Introduction to Poetry Slams
What are Poetry Slams!? In this Pre-Reading Activity we're going to explore that very topic!
Why? Poetry and the style of a poetry slam is integral to the text. The novel is written in a pattern that goes like this:
Student introduces themselves, their perspective, their challenges ---> writes and reads a poem about it to the class ---> Tyrone and usually one other student respond to it ----> then the cycle repeats.
So in order to fully comprehend this book, we need to be able to read, analyze, and understand the poems each student writes. These videos and the discussion questions that follow will help us get a feel for how their poems are meant to be read aloud.
Let's start here: Become a Slam Poet in 5 Easy Steps
Turn & Talk
With the person to your left, turn and talk to answer the following questions:
- How do you write slam poetry?
- What are the most important factors that go into the poem?
- What's more important the writing or the reading of the poem?
- What is some of the figurative language used?
- How does creating the poem transform Tyler (the speaker)?
These questions would be discussed in partners then shared out loud as a full class discussion. It's important to go over the concept of slam poetry or spoken word poems as they have a specific feel and purpose. The speaking of the poem is just as important as the content written. In the text, Bronx Masquerade, every character writes and recites their own poem at Open Mike Friday. The poems are integral to understanding the challenges and inner turmoils of each character in the text.
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