Mash-up: Online Article + Google Drawing = Blackout Poetry

If you haven't heard of Blackout Poetry, please check out the Austin Kleon website and Newspaper Blackout website. The concept is simple, but loads of fun and I felt empowered after my poetry creation. 

You can preselect the newspaper article or allow students to find an article of their choosing. While I am all about allowing students choice, I would be intrigued to see all of the poems that would come from one piece of published writing. 

Tools you will need:

• Computer with internet access
• Newspaper Website (any will do)
• Screenshot tool (on the computer or Chrome extension, such as Awesome Screenshot)
• Google Drawing

I wouldn't by any means consider myself a poet, but within 10 minutes I was able to take a screenshot of an article - the first one I came across - put it into Google, and create a poem. It might not be the best, but I am proud of my poem. 

Here is a video that will show you how students can perform this same activity. 

What a fun way to get students engaged in writing and creating masterpieces from someone else's published thoughts.