materials for teachers

Since Robert Frost encouraged our founder Marie Bullock to "get poetry into the high schools" in the 1960s, we've been assisting teachers in bringing poetry into the classroom. Here you'll find award-winning educational resources including Teach This Poem, a glossary of poetry terms, essays about teaching, and lesson plans, which have been reviewed by our educator in residence with an eye toward developing skills of perception and imagination.

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January in the Classroom

To ring in 2019, browse a selection of poems celebrating the new year, as well as lists of poems for hope and beginnings.

For National Bird Day on January 5, bring poetry into the classroom with these lesson plans featuring poems about birds.

January 21 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday meant to honor the life and dream of the powerful activist. Read a selection of poems for the occasion and browse a list of kid-friendly poems about social justice.

In January we also celebrate the written word with Thesaurus Day and National Handwriting Day. For Thesaurus Day on January 18, take a look at our interactive, activity-oriented lesson plan Word Karaoke. For National Handwriting Day on January 23, check out this archive of handwritten postcards and notes from classic and contemporary poets.

Wishing you and your students a Happy New Year!

January

Poetry in the Classroom Calendar

Take a look at our updated Poetry in the Classroom Calendar, a downloadable, interactive PDF designed to inspire ideas for teaching poetry throughout each month, with links to related lesson plans, activities, and other resources.

Poetry in the Classroom Calendar

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Teach This Poem

Teach This Poem is a weekly series featuring a poem from our online poetry collection, accompanied by interdisciplinary resources and activities designed to help K-12 teachers quickly and easily bring poetry into the classroom.

 

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Browse our collection of the most popular poems to teach in the classroom.
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Create an anthology of poems on a specific theme to share with your students.

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lesson plans

lesson plan
Teach This Poem: “The Indications [excerpt]" by Walt Whitman
Teach This Poem is a weekly series featuring a poem from our online poetry
lesson plan
Teach This Poem: "The Snowfall Is So Silent" by Miguel de Unamuno
Produced for K-12 educators, Teach This Poem features one poem a week from our
lesson plan
Teach This Poem: "Haircut" by Elizabeth Alexander
Produced for K-12 educators, Teach This Poem features one poem a week from our
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on teaching poetry

on teaching poetry
The Poetry of Superstition and Supposition
Superstition continues to flourish around the earth even in the face of the
on teaching poetry
Gimmicks
The word “gimmick” has derogatory connotations. It often suggests something
on teaching poetry
The Poetry Reading: Lessons Learned from a Struggling Student
I had no doubt that Henry would read his poems that afternoon. He was ready...
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