Shanna Martin 0:20
Thanks for listening to the Tech Tools for Teachers Podcast, where each week we talk about a free piece of technology that you can use in your classroom. I’m your host, Shanna Martin. I’m a middle school teacher, Technology and Instructional Coach for my district.
Fuzz Martin 0:33
And I’m Fuzz Martin. I’m her husband and producer. I don’t want to blow it. And I hope you know it.
Shanna Martin 0:41
Oh, you rhymed, like a poet. So clever.
Fuzz Martin 0:48
I try. Episode 114 114.
Shanna Martin 0:52
We are here. Yes. Thanks going on.
Fuzz Martin 0:55
We do. It’s a busy time of year. It is very much so. As you said in previous episodes, February for educators is
Shanna Martin 1:05
the longest month ever or
Fuzz Martin 1:07
is the longest month? Yep. And today’s the last day of February. Correct. And we’re getting through it, but
Shanna Martin 1:16
surviving. And it was only 28 days long. And yet, it’s the longest month and it is very long. This is a lot of it is third quarter. And to me the third quarter is very long for students. Yeah, because you just can’t get outside as much. And there’s not enough sunshine. Yeah. I
Fuzz Martin 1:30
mean, we’re in North. Yeah. We’re in Wisconsin, where it is currently 11 It’s snowed yesterday. We had five inches of snow yesterday. Oh,
Shanna Martin 1:38
and like three days ago, there was an ice storm. Yeah, like if you had a day off school? Yeah, really. But we had
Fuzz Martin 1:45
a you had a virtual day and two of our children had the days off, but you’re in a different district. Did you have a virtual day? Yeah. So yeah, what it meant for me was, I didn’t have to pick our kid up for school for because you have conferences. So I’m home virtually. Yeah, but it worked out. And we were here. We’re not frozen.
Shanna Martin 2:05
But no, but we could just let us all go.
Fuzz Martin 2:11
Good, good. Good one on Anna. Actually, it’s Elsa. Yeah, no, but
Shanna Martin 2:17
yeah, yeah. Yeah. Cool. So this week.
Fuzz Martin 2:21
We’re going to Disney soon. I’ll catch up on it before then.
Shanna Martin 2:25
Maybe back to your nifty little rhyme. Yeah, going on there. Why? Because this week, I have a poem generator on generators. So excited. So one of our biggest hits on the website. So if you go to web.com, the blackout poetry link that I have on there is one of the most searched things on my website besides like stem and coding and
Fuzz Martin 2:53
other things where you hit an algorithm.
Shanna Martin 2:57
I did blackout, Blackout Poetry. It’s so cool. And so if you want to check it out, it’s on the website on smartinwi.com. Yes. But I found another poem generator and this one covers like all the bases, it is so like
Fuzz Martin 3:11
14 different types of poems. Yeah, no more than that.
Shanna Martin 3:17
What it does is poems, and then there’s other tools. So we’re gonna talk about all the things so if you it’s so fun to play around with like this one. It’s definitely great for like language arts teachers, if you’re doing writing or if you’re doing a fun little like Limerick thing for St. Patrick’s Day coming up, or if you got if you’re trying to teach sonnets, or different types of poems are kind of difficult if we’re doing like rhyming couplets. You know, it’s a great way to get kids thinking and started, and it gives them a little boost when their brains are stuck. I wouldn’t necessarily go to this as like, this is how we’re gonna teach the lesson. But they do teach you about the different types of poetry too. So it’s really fun, and I thought we’d play with it today. So the website is poem P O, em, Dash generator.org.uk (poem-generator.org.uk). Okay, so that is the site poem-generator.org.uk and his poem generator, write an entire poem in less than a minute, is there a little sales pitch, which is fun, it’s free. It is free and I will kind of forewarn you. It is full of ads. Yeah, more than most sites that I go to. But it’s worth the ads and you ignore them once you click on stuff. So let’s start with when you go to poem generator, you have everything in front of you. So free verse quick poem, haiku. cinquain rhyming couplets on it. Limerick across the baseball Mother, you pick one. So let’s go with sonnet. We’ll do a little Shakespeare world today. All right, you click on poem generator, you pick on the one that you want. You attempt Close the ads which aren’t really going to close for you because they’re gonna pop up with new ones and we’ll all survive. Then they have like we take the eye out of him. I am big pentameter. Thank you. Sorry, folks. So iambic pentameter. And then you may have heard of Asana is tricky to write, frankly, like, you’d be right. But here’s some great way so it gives you a little like background, okay, and then we’ve got like Shakespeare and I love Shakespeare. So we’re gonna go through this, the the prompt, they will give you random ideas, if you want it to. You can choose if it’s a love salad or a hates on it. And then you can go through like and type in what it should be about. So we want it to be about sunshine, or her pretend sun, shine, and then three aspects of that noun. And what else we got. Yeah. And sweaty? No. It’s the sun yellow.
