Are you ready to embark on a whirlwind journey of teaching poetry that will stir your students’ creativity and boost their appreciation for this beautiful form of expression?
Teaching poetry is much more than mere lessons from dusty textbooks. It’s an opportunity to instill a love for language, rhythm, and imagery in our students. And what better way to do this than through lively poetry activities that make the process of learning to write poetry an exciting adventure?
In this blog post, we’ll delve into practical strategies, activities, and ideas to teach poetry, that are guaranteed to breathe life into your poetry teaching, transforming your poetry lessons into captivating escapades that your students will love. So, let’s jump into the magical world of teaching poetry!
Setting the Stage for Poetry
Before your students begin to write their first line of free verse poetry, or pen their original poems, it’s crucial to provide them with an understanding of poetic devices. This forms the backbone of their poetry lessons and enhances their capacity to craft vibrant and expressive poems.
Here are the important poetic devices that will become the foundation of your poetry unit.
Alliteration: The repetition of the same initial letter or sound in a series of words. For example, “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
Simile: A comparison of two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. For example, “The moon was as bright as a spotlight in the dark night.”
Metaphor: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’. For example, “Life is a rollercoaster.”
Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates the natural sounds of a thing. For example, “Buzz”, “hiss”, or “murmur”.
Hyperbole: Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally. For example, “I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!”
Personification: Giving human attributes to non-human entities. For example, “The flowers danced in the wind.”
Rhyme: The correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words. For example, in this Langston Hughes poem: “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. / It’s had tacks in it, and splinters, / And boards torn up…”
Free Verse: Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter. For example, Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” is largely written in free verse.
Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. For example, “Hear the mellow wedding bells.”
Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds, typically at the end of words. For example, “She ate seven sandwiches on a sunny Sunday last year.”
SVG Image Map Example
Why not transform your classroom into a haven for poetry?
A poetry wall that features different poems and poets each week, or a ‘Poetree’, where students can hang their own poems, are fun ways to introduce poetry and make it a focal point of your classroom. These activities not only create an environment that promotes poetry, but they also expose students to a range of poetic voices and styles.
Interactive Poetry Activities
Once the stage is set, it’s time to plunge into the heart of your poetry unit with interactive activities.
Classroom Poetry Spaces
Poetry Corner or Wall
Designate a space in your classroom to showcase poetry.
Rotate different styles of poetry, student-created poems, and pieces from famous poets.
Encourage students to read poems and engage with the work of their peers and professional poets.
Poetry Journals
Encourage students to keep a journal of their own poems, favorite poems, and reflections about poetry.
Serve as a personal poetry anthology and a tool for self-reflection.
Poetry Blog or Forum
Establish a class blog or forum where students can publish their own poems.
Offer constructive feedback on their peers’ works.
Promote digital literacy.
Collaborative and Interactive Poetry
Collaborative Poems
Challenge students to write a poem together.
Each student writes a line, then passes the paper to the next person to write the next line.
Foster creativity and teamwork.
Found Poems
Have students create their own poems using words, phrases, or sentences from other texts such as newspapers, books, or magazines.
Magnetic Poetry
Provide students with words on magnets.
Encourage them to create their own poem on a metal surface.
Engage younger students and help them understand the building blocks of poetry.
Blackout Poetry
Give students an old newspaper or book page.
Have them black out all but a few words to create their own poem.
Teach students about diamante poems, which are shaped like diamonds and use nouns, adjectives, and gerunds.
Have them write their own poems about summer themes, such as sunsets, the beach, or vacations.
Exploration Through Art and Writing Journals
Art and writing often go hand in hand in the realm of self-expression.
Encouraging your students to visually represent their favorite poems or even their own poetry in their writing journals can help them connect more deeply with the emotions and ideas expressed in the poems.
Their poetry journals can also serve as a place for them to reflect on what inspired them, their favorite phrases, and how writing their own poems makes them feel. This not only fosters a deeper connection with poetry but also serves as a record of their personal journey through your poetry unit.
Here’s a short guide on how to start a writing journal for your poetry teaching lessons:
Starting a Writing Journal for Your Poetry Teaching Lessons
Introduce the Concept of a Writing Journal
Introduce your students to the concept of a writing journal.
Explain that this will be their personal space to:
Jot down ideas
Play with words
Write short poems
Express their thoughts freely
Read aloud an entry from a published writer’s journal or a student’s journal (with permission) to give students an idea of what a writing journal can look like.
Provide the Journals
Ask students to bring their own journals or provide them yourself.
Choose journals that are:
Durable
Inviting
Encourage students to decorate the cover of their journals to make them truly their own.
Set the Ground Rules
Make sure students understand that their journals are a safe space for experimentation.
Emphasize that this space is free from the usual rules of writing they might encounter in an English class:
Write in fragments rather than complete sentences.
Play with punctuation.
Break the lines however they like.
Encourage students to explore their own voice through writing poetry and free verse poems.
