Are you a fan of The Giving Tree? Use these free worksheets & poetry study printables to use alongside Shel Silverstein Poems.
What is blackout poetry? Poetry writing that all students can feel successful with. Here's how to teach it. Freebie included!
Do you hate to teach poetry? Do you want your students to learn and enjoy poetry? Try these simple ways to learn how to teach poetry...
Analyzing poetry is a skill all our students need to develop. While students are required to investigate poems often, poetry analysis is still something that many students struggle with. That's why I'm a big fan of practice! I love to give students lots of opportunities to closely read and analyze poetry. (And I've put together a FREE one-pager that students can use with any poem!) POETRY ANALYSIS TIPS When putting together a poetry analysis lesson, here are some tips I follow: ✔ TIP 1: Select a poem that is long enough for students to adequately investigate, but not too long to make the process overwhelming. ✔ TIP 2: Provide students with background information about the author of the poem. This helps to build context and connections to the poem. ✔ TIP 3: Choose a poem with at least one form of figurative language for students to identify and describe. ✔ TIP 4: Have students read the poem multiple times. You might read the poem out loud first. Then, students might read the poem in a small group or with a partner. Finally, students can read the poem independently. ✔ TIP 5: Give students tasks that become more complex with each reading. POETRY ANALYSIS TASKS Then, when I'm actually teaching an analysis lesson, here are 4 analysis tasks that work with ANY poem (Don't worry, you can download the entire lesson for FREE here.): Task 1: Reflect After students read a poem, have them reflect on what the poem made them think about and how the poem made them feel. When students share what the poem make them think about they'll be able to pull main ideas from the text. Then, when they share how they felt, they'll need to think more deeply about the poem. Task 2: Visualize When students have completed a second reading of the poem, have them select a line or lines from the poem that helped them create a mental image in their minds. Students should write the lines down. Then, have students doodle an actual illustration to portray the words in the poem. Task 3: Figurative Language Share the definition for a type of figurative language found in the poem with students. Then, have students read the poem a third time. As they read, encourage them to be on the lookout for an example of the figurate language. Once students find an example have them write it down before explaining its meaning. Task 4: Theme Once students read the poem for a final time, have them respond to a short answer question that requires them to identify the theme of the poem. As students write their analyses, encourage them to include direct quotes from the poem. These analysis tasks build in difficulty and encourage students to naturally dive deeply into the text. If you're looking for poems for students to analyze, check out my favorite poems to teach here: ⭐ 5 Favorite Poems for Middle School ⭐ Funny Poems for Kids ⭐ Poems that Teach Growth Mindset ⭐ 20 Poems and 80 Analysis Tasks Download the FREE Doodle One-Pager HERE. Thanks for stopping by! Mary Beth P.S. Check out these 5 fun ways to teach poetry!
Warning: I am not an artist and I am not a poet! But I like doing artsy things and I love books! I have been seeing tons of blackout poetry examples on Pinterest and they look really cool! So I dec…
I've put together 30 poetry activities for reading poetry, writing poems, and incorporating poetry into your other subjects and lesson plans.