Fuzz Martin 5:59
Oh, the sun. I’m sorry. Okay, yellow verbs. Oh,
Shanna Martin 6:03
I just run so wet. We’re describing the poem. Verbs of the sun.
Fuzz Martin 6:09
Okay. He did
Shanna Martin 6:13
see that. Okay. Melton and burned. Okay. And then adjectives. Right? Hot intense. Wow, how many we get? Like six?
Fuzz Martin 6:41
Six more sweltering.
Shanna Martin 6:49
Wordle What do you
Fuzz Martin 6:52
will say?
Shanna Martin 6:54
How well do you know your adjectives?
Fuzz Martin 6:56
Yeah. Glorious. Yeah. Giant. Sure.
Shanna Martin 7:04
Splendid. And round K. And then a month of the year. Yeah, September.
Shanna Martin 7:12
Yeah. Now I’m sorry. We’re all longest thing. Okay. Yeah. Optional. We don’t want to go live. We’re good. If you want to go live though, if you want. If they also they’re trying to open an app. So you guys know like that’s like why this websites free right now. Yep. So if you want to be a part of that, you can put your email address and then be like, okay, okay, what’s our pen name gonna be a spaz Shin okay. And then write me us on it. And click on it. And the sonnet by funds Jan, my bright sunshine you inspire me to write, How I love the way you heated and burned invading my mind day and night always dreaming about the round concerned. Let me compare you to a pretender. You are more intense sweltering in light winds shake the leaf edge of September. And autumn time has the glorious bath. How do I love you? Let me count the ways I love your giant bright. Thinking of your night, right? Sorry, thinking of your right yellow fills my days. We didn’t do very good here. My love for you is compliant yet is the compliance. And now I must away with a splendid heart. Remember my white words whilst we’re apart? today. Poem generator wrote a sonnet.
Fuzz Martin 8:44
I wrote one while you’re reading that. Oh, okay. Can I read it to you?
Shanna Martin 8:48
Is it a sonnet or like a
Unknown Speaker 8:49
haiku? It’s called the bro in the sis. Okay.
Shanna Martin 8:53
What type of poem is it?
Fuzz Martin 8:55
It is a rhyming couplet. Okay. Yeah, see the right writing of the bro. I think he’s angry at the Grotto. He finds it hard to see the tree overshadowed by the lively Pisces. Who is that bellowing near the leaf. I think she’d like to eat the corned beef. She is but a blue sis admired as she sits upon a molasses kiss. Her yellow car is just the star. It needs no gas. It runs on Lamar. Or it runs Lamar. She is not alone. She brings a car, a pet mouse and lots of bar. My mouse likes to chase a banana. Especially one that’s in the Hannah. The brochette is at the salty orange. He wants to leave but she wants the barrage. Thank you.
Shanna Martin 9:49
Mike. Matt. Yeah, they’re not all great. No, but you could but it’s teaching the aspect of it and it’s fun. Like you can kind of pick and choose. You know how you want to adjust things or give the kid Add some of the words and they can go from there.
Fuzz Martin 10:02
So I have been experimenting at my office with AI generators for writing copy, camp. So you have to write like a product description or something. And he, you need to get it done quickly. It’s not going to do all the writing for you. But some it’s like this a lot where you can type in things and be like, Oh, that’s silly. And when I would change it to this, and pretty soon, you have a nice fully fleshed out piece of writing work without like, it helps eliminate some of the early like the beginning writer’s block the might have and helps you start somewhere, right? So yes, some of this is like goofy and silly, but you’d be like, Oh, I wouldn’t say that. I would say this. How would you edit? I think she’d like to eat the corned beef, we say like, you know, right? Yes, she has some corned beef stuck in her teeth when I cook, but yeah, so so it’s, this is cool.
