Based on a famous one by Ernest Hemingway, the site collects the writings of amateurs and professionals. Readers can search it by theme or by genre or author (including famous ones). Links include places to try similar endeavors including 2-sentence stories and fifty-word stories. Please preview: at the time of this review, there was one inappropriate comment with a curse word.
tag(s): writing (291)
In the Classroom
Have a contest and challenge your students to submit the best 6-word story after finishing a novel, play, or poem. Try creating some together on interactive whiteboard, brainstorming first to generate possible words from which to choose, then dragging to rearrange them into a meaningful story. Make a six word story "sidebar" at the side of your class where students can work together with a partner on the IWB to generate new stories as summaries for an act of a Shakespeare play or in response to a sonnet. In a journalism class, try this for a twist on headline writing. Introduce poetry writing by having your students try their hand at expressing an emotional experience in just 6 words. ESL/ELL students often create unusual combinations in writing; why not have them display their creativity here in an acceptable form? Share this site with world language teachers also.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Poetry Idea Engine - Scholastic
Grades
K to 6
5 Favorites
0 Comments
The site gives the basics for understanding haiku, limerick, cinquain, and free verse. Detailed steps lead you to an understanding of the poetry form. Following instruction, you see...more
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The site gives the basics for understanding haiku, limerick, cinquain, and free verse. Detailed steps lead you to an understanding of the poetry form. Following instruction, you see examples demonstrating each type of poetry. Scaffolded support helps you to achieve success in poetry. You can print your finished poem.
tag(s): poetry (169)
In the Classroom
Use the Poetry Idea Engine as a starting point to introduce the different poetry forms. Extend this further into creating poetry with other subjects in the given form. Start your own classroom collection to be shared digitally on your website with Power Points or multimedia presentations. In audio form, create podcasts using a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here) and then share them on your website. Add digital images and make a photo book of your favorite poems from your poetry unit using a site such as Mix Book (reviewed here). Save the poetry images/audio for your end of year remembrances to share with students and their families. The Poetry Idea Engine can provide concrete examples and success for ESL/ELL students as well as inspiration for gifted students.
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