Teaching blackout poetry is an engaging way to help spruce up your poetry unit. Show a few examples, and your students will be eager to create a blackout masterpiece of their own. Keep reading to learn what blackout poetry is and just what you need to do to teach it. So, you’re thinking about teaching… Read More »A Beginner’s Guide To Teaching Blackout Poetry
June 2, 2016 The popular app Poetics is free today and only for a limited period of time. Poetics provides students with a powerful tool to combine imagery and words to create expressive poems and engage in creative poetry writing activities. Similar to Poetics, we curated five more interesting iPad apps you can use with your students in class to enhance their poetry learning. Check them out and share with us your feedback. Enjoy 1- Poetics- create, write and share visual poetry ‘Poetics is a visual poetry app that combines moveable text with photographic imagery.Take a picture and write anything you feel, whether a poem, one word or a caption. Or start with text and add an image later. At the touch of a finger, words playfully collide and interact, giving a physical feeling and connection as you scale, rotate, lift and drop them.’ 2- POETRY from The Poetry Foundation ‘With the Poetry Foundation's universal iOS app, you can now take thousands of poems by classic and contemporary poets with you wherever you go. From William Shakespeare to César Vallejo to Heather McHugh, the Poetry Foundation's app turns your phone, iPod Touch or iPad into a mobile poetry library’ 3- Poetry Daily ‘Poetry Daily is an anthology of contemporary poetry. Each day, we bring you a new poem from new books, magazines, and journals, chosen from the work of a wide variety of poets to provide you with a window on the broad range of poetry offered annually by publishers large and small.’ 4- Poetry Everywhere ‘ Poetry Everywhere is a collection of short poetry videos featuring contemporary poets reading their own works, introduced by Garrison Keillor. It’s pure poetry! With easy navigation, this app is a sure way to provide reflection and inspiration.’ 5- Glossary of Poetry Terminology ‘Poetry Glossary provides you a comprehensive list of terms related to Poetic terminology with its short description/meaning which guides you in understanding the terminology better.’ 6- Poetry Creator | Verses - Poetry, Poems & Poets ‘Ever wonder what it would be like to mash-up a Shakespeare poem with a Hip Hop Song? Verses is a new iPhone and iPad app that puts a fresh spin on a cherished classic: refrigerator magnet poetry. We built this app to set your creativity ablaze with Verses's limitless word mixing possibilities that allow you to become a kind of dictionary DJ. After creating a poem out of your own personal mix of dictionaries, you can send your creation to friends via email or publish it in your Facebook photo album! (network connectivity required)’. Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook , Google plus, Pinterest This post originally appeared in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning ( www.educatorstechnology.com ).
(7) BLOWN UP BOOK PAGES & Instructions Included for creating poetry from the heart without the pressure of rhyming or form. Even if participants are not familiar with the principles of poetry (i.e., feeling, image, rhythm simile, metaphor, shape, and sound), they can express themselves with this...
Unleash the power of poetry analysis with our dynamic Poetry Analysis Graphic Organizer, meticulously designed to be paired with any text or poem. This versatile resource, crafted using Google Slides, offers the flexibility of both printing and digital assignment, enabling students to unravel the intricate layers of poetry's artistry. Key Features: Comprehensive Analysis: This graphic organizer presents a comprehensive framework for diving deep into the poetic realm, encompassing key elements such as Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme. Digital and Printable: Accessible via digital platforms or traditional print, this resource adapts seamlessly to diverse learning environments, ensuring accessibility and convenience. What Students Will Explore: Tone: The graphic organizer guides students in uncovering the speaker's attitude toward the subject, fostering an understanding of the emotional tone of the poem. Word Choice: Students will analyze the specific words used, their connotations, associations, and emotional impact on the reader, facilitating a deeper comprehension of the poem's linguistic nuances. Imagery: The organizer prompts students to immerse themselves in the sensory details of the poem, from sound and smell to sight, taste, and touch, enhancing their sensory perception and connection to the text. Style: Students will explore the author's unique style, including the use of figurative language, repetition, rhyme, and rhythm, illuminating the poetic techniques that shape the verse. Theme: The graphic organizer helps students uncover the poet's profound insight about life, encouraging them to ponder the deeper meanings and messages embedded in the verse. Why Choose Our Poetry Analysis Graphic Organizer: Comprehensive Framework: This resource provides students with a systematic framework for in-depth analysis, fostering a deep appreciation of poetry's artistry. Digital and Printable: Designed for both digital and print use, this graphic organizer accommodates various learning preferences and environments, enhancing accessibility. Critical Thinking: By guiding students through the exploration of poetic elements, this organizer promotes critical thinking, interpretation, and a profound connection to poetry. Empower your students to become skilled interpreters of poetry, unveiling the secrets of verse and fostering a lifelong appreciation for the art of language. The Poetry Analysis Graphic Organizer is an essential tool for nurturing critical analysis and poetic awareness. Elevate your teaching and inspire your students with a versatile resource designed to deepen their understanding of poetry and its captivating intricacies. Transform your classroom with the Poetry Analysis Graphic Organizer from History and Literacy for All!
Poetry is one of my absolute favorite art forms, simply because it's so full of possibilities. Poetry can be so many creative, beautiful...
Hi, all! Long time, no blog. This quarter has been a crazy one full of extra-curricular activities, illness, and big decisions. I’m back today though because I COULD NOT WAIT to share with you about our classroom poetry café! We’ve been planning this for weeks… My students worked extremely hard all ... Read More about Classroom Poetry Slam
Try these fun poetry activities for high school students and engage even the most reluctant learners in creative thinking and poetry writing!