Begin with a Writing Prompt
Kickstart the writing process by providing a prompt:
A single word
A line from a favorite poem
An interesting image
Encourage students to write whatever comes to their mind without worrying about it being perfect.
Focus on letting their thoughts flow freely.
Regularly Dedicate Time to Journal Writing
Carve out some time in each class for students to write in their journals:
At the start of the class to warm up
In the middle to explore a new concept
At the end to reflect on the lesson
Regularly dedicating time to journal writing reinforces its importance and helps students develop a habit of writing.
Share and Celebrate
Encourage students who are comfortable to share their journal entries with the class.
Celebrate their:
Courage
Creativity
The beauty of their words
Remember, the goal isn’t to critique but to appreciate the effort and creativity.
Exploring Different Poetry Styles and Formats
The world of poetry is vast and varied. From acrostic poems to shape poems to free verse poetry that allows students to express themselves in their own voice, there’s a style or format that will resonate with each of your students. Sometimes, starting with structured poem types can help students who don’t feel quite comfortable with their poetry writing.
Haiku:
A traditional form of Japanese poetry, a haiku consists of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable count.
Example: An old silent pond… A frog jumps into the pond— Splash! Silence again.
Cinquain:
An American five-line poem with syllable and stress counts. There are two types: the American cinquain and the didactic cinquain.
Example (American Cinquain): Snowfall Flakes drop silently Softly blanketing the earth Peaceful hush covers the landscape Winter
Example (Didactic Cinquain): Butterfly Beautiful, graceful Flitting, fluttering, flying Friend of the colorful flowers Insect
Sonnet:
A 14-line poem typically with a strict rhyme scheme, traditionally dealing with themes of love and beauty. Shakespearean and Petrarchan are the most popular sonnet forms.
Example (Shakespearean Sonnet – Sonnet 18): Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate…
Acrostic:
A poem where the first letter of each line spells out a word, name, or phrase when read vertically.
Example:
Striving towards goals Understanding the journey Conquering challenges Cultivating skills Embracing opportunities Seeking growth Savoring achievements
Limerick:
A five-line humorous or nonsensical poem with a specific rhythm and rhyme scheme (AABBA).
Example: There once was a man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket…
Villanelle:
A 19-line poem with a complex pattern of repetition and a specific rhyme scheme.
Example: Dylan Thomas’s “Do not go gentle into that good night”
Tanka:
Another form of Japanese poetry, containing five lines with a syllable count of 5-7-5-7-7.
Example: Light of the bright moon Moves west, flowers’ shadows Creep towards the east Here is the long night I’ve waited for A night with no dawn.
Add a Little Fun to Your Structured Poetry
There are numerous ways to introduce fun twists into the poetry writing process to help students write their own poems. Here are a few ideas:
Engaging Poetry Activities
Poetry Bingo
Create a bingo board with different poetic elements or themes in each square (metaphor, alliteration, nature imagery, etc.).
Students must write a poem that includes a line with each element in a completed row, column, or diagonal.
Poetry Jigsaw
Each student writes a line of poetry on a slip of paper.
Collect all the slips and redistribute them randomly.
Students then have to create a poem incorporating the line they received.
Word Grab Bag
Students pick out a handful of words from a bag (words you’ve prepared in advance).
They must incorporate all of them into their poem.
Image Inspiration
Students draw a random image from a collection.
Write a poem inspired by what they see.
Creative Poetry Prompts
Mystery Emotion
Students choose an emotion out of a hat.
Write a poem that evokes that emotion without naming it.
Collaborative Poem
Each student contributes a line to the poem, building off the lines that came before.
This can be done in a round-robin format or as a “pass the paper” game.
Story Dice
Similar to your syllable game, students can roll story dice (dice with images instead of numbers).
They have to include the elements shown in their poem.
Musical Poems
Play a piece of instrumental music.
Ask the students to write a poem that matches the mood or story of the music.
Thematic Poetry Activities
Spin a Theme
Use a spinner with different themes or topics (nature, friendship, space, etc.) on it.
Students spin and write a poem on the theme they land on.
Favorite Poem Challenge
Students choose a line from a favorite poem.
Write their own poem inspired by or as a response to that line.
These activities can add excitement and creativity to your structured poetry lessons, helping students engage more deeply with the poetic process and express themselves in unique ways.
Writing Poetry with a Friend
Collaborative Poetry Writing
Poetry Pair Writing
Two students work together to write a poem.
One student writes the first line, then the second student writes the next, and so on.
Encourages students to read and respond to each other’s writing in a creative way.
Group Poetry Anthology
Divide students into small groups to create their own poetry anthology.
Groups can write original poems or select and analyze published poems.
Each group picks a theme for their anthology and creates a cohesive collection.
Partnered Poetry Activities
Two-Voice Poems
Partners collaborate to write a poem meant to be read aloud by two people.
Each partner writes from a different perspective or voice, taking turns reading their lines.
Jigsaw Poetry
Divide a poem into parts and give each small group a part to analyze and interpret.
