Including poetry in English classes is a daunting task but it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few quick ideas you can add to the rotation for any text you’re studying. One of the best ways to include poetry before reading a novel or play is to use it as a vehicle for background …
While traditional assessments have a place in the classroom, I always look for innovative ways to assess my students’ learning. In my search, I’ve found that poetry encourages students to think deeply and analyze text. It’s also a way for them to articulate their thoughts in a manner that goes beyond traditional tests and quizzes. …
I’m all about working smarter and not harder, especially as we near the end of the school year! So a lesson that accomplishes more than one goal is amazing! And I have one for you today! It’s National Poetry Month meets grammar lesson meets end-of-year wrap-up! Seriously, all of these elements are in one lesson …
Poetry is one of those genres that tends to get a bad rap. I find students either LOVE poetry or HATE it. They are rarely in the middle. One of the big obstacles is students have to re-read poetry to really get to the heart and meaning of it. I find that exposure is important. …
I think we can all agree that poetry can be intimidating for students AND teachers! But I think that might be because we keep it hidden away. Students don’t see or read or study poetry often so it just isn’t familiar and therefore can’t be comfortable. So the question is how do we add poetry into …
It’s National Poetry Month! So it’s the perfect time to incorporate some poetry word play into your classroom. Maybe you’re like me and finding time is of the essence as the end of the year approaches. If so, these ideas can be done as part of a class rather than requiring a full or multiple …
Happy March ELA Matters! March 1st means that March Madness is around the corner on the court as well as in my classroom. Our current focus on ELA Matters is to share ideas around writing skills. So this week, I am sharing how I engage students in reading poetry and practicing their analysis and writing …
Poetry is fun and there is a way to make it fun. Have you ever heard of a Poetry Party? Basically, students memorize a poem that they will then present to their classmates. How is that fun you ask? Well, students can be as creative as they want with their presentations and you might be …
Teaching poetry as a separate unit can be a great way to introduce students to different voices and cultures, but it also encourages creative thinking and inference skills which can be applied to a whole wealth of ELA stadards.
I LOVE POETRY! Lesa from @Smithteaches9to12 I discovered this is not a common sentiment among teachers from chatting with many in real life and online. But hear me out, my love of poetry comes from language play. In my experience, getting students to familiarize themselves with taking (small) risks with their own poetry writing now, …
