Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

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Shelby Blackwood

LEARN Author

K20 Center

Academic Credentials

Master of Education in Educational Technology
East Central Oklahoma University 2015
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
East Central Oklahoma University 1998

About Me

Shelby Blackwood is the English Language Arts Online Learning Writer at the K20 Center for Educational and Community Renewal. Shelby works collaboratively with other content curriculum writers and instructional designers in developing online instruction and curriculum to assist teachers in implementing the Oklahoma Academic Standards. Shelby’s mission in education is to cultivate the love of learning and encourage creativity, compassion, and innovation.

Recent Publications

Speak Your Truth

Techniques in Spoken Word Poetry

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

There is a special kind of magic in hearing the words you have written spoken out loud. Spoken word poetry is meant to be heard and performed rather than read silently from a page. In this lesson, students analyze the techniques spoken word poets use to engage an audience and examine the devices they... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson
Speak Your Truth

Techniques in Spoken Word Poetry

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts, ICAP

Course Course

  • Composition, Creative Writing

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 10.7.R.1, 10.7.W.2
More 2 weeks
Time Frame
That Which We Call a Rose

Connotation and Denotation in Romeo and Juliet

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th Grade

Do words matter? Does our choice of words affect the attitudes of others? In this lesson, students will explore the denotation and connotation of different words from Romeo and Juliet and how word choice affects understanding and perception of an author’s writing. This is a multimodality lesson, which... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid
That Which We Call a Rose

Connotation and Denotation in Romeo and Juliet

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th Grade

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 9.4.R.4, 9.4.R.5
More 2-3 periods
Time Frame
Where I'm From

Poetry

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 8th - 10th

In this lesson, students explore themes of community and identity by analyzing a poem and creating their own poem inspired by the themes. Through these activities, students reflect deeply on their lives and learn to apply a variety of literary devices that allow them to express their creativity and... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 8th - 10th

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 9.2.W.1, 9.3.R.4
More 3-4 days
Time Frame 50 minutes
The Power of Poetry

Perspectives in Poetry

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

In this lesson, students compare and contrast the poem, "The Hill We Climb," and an excerpt from the speech, "I Have a Dream," and analyze how the authors' messages are made clear through their word choices and rhetorical strategies. Students compose a poem, evaluate how poetry can be used to send a... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid
The Power of Poetry

Perspectives in Poetry

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 10th

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 9.3.R.1, 9.3.R.2, 9.3.R.7
More 2-3 class periods
Time Frame 120-180 minutes
Honesty Is the Best Policy?

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 11th

Truth is a powerful thing. Sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it is hard to deliver. In this multi-genre lesson, students will analyze and compare three texts written on the subject of honesty. Students will determine the claim a text is arguing and the evidence and reasoning that is used to support... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid
Honesty Is the Best Policy?

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 11th

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 10.3.R.7, 10.3.W.4
More 2-3 class periods
Time Frame 120 - 180 minutes
The History of Spoken Word Poetry

Historical and Cultural Perspectives in Literature

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

In this lesson, students evaluate the historical and cultural perspectives behind spoken word poetry. Students review several spoken word poems and analyze their historical, cultural, and social connections while studying the history of spoken word poetry. Students then demonstrate and justify their... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid
The History of Spoken Word Poetry

Historical and Cultural Perspectives in Literature

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 9th - 12th

Subject Subject

  • English/Language Arts

Copied To Clipboard Standards

  • 10.3.R.1
More 2 - 3 class periods
Time Frame 120 - 180 minutes
Setting, It's Where It's At

Setting and Conflict

In this lesson, students experiment with changing the settings in well-known fairy tales and examine how conflict might change in a different setting. Students explore the Prologue from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and analyze how the setting affects the conflict. After analyzing and comparing different... Read more »

Lesson 5E Lesson Online Hybrid
Setting, It's Where It's At

Setting and Conflict

More
Time Frame

In this professional learning session, participants will engage in collaborative writing activities, discover how writing can increase student engagement, and leave with strategies and resources that can be implemented immediately in their classrooms. Read more »

Tag Target Audience

  • Teachers

User Group Group Size

  • Small Group, Whole Class

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Active Engagement, Compare & Contrast, Writing, Writing Across Curriculum
More
Time Frame 60-90 minutes
30-Second Expert

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 3rd - 12th

This collaborative strategy can be used to introduce new material or to review texts that students have read. 30-Second Expert helps students summarize and synthesize information in a brief, reciprocal activity. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Small Group

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Explore/Learning Activity, Explain/Closing, Evaluate/Assessment

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 10 - 20 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Active Engagement, Collaborate, Conversation Starter, Critical Thinking, Interpret, Review, Speak & Listen, Summarize, Synthesize

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 3rd - 12th
It Says, I Say, and So

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

The It Says, I Say, and So strategy is a visual scaffold to support student thinking when making inferences and drawing conclusions. This strategy can be used with struggling students at most grade levels. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Individual, Small Group

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Explore/Learning Activity, Explain/Closing

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 20 - 30 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Analyze, Critical Thinking, Infer

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th