Teaching Ideas
Elementary Schools
Most Interesting Bugs
Depending on the ages and abilities of the students as well as the types of poetry you wish to have them write, you may work on developing rhymes and rhythmic patterns, haiku or diamante patterns. Remind students that they are telling us in their poem about what makes the bug interesting.
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Incredible Color
Colors surround us throughout our lives and can evoke wonderful feelings. In this poetry lesson idea, students explore all the ways in which colors transform their lives. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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Wheels
Wheels take us across town and sometimes across the country. This lesson is for poetry on a transportation theme.
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Middle Schools
Where in the World?
Imagine trading places with a student of the same age living in another area of the world. This poetry lesson weaves social studies and geography into creative writing.
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Food Advertising with Poetry
Have students discern features and benefits of a favorite food.
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Interview with a Mummy
Though we often think of mummies as Egyptian, many have been found in Central and South America. Through a poem, students reveal the life of a mummy found on an archaeological dig. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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High Schools
Now What?
The thrill of extreme skateboarding captures the imagination. Two dramatic photos serve as the inspiration for a poetry writing assignment on what happens in the seconds after the photos were taken. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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Career for a Day
Poetry that describes a day in the life of a dream career.
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Jammin’
Music speaks to us in so many ways. In this lesson, students write poetry about making music or the experience of listening to music.
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