Photo by SOCIAL.CUT on Unsplash
When World Poetry Day, coming up on 31st March 2013, puts the spotlight clearly on poetry, many school use this as the basis for holding a Poetry Week and focus solely on this writing genre. But we know that teaching poetry in elementary schools fostering a love of language and literacy so why do we limited to only this week, in a whole year?
Admittedly when I first started teaching poetry writing, I quickly realised that I didn't really know much about this genre either. So I set about an inquiry into how best to teach my students the skills they needed to make a good start. I wanted to scaffold them for success, rather than frustrating students because it was too hard, confusing or unfamiliar.
These hours of research lead to a teaching presentation that I worked through with my students during writing periods, building each day on prior knowledge gained in earlier sessions. It worked so well, that I developed it and published it for other teachers to use, too.
If this resource could help you with teaching poetry elements to your students ages 8+ or of an independent reading age, preview it here on:
With this structured poetry unit, you and your students can enjoy an engaging inquiry into Poetry as an exciting genre. The unit is chunked into small manageable lessons, to help experience success with discovering a love for reading and writing poems.
But don’t take my word for it. Read these comments from teachers already using this resource.
PRAISE FOR ELEMENTS OF POETRY
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ "Great resource! Love the IB links too! =0)"
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ "Great resource for poetry!"
To engage students and encourage them to take ownership of their work, incorporating student agency into the poetry writing process is key. Allowing students to choose their topics and styles can help them develop their unique voice and creativity. By providing diverse approaches and choices, teachers can help students develop a passion for writing and language that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Writing Bio Poems is a great way to start a new school year. Using this guided lesson plan will help you to support your students in creating individual and personal poems about themselves.
If this resource could help you with guiding your students ages 8+ or of an independent reading age, to write unique & individualised Bio Poems, preview it here on:
One approach to poetry writing in elementary schools is to have students write rhyming poems. This type of poetry helps students learn about syllables and phonemic awareness, which is an essential aspect of literacy development. Writing rhyming poems can also be a fun and engaging activity for students, sparking their imagination and creativity. One really engaging & informal way that I introduce rhyming couplets to students is with our daily farewell routine. I display the chart in this product in my room and students pick their personal farewells each day. This is a resource I have used for many years now and one that students always ask for.
If this resource could help you with introducing your students ages 5+ to rhyming couplets on a fun & informal way, preview it here on:
My favourite approach to teaching poetry writing is to have students write free verse poems. This type of poetry allows students to express themselves freely, without the constraints of a specific form or structure. By tapping into their imagination and creativity, students can develop their own unique voice and style as writers. This approach can be especially helpful for students who struggle with writing or have limited experiences with poetry.
Aside from developing writing skills, poetry writing in elementary school can have a positive impact on children's literacy skills. Poetry provides an opportunity for students to
- play with & analyse language,
- experiment with words,
- develop their vocabulary
- to think critically
All essential aspect of literacy development.
Moreover, poetry writing can help students develop important 21st-century skills, such as communication and collaboration. When my students share their poems with each other, they have the opportunity to give and receive feedback, learning from one another. This type of collaboration can foster a sense of community in the classroom and help students develop important interpersonal skills.
Poetry is a genre that can come into many learning themes throughout the year. Click the link below to preview these guided poetry lessons.
For themes based around well-being, personal identity & prejudice/ assumptions:
For themes based around understanding our emotions:
For themes based around building friendships:
These 2 lesson guides focus on Metaphors & Similes with themes based around I relationships with colours and to suit a unit about insects:
And finally a great one to use at the end of the year, reflecting on the year of learning that has been:
In conclusion, teaching poetry in elementary schools is a valuable way to foster a love of language and literacy. By incorporating diverse approaches and choices for students and fostering student agency, teachers can help students develop a passion for writing and language that will stay with them for a lifetime. So, let's make poetry a regular part of our classroom writing programmes and inspire the next generation of writers!
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