In this assignment, students write a poem using two lines from a Robert Frost poem as a starting point. This assignment can be used to provide practice in the Narrative genre.

In this assignment, students watch a video of the poem "Blackberry Eating," by Galway Kinnell.  They can also read the text of the poem. Then they write their own Poem about a food they like to eat. Students practice using precise and sensory language to develop an engaging idea about the topic. 

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this assignment, students watch a video of Lucille Clifton's poem "sisters." They can also read the text of the poem. Then they write their own Poem about a family member or close friend. Students practice using precise and sensory language to develop an engaging idea about the topic. 

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this assignment, students read a short poem called "The Faint Shadow of the Morning Moon," by Yone Noguchi. Then they write their own Poem about nature that uses personification or metaphor. Students practice using figurative and precise language to convey an engaging idea about the topic. 

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this assignment, students choose an image related to Hispanic culture and study it carefully. Then they write a Descriptive Poem inspired by the image, using precise and vivid language to develop their ideas.

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this assignment, students watch a video of U.S. poet laureate and Muscogee (Creek) Nation member Joy Harjo reading her poem "Remember." They can also read the text of the poem. Then they write their own Poem that starts with the word "remember." Students practice using precise and vivid language to develop an engaging idea about the topic.

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video of 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman reciting her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Then they write their own Poem about their country, using precise and vivid language to develop their ideas.

This general Poetry Response template is available for customization by adding your own reading to the template. This assignment enables students to focus on the material that the class is currently reading, while learning to practice and apply their poetry analysis skills.

In this assignment, students watch a two-minute video of poet Terrance Hayes reciting his poem "Barberism." Then they write a Poetry Response explaining the meaning of the poem and what techniques the poet uses to affect readers. This assignment gives students practice analyzing poetry, giving examples from the poem to support their ideas, and writing in the Information genre. 

Find more lesson ideas about this poem here: https://poets.org/lesson-plan/teach-poem-barberism-terrance-hayes.

In this assignment, students watch a video of U.S. poet laureate and Muscogee (Creek) Nation member Joy Harjo reciting her poem "Remember." They can also read the text of the poem. Then they write a Poetry Response explaining the meaning of the poem and what techniques the poet uses to affect readers. This assignment gives students practice analyzing poetry, giving examples from the poem to support their ideas, and writing in the Information genre.

Duration: 30–45 minutes

In this activity, students read "A Bird Came Down the Walk," a poem by Emily Dickinson. Then they write a Response to Text about Dickinson's use of descriptive language. Students focus on the skill of analyzing a text. Before writing, students complete graphic organizers to analyze the poem and plan their Response to Text.

Duration: one class period

In this assignment, students write a Poetry Response about Robert Louis Stevenson's poem "My Shadow." Students explore the meaning of the poem and the style of writing. They use details and examples from the text to support their points and develop their writing. Students conclude by providing their opinion about the poem and discuss the poem's overall effect on them as readers. The ability to analyze a poem—and to cite supporting evidence from the text of the poem—are key skills required by many Information-genre writing assignments.

In this assignment, students watch a one-minute video of a student reciting Sonya Sanchez's poem "This Is Not A Small Voice You Hear." Then they write a Poetry Response explaining the meaning of the poem and what techniques the poet uses to affect readers. This assignment gives students practice analyzing poetry, giving examples from the poem to support their ideas, and writing in the Information genre. 

Find more lesson ideas about this poem here: https://poets.org/lesson-plan/teach-poem-not-small-voice-sonia-sanchez.

In this activity, students read "Nesting," a poem about the making of a bird's nest. Then they write a Poetry Review, explaining whether they liked the poem and why.

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video of 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman reciting her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. Then they write a Poetry Response explaining how the poem could be considered a message of hope and unity, giving examples from the poem to support their ideas. This assignment gives students practice analyzing poetry and writing in the Information genre.