During poetry stations, students move around the classroom doing various activities related to poetry. The station activity in this blog post has students read an engaging poem and respond to the poem in an unconventional way. If you’d like to replicate this activity in your classroom here are the s
Educational games for teens are online games that can make learning fun. Check out our list of the best educational games and activities teens can try today.
April is National Poetry Month, which is just around the corner. This post includes 25 ideas for teaching poetry to instill a love of poems!
Learning how to read poetry is like learning a new language. You need new tools and strategies than what you may already be using to read novels. Once you have the right tools, reading poetry will become easier and more fun.
Learn all about Blackout Poetry, with tips and tricks for incorporating this engaging strategy in your ELA classroom.
Do you have students who struggle writing poetry? I always have several each year. A few activities that have been extremely effective with both struggling writers and those who love creating original poems have been the more "hands-on" activities. When your students are struggling writing, have them: 1. Write "chance" poems. They choose pre-selected words and put them into any order they wish. I have had students who hate to write come up with some amazing poems this way. The retail kits for magnetic poetry (which is practicing chance poetry) are pretty expensive. You can create your own using a digital kit, or simply cut words from newspapers and magazines (see below). I had students make these years ago and store them in plastic bags. ONLINE ACTIVITY: They can create their poems using an online program like the one found on MagneticPoetry.com. 2. Create a "Dada" poem. "Dada" poems stem from the Dadaism art movement of the early 20th century. The anti-establishment movement often parodied art, or perhaps "found" art in everyday objects and images. Whether you consider their works art or not, they certainly paved the way for modern movements. One "Dada" poem your students can create is to draw words from a bag at random. As they draw them, they place the words in the poem in the same order as drawn. That's it. When they want the poem to end, they stop drawing words. A second "Dada" poem is a "sound" poem. Your students can create a poem using only sounds and record it for the class. Most of the sound poems created during the Dada movement were nonsense, not really words at all. However, beat-box artists practice a form of this, and while it may be nonsense, it's still interesting and can be catchy. ONLINE ACTIVITY: Students can use the website Incredibox to mix different beat-box sounds. 3. Have your students create "redacted" poems. "Redacted" poems are similar to "chance" poems, except they cross-out (or redact) words on a page, rather than pick and place the words. I've seen many beautiful examples on Pinterest using book pages. However, articles from a newspaper or magazine work just as well. (See my examples below.) Students can either use markers or colors to cross-out the words they do not want to include, or use white-out/liquid paper. The samples shown here came from the following publications: Entertainment Weekly, Car and Driver, MacLife, and Helzberg Diamonds. For reluctant boys, provide them with a short advertisement from one of their favorite magazines. Many of my male students like hunting/fishing, sports, and cars. When given a short grouping of words about something they like, they'll most likely enjoy it. The only problem I consistently face with them is keeping it school appropriate. Girls typically write more about love and heartbreak. I have found jewelry ads to be most effective for them because they will contain more words like "love," "sparkling," and "irresistible." All of these activities are featured in my "Poetry 9-1-1: First Aid for Writing Poetry" packet, which also contains over 40 formulas for writing original poems. You can also get the presentation Write Like Poets that has students write parody poems and many other formulas while learning more about famous poets and movements. I recently updated it with redacted poem page activities. And if you are looking for additional poetry resources, I have over 35 poetry downloads, including many freebies. Click on the links below to check out my teacherspayteachers store.
Are you a fan of The Giving Tree? Use these free worksheets & poetry study printables to use alongside Shel Silverstein Poems.
Have your students ever described poetry as boring or confusing? It is common for them to feel overwhelmed by poetry because it is so different from other styles of writing. In order for students to move past this attitude, they need to feel confident in their ability to read and write poetry. In this blog post, you will learn how you can instill the love of poetry in high school students. I will also share some of my students' favorite activities for teaching poetry in high school.
What are the best poems for kids to memorize? Read this to discover the 12 poems every child (and adult) should know by heart!
A lesson plan! A lesson plan! My kingdom for a lesson plan!
