Last week fellow poet-blogger Patricia Franz taught me how to make videos on Canva. It’s so easy that my students picked up on it pretty quickly. I had to do some of the audio and adjusting time on each image, but they were able to add elements, text, and record their own voices.
I will be sharing this lesson this week at NCTE in a session I am giving called “Are Your Words Like My Words: Accessing Your Inner Light Through Poetry” on Thursday at 11:00 AM. I’m excited to be presenting live, in person again and alongside two of my favorite poets, Laura Shovan and Mary lee Hahn.
My book Bayou Song opens with an I am poem, I am a Beckoning Brown Bayou. I projected this poem for my students. We discussed the alliteration of the opening line and how each line begins with an I + action. They selected their own topic and wrote their own poems. Here is a link to the Google doc I am form.
Reflections on the Teche 
I am so impressed with these videos and poems, Margaret! Your students did a wonderful job and picked up on the how-to much more quickly than I have. Good luck with your presentation at NCTE. I miss seeing everyone, but won’t be attending this year. Will be thinking of all of you!
I will see you SOON! Looking forward to it. I am going to try out this video and music idea on Canva. Thanks for sharing!!
I should learn this!!! PS Keep me in mind for NCTE in the future maybe???? I am not coming this year, sadly but my heart is with all of my poetry and literacy friends!!!! I do have a Canva account and am in the process of trying to learn. I am SLOW. Truly.
Margaret, I won’t be there in time for your Thursday presentation since I’m arriving later that afternoon, but I look forward to learning more about this platform from you. Safe travels to Anaheim!
What Kim said, arriving late Thursday, but Canva is a wonderful tool and your students made it sing! What a resource to share with others.
Ah, the kids had fun w/ this, yes? Technology is a wonderful tool for illuminating poetry. Sadly, this session conflicts w/ one of mind, but I will see you Friday morning and evening. Good luck w/ this presentation.
I noticed that. There are always so many conflicts when you want to see it all! This blog post is my small part of the presentation.