Blackout Poetry
For this assignment, students were asked to create a blackout poem in honour of their chosen 'everyday hero'. Students' poems were part of a bigger final assignment that was imagined and executed using the Hero's Journey.
Overall, students loved this activity as they found it fun to "find and build" their poem. This style of poetry is especially great for students who may struggle in English as they do not need to come up with the words themselves but use the words on their page to construct meaning. This takes away some of the stress of writing and trying to 'sound smart'.
Some examples of students' blackout poems:
He was in pain. Was suffering in a way no one could reach. You have to remember to live with it.
He was In a coma When they drove to the hospital.
I have a feeling he's happy. I can imagine him on his way, Where he had sat down with her.
He was in pain. Was suffering in a way no one could reach. You have to remember to live with it.
A few things to know about Blackout Poems:
They do not need to rhyme! Students generally love this as they feel less constrained.
You can build composite words. Can't find the word you need? No problem! Just use letters from other words on the same line to 'create' your desired word.
It's best to "find" your poem, rather than "write" it. Don't try and force an already-written poem onto the page. Rather, use the words on your page to communicate what you want to say.