Technology is constantly evolving, and AI is undoubtedly here to stay. As educators, it’s our responsibility to remain perpetual learners, not just to keep pace but to empower our students to make informed choices and utilize technology effectively. I firmly believe that by modeling this behavior of continuous learning and a willingness to adapt, the learners I encounter will be inspired to cultivate the same crucial skills.
In my previous post, I shared our initial explorations into the world of AI and app smashing, detailing how we creatively combined Magic Student, Seesaw, and Book Creator. Today, I’m excited to delve into our next adventure: how we harnessed the power of Canva and Magic Student to plan and teach a poetry unit that culminated in a truly engaging Poetry Video Podcast.
Planning and Presentation with Canva AI:
Inspired by the free “Canva AI in the Classroom” course, I used the AI features within Canva to create two key poetry lessons: one focusing on the visual form of Shape Poetry and another exploring the concise structure of Haikus. For our Shape Poetry lesson, we the fascinating world of spirals after reading a captivating nonfiction book highlighting their presence in the environment.
To take it one step further, I asked Canva to help create presentations based on these lesson plans. This saved valuable preparation time and provided visually engaging materials tailored to the concepts we were exploring.
Empowering Student Choice with Magic Student’s Poetry Room:
As my second graders prepared to embark on their own poetic journeys, I introduced them to a dedicated “Poetry Room” within Magic Student. This digital space offered them agency and support in their creative process. Some students eagerly utilized the Idea Generator to spark initial concepts for their poems, while others astutely used it for feedback on their developing ideas. This demonstrated a wonderful early development of their metacognitive skills as writers, making informed choices about the support they needed.
Collaborative Creation in Canva Classroom:
The next stage involved bringing their poetic words to life visually using Canva. We began by collaboratively creating a template within Canva. This was a fantastic opportunity to explicitly teach them how to utilize text effects and layer elements, fostering an understanding of design principles for a more polished final product. Once our shared template was established, I duplicated it for each student and assigned it through Canva Classroom. This allowed us to work simultaneously within the same slide deck, fostering a sense of community and shared creation. It was inspiring to witness the diverse ways students chose to enhance their poems visually. Some experimented with AI image generators within Canva, while others carefully selected graphics or photographs that resonated with their poetic themes.
Unexpected Inspiration: From Slides to Sound:
Our initial plan was to conclude the project with their visually rich poetry slides. However, during our Spring break, I dedicated an hour to exploring the “What’s new in Canva – March edition” webinar. This proved to be an unexpectedly transformative moment! I was particularly excited by the demonstration of Canva’s enhanced video and audio features, sparking an idea to take our poetry project a step further – into the realm of video podcasts.
Creating Poetry Video Podcasts:
Upon our return from the break, I found moments when learners were focused on independent learning to record each learner for our podcast. Using my MacBook’s microphone and Canva’s remarkable new “enhance audio” feature, we captured their voices reading their poetry and sharing their knowledge of poetry. The result was truly impressive – despite the recording taking place within a busy classroom environment, the enhanced audio clarity made it sound as if we were in a professional recording studio!
The journey of our poetry unit, from initial brainstorming with Magic Student to the creation of engaging video podcasts in Canva, has been a testament to the power of integrating AI and innovative digital tools. It’s been inspiring to witness my second graders not only deepen their understanding of poetry but also develop their digital literacy and creative expression in such dynamic ways.
And thanks to Canva’s Visual Suite 2.0, launched just last week, I can easily share all the diverse materials created throughout this unit – planning notes, Canva presentations, and an excerpt from the final video podcast – all within one easily accessible slide deck.
Now, I’d love to hear from you! How are you exploring the possibilities of AI and app smashing in your elementary classroom? What creative projects are you and your students embarking on? Share your experiences and ideas in the comments below – let’s continue to learn and grow together in this exciting era of educational technology!
Honor Learners 