Shanna Martin 10:59
It’s like a fun way to start. And what I like to add, again, there’s tons of choices. And it’s a great way just to introduce poetry, I would definitely do just because there’s a lot of computer like, I would definitely do like sixth grade on up just because of the ads and you got to have to navigate around, you have to be able to type stuff in. But what I do like to one of the options is concrete poetry, which is where it makes like the shape. So you’re writing the words, and it gives you the breakdown. And then they let you pick the shape. So they have an art Virg an Aardvark, a cat, a cheerleader, a leaf and elephant, a flamingo, they have a giant list of shapes. And so then you can write your poem, your concrete poem, and it will put it into the shape for you, which I think is kind of cool, too. So, again, there’s a lot of options with poem generator, when you click on it, you’re teaching poetry, just introducing or reviewing, it’s kind of fun to play around with, and it’s kind of just entertaining to play around with. But also what’s cool about the site. So in poem generator, you have so many options for poetry. I’m a big fan of the limerick in March, around St. Patrick’s Day. And so we’ll come up with limericks oftentimes, just for the fun of it. But also they have other generators, so you can scroll all the way down on the page. Or if you go across the top, and it says other, they have other types of generators that they have created. So if you’re looking for a plot generator for story writing, they have short stories, movie scripts, fairy tales, opening lines, twist writer’s block cure. And so they have different types of writing that you have a generator for, they also create a blurb. So you can do like line by line or crime. Or if you just need like a little piece of information, they have that they also have a song lyrics generator, and they have a character generator and like name generator, so they just have a lot of different options. So you’d like to play around with these things. Or encourage your students to try it out so that they don’t get writer’s block or to kind of like, build a project or a starting point or take something here that they’ve created and go through and edit it. There’s just a lot of different options. And it’s it’s fun to play around with and very easy to create a piece of writing very quickly, and kind of get some of those kids especially when those kids get stuck. And they’re like staring at a piece of paper. I don’t want to write poetry, right? Well, here, type in six words and look a poem is there, look what you can do, you know, and that’s, that’s kind of fun, too. Yes, they have across so they have all the boxes with the choices in the top under. Like they have a popular section structured poems. Yep. And they even have acrostic poems, and then another, you have all those different generators. So despite the ads, there are tons of options and just a fun way to get kids writing. And for all of you that like to do some poetry in your classroom. There’s just a ton of options. So yeah, I thought that was kind of fun.
Fuzz Martin 13:52
I like that a lot. I might do it again. Once we’re off there. Yep. might write you a poem.
Shanna Martin 13:57
Oh, that’s fun. Yeah, I mean, I won’t like you can read a haiku and put it by my coffee in the morning. Yes. And be like, Hi.
Fuzz Martin 14:06
You’re cool.
Shanna Martin 14:08
Drink your coffee. Yes, in up.
Fuzz Martin 14:13
So before we go, yes. No new episode next week, because you have something big. Oh, but before we get to that, I know I just I just took the wind out of your sails. One more time. For those listening. What’s the name of the site that we just covered? home generator generator? Is poem-generator.org.uk. Okay, this is the website? Yes. And we’ll link it in the show notes on this episode. Yes. Or if you’re on the website, you see the link you could just click that if you’re on smartinwi.com. Yes.
Shanna Martin 14:45
And also if you’re looking to blackout or blackout poetry, visit smartinwi.com go to the edtech directory.
Fuzz Martin 14:49
We’ll link to that in this episode as well. Yeah, that we have both of them because people love it. Yes. So all right, again. Next week is one of your favorite weeks of the year. It is And why is that
Shanna Martin 15:01
cuz it Ed camp week!
Fuzz Martin 15:03
Ed camp week.
Shanna Martin 15:05
I feel like it talks about this every year. It’s like,
Fuzz Martin 15:08
but EdCamp is a cool networking and learning event for you and fellow educators here in Wisconsin.
Shanna Martin 15:15
They have them all over the United States. Okay. I go to Ed Camp Elmbrook.
Fuzz Martin 15:20
Yes. Which is in Brookfield field Wisconsin. Elmbrook. technically correct.
