{"id":5444,"date":"2025-04-13T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/?p=5444"},"modified":"2025-05-11T20:04:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T00:04:34","slug":"how-to-write-blackout-poetry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/how-to-write-blackout-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching High Schoolers How to Write Blackout Poetry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Looking for a fun, hands-on way to engage students with poetry? Then blackout poetry is exactly what you need! Blackout poetry, black-out poetry, or erasure poetry is the perfect way to ease reluctant students into poetry writing.<\/strong> In this post, I will share how to write blackout poetry with your students!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blackout poetry is a fantastic way to engage high school students in creative thinking and literary analysis. By turning existing text into new poems, students can explore themes, experiment with language, and even break through writer’s block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re looking for a resource to make this super easy, check out my Black Out and Found Poetry Lesson<\/a>!<\/strong> Included are directions for both blackout and found poetry (another great hands-on poem type). <\/p>\n\n\n

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Pinterest pin that reads, \"Teaching High Schoolers How to Write Blackout Poetry\" on the image of a black marker on a yellow background<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What Is Blackout Poetry?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blackout poetry, also known as erasure poetry, is a form of found poetry where poets take an existing text and remove or “black out” words to reveal a new poem. <\/p>\n\n\n

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This resource for Blackout and Found Poetry includes a slideshow and printable directions for students to help you get them started!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The final poem is a derivative work, using the original text as inspiration but creating something entirely unique. Instead of starting with a blank piece of paper, students transform a random page into art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an especially great type of poem for students who are reluctant to write or nervous about attempting poetry. Instead of starting with a blank page they have to fill, students have a fill page they have to cull!<\/strong> It’s less intimidating and gets their minds thinking in a new way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of blackout poetry dates back to the Dada movement, which used random words and newspaper articles to create unexpected meanings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More recently, Austin Kleon popularized the form with his book Newspaper Blackout<\/em>. Other well-known blackout poets include Tom Phillips and Caleb Whiteford, who have taken pages of text and turned them into striking visual poetry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check them out if you want to find some great examples of blackout poetry to show your students!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Pinterest pin that reads, \"Teaching High Schoolers How to Write Blackout Poetry\" over the image of three uncapped black markers<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Where to Find Text for Blackout Poetry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Blackout poetry is low prep. All you really need is text that students can black out and some black markers or Sharpies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because this is a type of found poem, don’t create new texts for this activity. Old pieces of newspaper or books are best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This should be a cheap or completely free activity for your classroom.<\/strong> Don’t go buy a bunch of books just for your students to Sharpie!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding the right source text is key to a successful blackout poetry lesson. Here are some great options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n