Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Exploring Our Values Through Poetry: A Program for High School Youth

Alternate Activity 1: Poetry Collage

Activity time: 30 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Jazz poems created in Activity 2, Jazz Poems
  • Various art supplies, including poster board, glue, scissors, and markers
  • Old magazines

Preparation for Activity

  • Have arts and crafts supplies available. Although poster board, glue, scissors, and markers are the minimum required materials, try to include additional materials such as old magazines, felt and other fabric, pipe cleaners, paint, and the like. The more art materials youth have to work with, the richer and more varied the results will be.
  • If available, have one or more computers and printers ready so participants can choose from a variety of type fonts with which to produce their poems. Participants can also print out clip art for collages.
  • Identify a space for a temporary or long-term "gallery" in which to display the finished collages.

Description of Activity

Have participants neatly copy (or type on a computer and print out) their jazz poems. Invite each participant to make a collage that features his/her jazz poem, using whatever images, colors, and materials best represent the participant's ideas. Allow participants at least twenty minutes to create their collages.

As participants complete their collages, display them in a designated "gallery" space. As time allows, encourage participants to view and respond to the collages, using these questions:

  • Does the visual representation suit the words, challenge the words, or have some other effect?
  • How does the visual representation change the meaning of the words? Does it seem to give the words more meaning?