Are you looking for some practice with writing with similes and using other figurative language? My students love to write about their "pet peeves" using creative (and often hilarious) similes and other figurative language. Students brainstorm all of the things that irritate them and then create a poem filled with similes and other poetry devices to describe their irritation. Pet Peeve Poetry is always one of their favorite poetry activities in our poetry unit! Are you looking for a digital version of this activity? Click HERE. This resource includes the following 10 pages: Clear assignment sheet Brainstorming page Student examples Poetry Analysis Activity—using the example poems included Answer Key for Analysis 3 writing templates—they’re quote bubbles and look great cut out and put on a bulletin board. Self–Assessment Grading Rubric Teacher Grading Rubric (could also be used for Peer Assessment) Easy to differentiate! **PART OF MY POETRY PACKAGE AVAILABLE ON TPT - CHECK OUT THE FULL PACKAGE FOR GREAT SAVINGS! Poetry Activity Bundle Check out some of my other poetry assignments by clicking the links below. Imagery Poem Worksheet Hero Music as Poetry Poetry, My Life in 30 Words Figures of Speech Worksheet Figures of Speech Poster Figurative Language / Poetry Terms Flip Book! (C) Addie Williams, Addie Education
What are the best poems for kids to memorize? Read this to discover the 12 poems every child (and adult) should know by heart!
What are the greatest poems ever written? I have compiled a list of 5 classic poems that everyone should read again and again. These great poems represent some of the best works of poetry ever composed. The following poems have been enjoyed by generation after generation by people all over the world. The following poems […]
I LOVE POETRY! I love to read it, write it, and teach it, and above all, I want my students to love it too! In order for them to love it, ho...
Many poetic forms and styles demonstrate how to write poetry. However, there are certain things you should avoid. Read on to learn how not to write poetry.
Download This Writing Worksheet (PDF) When it comes to writing dialogue, you could do worse than follow the rules of Just a Minute: no hesitation, no repetition, no deviation. Theatre scripts provide excellent inspiration for good dialogue, being composed of little else, and having been written with speech at the forefront, without film’s excessive reliance on visual…
This 9-week poetry study guide will take you through nine poems written by Helen Beatrix Potter. Each week (or longer) your student will study one poem.
When trying to differentiate instruction for our students, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Here are 6 Easy Ways to Differentiate Instruction
Have you noticed that students love to experiment with writing in all different directions (nonlinear text)? Our eyes are attracted to text that 'moves.' For Fingerprint Poetry, your student gets to create a poem or free flow text about the one thing they know they most about - themselves! Fingerprints, like students, are all unique. So what makes YOU unique? Here is your chance to share it with the world! Included: * Description of Fingerprint Poetry * 16 writing ideas + 5 ways to get really creative * 3 'dark lines' fingerprint templates * 3 'light lines' fingerprint templates This is a great creative writing assignment for back-to-school, self-discovery, reflection, or even the end of the year. It could also be used as a formative assessment - ask students to write from the perspective of a character or important figure. Students will choose between the arch, whorl, or loop fingerprint template. There are 2 sets of these fingerprint worksheets - one with light writing that the students could write on, and one with heavy writing that can be used for tracing or as a guide underneath the paper. Several of my students (grade 8) also chose not to use a worksheet/template, and just did their own thing. That's the whole point of this assignment anyway! The worksheet explains the point/purpose of fingerprint poetry, and gives 16+ ideas for writing. You WON'T have any students saying, "But I don't know what to write about!" There are also 5 ideas for making the poetry more creative and visual, such as varying font, including pictures, etc. Please download and enjoy! Looking for more creative writing fun? You might love Zoo Animal Printable Templates / Outlines and Don't Tell Me, Show Me! A Descriptive Writing Unit for Adolescents © 2014 Kristen Dembroski. All rights reserved. Purchase of this unit entitles the purchaser only the right to reproduce the pages in limited quantities for classroom use only. Duplication for an entire school, an entire school system or commercial purposes is strictly forbidden. Copying any part of this product and placing it on the internet in any form (even a personal/classroom website) is strictly forbidden and is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). These items can be located in a Google search and then shared worldwide for free.
Need inspiration for hosting poetry teatime with your homeschool group? I've got a year of homeschool co-op poetry teatime themes waiting for you here!
Looking for flexible, creative activities to go with your next whole class novel unit in ELA? Find them here!
