what is slam poetry

1
Introduction to Spoken Word
what is slam poetry?
2

• The Lesson Plan Finding your Voice
• Students will research poets from the era of slam
  poets to the classic poets in the literary
  anthologies.
• Students will compare poets such as John Keats,
  Shelley, Ben Johnson and Emily Dickinson with the
  modern poets such as Marc Smith, Patricia Smith,
  Michael Brown. I want them to understand the
  differences in tone, style and rhythm and
  discover why some poems are more suited for
  spoken word.
• Students will find their own voice as they look
  at different writers from these time periods and
  they will work on their own spoken word
  performance.
• They will integrate technology into their
  presentation, using video clips, sound, imagery
  and their own imaginative genius to create a
  unique spoken word performance.

3
The World of Spoken Word

• Spoken Word Poetry is the a new world that
  students may not have found on their own
• Students get exposed to all styles of poems on a
  daily basis through music, television, greeting
  cards and movies, yet they do not realize that is
  poetry because it has been fed to them
  continuously that poetry is the stuff of dead
  white guys, written decades ago
• As teachers, we need to open them to a new world
  of expression and free their voices from the
  darkness

4
The History of Poetry Slams

• Poetry Slams began in the mid-80s, when a poet
  named Marc Smith started a poetry reading series
  at a Chicago jazz club, the Get Me High Lounge
  where a new breed of poets, artists and
  explorers of the written word came together to
  begin a new era in poetry.no longer a hidden art
  form.
• In 1987, in Ann Arbor, MI a new frontier is
  formed the best-known homes for poetry slams.
• In 1991, Chicago hosts a national competition
  featuring poetry slam teams from eight cities
  around the U.S, including the powerhouses Boston
  and Cleveland and the first team from New York
• In 1993, twenty-three teams compete in the
  Nationals in San Francisco, including the first
  teams from Canada and Europe as well as American
  cultural centers like Seattle, Portland, Los
  Angeles and Washington D.C
• For the first time, the hosts produce many side
  events, including the haiku slam, the sonnet
  slam, the erotic reading, and midnight readings.
  
• The first on-air radio slam is held on Berkeleys
  KPFA together with the Nationals and Nuyo/Imago
  Records releases of the Best of Slam CD.

5
Slam Poetry Defined
What is Slam Poetry??? Because Poetry is an
endangered species..Slam finds and
revivifies Because when in the course it looks
like poetry is disappearing, the furious uproar
of Word will not be stilled Because its called
Slam -Bob Holman(an strong advocate of poetry
slams and a brilliant poet)
6
Featured Slam Poets
7
Useful Resources

• www.Online poetry.com
• www.Pbs.org./teachersource
• www.Poetryslam.com
• www.Poetrysociety.org
• www.Slampapi.com
• www.e-poets.net