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Spoken Word For Kids

With Project LEAD’s Spoken Word For Kids curriculum, children have the unique opportunity to enhance their academic skills while developing leadership skills through the self-expression and performance of spoken word poetry. In today’s classrooms, self-expression is often minimally integrated into curriculum as standardized testing and college preparation take center stage. Spoken Word For Kids empowers children with Language Arts, public speaking, and creative tools that transcend the walls of the classroom, providing them with a platform to share their perspectives and experiences as they become the LEADers of tomorrow.

Project LEAD’s Spoken Word For Kids takes children on a journey of self-discovery through the medium of poetry as performance. Within each lesson, students spend time practicing foundational warm up exercises for performing, including diction, enunciation, projection, and breathing games. Students explore age-appropriate spoken word performances for inspiration and skill development, focusing on utilizing powerful literary elements including rhyme, alliteration, onomatopoeias, similes, metaphors, repetition, personification, hyperboles, symbolism, tone, and mood. Students learn to use these literary skills to articulate their thoughts, feelings, perspectives, and experiences in a series of written poems. From here, students bring their written words to life by participating in workshops to develop a performance style with intentional body language, meaningful tone and diction, and personal stylistic touches to enhance their performances.

Students who participate in Project LEAD’s Spoken Word For Kids are not only improving their writing, language and speaking skills, but they are also finding their voice, learning to express their perspectives on issues that affect them, and building a sense of identity. For children, seeing themselves as having something important to say and having the tools and outlet to say it go hand in hand when developing the skills to take on leadership roles and create change in the future.

Current Phase Of Spoken Word For Kids Curriculum Development

Spoken Word For Kids Curriculum Package Options

Weekly Curriculum

Elementary School

Age Range:

3rd - 5th Grade

Class Duration:

10 Weeks

Class Frequency:

Weekly

Lesson Duration:

1 Hour

Middle School

Age Range:

6th - 8th Grade

Class Duration:

10 Weeks

Class Frequency:

Weekly

Lesson Duration:

1 Hour

Day Camp Curriculum

Ages 9-12

Class Duration:

2 Weeks

Class Frequency:

Daily, Monday-Friday

Daily Duration:

9am-3pm, or 6 hours total

Ages 12-16

Class Duration:

2 Weeks

Class Frequency:

Daily, Monday-Friday

Daily Duration:

9am-3pm, or 6 hours total

Common Core State Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.