Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "My Skeleton" by Jane Hirshfield

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Jane Hirshfield's poem "My Skeleton" asks readers to pause and think about the amazing, often taken-for-granted structure that protects and gives form to human bodies. After observing the human skeleton's image, class members read the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Song Acrostic

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
What do whales sing about? Invite your class to imagine the thoughts of whales before writing acrostic poems on the topic. The plan blends together a bit of life science with plenty of opportunities for creativity and writing.
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "The Shapes of Leaves" by Arthur Sze

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Arthur Sze's poem, "The Shapes of Leaves," encourages young scholars to notice and speak for others who "do not speak." The lesson plan begins with pupils writing about a tree that they really like. The class then examines an image of...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "Wonder and Joy" by Robinson Jeffers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
A study of Robinson Jeffers' poem "Wonder and Joy" reminds readers to notice and rekindle the appreciation of the many wondrous aspects of life. After a close reading of the poem, scholars use the provided questions to discuss the poem.
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "In the Next Galaxy" by Ruth Stone

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Imagine what life might be like in a different galaxy. That's the challenge young scientists take on in a warm-up activity designed to prepare them for a close reading of Ruth Stone's poem "In the Next Galaxy." After class members share...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "Heart to Heart" by Rita Dove

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Take heart! Here's a lesson that will encourage learners to notice details. After listening to Sarah Vaughan singing "My Funny Valentine" and noting how the word heart relates to Valentine's Day, scholars observe a human heart image....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poetry: Walking With My Iguana

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Bring a little excitement to your next poetry analysis lesson. Using the highly energetic poem "Walking With My Iguana," learners consider poem structure and rhyme. They listen to the poem, discuss the rhythm and tone with their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Hidden Beauty

For Teachers K - 2nd
Expose the beautiful mystery of bulbs as young botanists learn all about these fascinating plants. They glean information from a short text before observing actual bulbs (consider an onion), and comparing their findings with predictions....
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: “Dead Stars” by Ada Limón

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pay attention! A lesson featuring Ada Limon's poem "Dead Stars" is designed to help learners develop their noticing skills. Class members first study the constellation Orion's image and list what they notice and how the image makes them...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: “The Everglades” by Campbell McGrath

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Florida's Everglades come alive for young environmental scientists as they watch a video taken in the park and read a poem about the watery paradise. After a careful study of the two resources, class members consider the function of the...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "Putting in the Seed" by Robert Frost

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young botanists dig into a lesson that has them planting lima bean seeds and observing their growth. They compare their experience to that of the speaker in Robert Frost's poem, "Putting in the Seed."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Garden of Verses: Poems About Class Gardens

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore botany by participating in a language arts activity. In this garden poetry lesson, students read the classic poem "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" and discuss the imagery and rhyming methods used. Learners examine their own...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Poetic Planet - Writing Poems about the Earth

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
As a way to combine language arts and science, try this lesson plan on writing cloud poetry. Begin by showing a PowerPoint presentation and images of cloud types. Take meteorology masters outdoors to explore the sky using the provided...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Life Poetry: Limericks & Cinquain Poems

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young oceanographers conduct independent online research to learn about ocean life, explore limerick and cinquain poem structure and syllabication, and produce poetry that conveys the information they found. Links don't work, but it's...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "Toward the Winter Solstice" by Timothy Steele

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Timothy Steele's poem, "Toward the Winter Solstice," offers scholars an opportunity to consider what poets and scientists could learn from each other's work. First, learners examine a NASA image of a star-forming region in the Orion...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Dinosaur Acrostic Poem

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this writing poetry worksheet, students explore acrostic poems. Students write an acrostic poem by using the eight letters in the word "dinosaur" to describe a dinosaur.
Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Lesson Two: The Earth, Introductory Activities

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Determine what young pupils already know about earth science with a brainstorming activity. After class members work together to complete a KWL chart about the Earth, they craft an acrostic poem to demonstrate their understanding.
Lesson Plan
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Baylor College

Body Strength

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Your young learners will discover how muscular strength and endurance can increase with this truly hands-on activity! Beginning by writing an acrostic for the word strength, class members then engage in tracking their ability to squeeze...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Plants Acrostic Poem

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this acrostic poem worksheet, students show what they know about plants by writing an acrostic poem. Students use the letters in PLANTS to begin each line of poetry that tells about plants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Splish, Splash Poetry

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students write weather shape poems and sing weather related songs. For this creative writing lesson, students read the book, It's Raining, It's Pouring and list weather words they heard in the story. Students use the writing process to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Ladybug Poem

For Students 1st - 2nd
In this language arts worksheet, students study rhyming patterns and learn about ladybugs by reading a short poem and coloring a picture. Students also practice printing the word "ladybug" and create a poem or story of their own.
Lesson Plan
Poetry Class

Tackling Climate Change

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Get your kids thinking about climate change with a series of activities that include creating a ditty box poem for the planet, a poem that identifies concepts or objects they would want to preserve.
Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Rocks

For Parents 1st - 2nd Standards
A Reading Adventure Pack focuses on rocks. Scholars participate in three activities after reading a fiction and nonfiction text—The Jade Stone, a Chinese folktale adapted by Caryn Yacowitz, and Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst....
Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Weather

For Parents 1st - 2nd Standards
A reading adventure pack, featuring a fiction and nonfiction book focuses on the weather. Scholars read Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and Seymour Simon and then complete three creative activities. Participants craft...

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