Groups present their findings to the class, piecing the entire poem together.
Collaborative Found Poem
Give each group a short story or novel chapter.
Groups create a found poem by selecting words and phrases from the text and arranging them into a poem.
Group Poetry Activities
Poetry Debate
Choose a poem that can generate different interpretations.
After reading and discussing the poem, students debate what they think the poet meant.
Poetry Walk
In groups, students go for a walk around the school grounds or local area, noting their surroundings.
After the walk, each group collaborates on a poem about their journey.
Group Poetry Performance
Each group chooses a poem to perform in front of the class.
They can create gestures, choose different voices, or even create a skit around the poem.
Shared Poetry Projects
Shared Poetry Books
Each group gets a blank book to write poems on a shared theme.
Every student contributes, passing the book around until it’s full.
Song Lyrics as Poetry
Groups choose a song and analyze the lyrics as if they were a poem.
Discuss poetic devices, themes, and emotional impact.
These activities can help students collaborate and engage with poetry in a fun and interactive way, fostering creativity and teamwork.
Inspiration and Imagery
Teaching poetry is about encouraging students to tap into their own experiences and express them through the medium of words. Encourage students to find poems and to write about everyday objects, events, or people they know, stimulating them to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
You could also try a ‘poetry walk’ around the school grounds or a local park. Experiencing nature firsthand can evoke strong feelings and vibrant imagery, leading to captivating poems.
Reading and Performance
What’s the use of creating wonderful poems if they’re left buried in notebooks?
Let’s bring poetry to life with poetry reading sessions, where students read their poems aloud, reveling in the rhythm and musicality of their words. You might even want to try a ‘Poetry Slam’ where students perform their poems, turning their poetry lessons into a lively and memorable event.
Setting Up A Poetry Nook in Your Classroom
Setting up a poetry nook in your classroom can create a cozy and inspiring space for students to engage with poetry. Here’s a guide on how to set up a poetry nook, along with a list of poetry books to add to the station:
Choose a Location
Decorate the Space
Select a quiet and comfortable corner of your classroom.
Ensure it’s a place where students can gather to read and write poetry.
Consider a cozy reading area with cushions, bean bags, or comfortable chairs.
Create an inviting atmosphere by decorating the poetry nook.
Hang posters or artwork related to poetry.
Display student-written poems.
Use colorful bunting and string lights to add a touch of whimsy.
Arrange Poetry Books
Fill the poetry nook with a variety of poetry books. Here are some recommendations:For Elementary School:
“A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Louis Stevenson
“Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein
“Falling Up” by Shel Silverstein
“Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons” by Jon J Muth
“A Pizza the Size of the Sun” by Jack Prelutsky
For Middle School:
“Love That Dog” by Sharon Creech
“Out of the Dust” by Karen Hesse
“Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson
“Inside Out & Back Again” by Thanhha Lai
“Red Butterfly” by A.L. Sonnichsen
For High School:
“The Poetry of Robert Frost”
“Selected Poems” by Emily Dickinson
“The Essential Rumi” translated by Coleman Barks
“Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur
“The Sun and Her Flowers” by Rupi Kaur
Include Poetry Anthologies
Add poetry anthologies to the collection, which provide a range of poems from various poets. Some popular anthologies include:
“The Norton Anthology of Poetry”
“The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry”
“Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry” edited by Billy Collins
“The Best American Poetry” series edited by David Lehman (published annually)
Poetry Writing Resources
Include resources that inspire and guide students in writing their own poetry. Recommended books:
“A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms” by Paul B. Janeczko
“Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words” by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge
Writing Materials
Provide writing materials such as:
Notebooks
Colored pencils
Markers
Sticky notes
Encourage students to jot down their own poems or favorite lines from the books they read.
Display Student Poetry
Create a section in the poetry nook to showcase student poetry.
Encourage students to submit their poems.
Periodically rotate the displayed works.
Update the Selection
Periodically update and refresh the selection of books in your poetry nook to keep it engaging and relevant for students.
Setting up a poetry nook can greatly enhance your classroom’s atmosphere, fostering a love for poetry and encouraging students to express themselves creatively.
Are you Ready to Teach Poetry?
So, there you have it! A treasure trove of ideas to enrich your poetry teaching strategies.
Just remember: teaching poetry isn’t about producing the next Poet Laureate.
It’s about inspiring students to express themselves through words, to appreciate the beauty and versatility of language, and to enjoy the process of creating their own poems.
May these poetry activities ignite your passion for teaching poetry and make your poetry lessons the highlight of your students’ learning journey. And remember, every great poet had a first great poetry teacher – who knows, that teacher could be you! Let’s make every month National Poetry Month!
Have More Ideas?
I hope these ideas spark new ways to enjoy teaching poetry in your classroom. Together, let’s create a generation that appreciates and loves poetry. If you’ve tried any of these ideas or have additional tips, please share them in the comments. After all, teachers learn best from other teachers!
