Poetry began as part of an oral tradition, but students now view poetry as a boring and confusing jumble of words on a page. However, a vital and energetic movement in poetry during the 1990s worked to change all that; slam poetry revitalized interest in poetry as performance.
Poets.org explains that "A slam itself is simply a poetry competition in which poets perform original work alone or in teams before an audience, which serves as judge." To end the school year, we will hold a poetry slam in our classroom, and students will have the opportunity to present original works to their classmates.
This unit is a culmination of all our studies throughout the year. The poems must establish mood, have a clear voice, use figurative language and poetic devices, and be a representation of something that matters to the student. Because slam poetry is often very emotional and personal, this performance will also require the greatest level of respect and support from peers.