Shanna Martin 15:26
And it is for free. It’s PD for teachers that is free and created by teachers. So there was like, you walk, you’re like your shoes do the the torquing kind of thing. So you go to Ed camp, you go to any Ed camp doesn’t matter. It is they have some like think they have an Illinois I know they have in New York, they have all over the place. You go, you sign up, it’s free. You even get lunch. And teachers are like, hey, I want to discuss edtech. I want to discuss equity. I want to discuss school boards. I want to discuss how to handle parents, I want to discuss how to encourage your kids during the third quarter when everyone needs to be outside and campy. I want to discuss like school budgets, whatever you want to discuss. And then you go up there to a little microphone be like, hey, I really want to any pitch, you just say hey, I think that whoever wants to talk about podcasting in classrooms, please join me and you write down a post it note. And then they go slap it up on the board and they put you in a classroom. And after the board is filled, like because all the teachers just all teacher ideas, then the time comes and they’re like, Alright, here’s the session board, and then they make a digital, or the one I go to. And then you pick what classroom you want to go to, and you go learn about the stuff you want to learn about. That’s cool. And then if you’ve learned enough, and you’re like, hey, I want to try another one. You just can say, Hey, guys, I’m heading out. And then you go the next classroom, go learn about something else. And so it’s a morning and early afternoon, all free. And it’s so fun. And you get to meet all these different teachers. And everybody’s there because they want to be there and everyone picks the PD that they want to go to. And it’s super fun. And every year I drag teachers from my school and that really drag but they don’t know what they’re, they don’t know what it is until they go and they’re like, oh my gosh, I’m gonna go every year. And then they do and more and more go.
Fuzz Martin 17:26
This voice that you just gave that in, but I won’t say who? Okay.
Shanna Martin 17:31
I do have a new partner in crime coming with me this Yes. So. But yeah, so it’s so fun and campus. So fun. So if you have the opportunity if you’re in Wisconsin, and you can still sign up for Ed camp Elmbrook you can go sign up. If you go on my Twitter page, you’ll see I’m always like tagging up camp elements stuff. And if
Fuzz Martin 17:49
you do go to Ed camp in Elmbrook, Shanna has some cool tech tools for teachers party. Swag that should be given away.
Shanna Martin 17:57
Yeah, I donate a bunch of swag. Yeah, there’s all kinds of fun stuff. Yep. freebies, and everything’s free. So that’s the thing too. So when you go, it’s free, the PDFs free, lunches free. And then all these sponsors donate free stuff. So like the one in Wisconsin, I know that there’s Pear Deck things. There is super cool. tacticals for teachers T shirts. There is usually like bucks stuff and sometimes some stuff for Miller Park, but it’s the everybody gets tickets and then you get to win prizes too, for going to free PD with free lunch, right? The whole thing. It’s just super awesome. I’m so excited.
Fuzz Martin 18:36
I’m excited for you. I mean, I will be there. I’ll be here.
Shanna Martin 18:40
You will be but yeah, like every year I just like run out the door like I can’t day and last year is virtual, which was fun. Yeah, like are fun learning about learning. I like to learn about learning. It’s so fun. So anyway, busy weekend, next weekend, there will not be a podcast because I will be at Ed camp and
Fuzz Martin 18:56
has a competition. Yes. State
Shanna Martin 18:59
State Tournament. So we will not be available to have a title search podcast. But we will have one the following week right before spring break. So oh yeah, we will have one in there. Sounds good. So that way you can listen to all the tech tools for teachers podcast while you are. Taking a walk over spring break. Like I tell you traveling I know.
Fuzz Martin 19:22
Yeah. While you’re on a plane on a plane. Make sure hit the download button. So it’s saved later on to use your your plane, the planes Wi Fi which is unreliable.
Shanna Martin 19:35
Am I gonna hear so off base right now? That’s cool, though. But anyway, I came out rock
Fuzz Martin 19:41
at Camp Elmbrook and read some
Shanna Martin 19:45
poetry. All right. Thanks for tuning in. This has been the tech tools for teachers podcast. If you ever have any questions, you can find me on Twitter at @smartinwi. And if you want to get more information on the links the technology discussed in this episode, you can visit smartinwi.com. If you’d like to support the show, please consider buying me a coffee or to visit buy me a coffee.com/smartinwi or visit smartinwi.com and click on that cute little purple coffee cup. Your donations help keep the show going. New episodes each week. Thanks for listening, go educate and innovate.
Fuzz Martin 20:19
The ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast in the smartinwi website are those of the author Shanna Martin and not of her employer? Prior to using any of the technologies discussed in this podcast? Please consult with your employer regulations. This podcast offers no guarantee that these tools will work for you as described, but we sure hope they do.
Fuzz Martin 20:58
Whose podcast is that? I think I know. It’s the owner. She’s quite happy though. full of joy like a vivid rainbow. I watch her laugh. I cry Hello. She gives her podcasts a shake and laughs until her belly aches. The only other sounds the break of distant waves and birds awake. The podcast is friendly, inquisitive and deep. But she has promises to keep after cake and lots of sleep. Sweet dreams come to her cheap. She rises from her gentle bed with thoughts of puppies in her head. She eats her jam with lots of bread ready for the day ahead.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
