Overview
Place, others, and society are addressed in various forms of art, music, and literature, including slam poetry. This lesson introduces students to slam poetry as a specific type of performance poetry that explores a wide range of themes through wordplay, repetition, and emphasis. Using the AWARE framework (Assert, Wonder, Accept, Respect, Establish), students will analyze how language patterns in slam poetry reveal speakers’ purposes while examining how people are shaped by the places they experience. Much like setting can affect the plot and characters in a story, students will explore the connection between place and identity through viewing poetry performances, engaging in guided discussions, and reflective journal writing.