Ninth graders take note of the ways in which word choice, rhythm, language and narrative voice, as well as point of view in a poem can be used to evoke a time and place. They use their insights to create a poem of their own.

Students search the Internet to find a poem to research, analyze and present their interpretation of the poem to the class. They develop their interpretation in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.

Middle schoolers read a poem and complete a TPCASTT chart. They make a prediction about the title (T) , paraphrase each line (P), identify poetic devices and nuances (C-connotation), explore mood and tone (A-attitude), point out shifts...

A reading of Theodore Roethke’s dark "Root Cellar" and Sylvia Plath’s more abstract "Mirror" launches a discussion of imagery and personification in poetry.  After finding examples of personification in the poems, class members...

Use this worksheet to help your learners reflect on their work on a characterization assignment. They answer five questions about personality traits of the character of their choice as supported by the poem.

Poetry can express feelings, values, and culture; it also provides insight into a time and place. Young analysts discuss the meanings of several poems from a collection of Native American works entitled, When the Rain...

Students recognize the role of loved ones in their families and the many things their parents and others contribute to their lives. They write an acrostic poem about their mother, father, or other important person. They then make a...

First graders make daily observations about clouds, write in their cloud books, make cloud charts, and make a poem about clouds.

Third graders explore acrostic poetry and use names of their favorite personalities from television, music, or sports. They write descriptions for each letter of the person's name.

Eighth graders create a poem about homeless people using images they saw on websites. After reading the book "The Outsiders", 8th graders make connections of real life homeless people with characters in the book. Students search the web...

In this writing activity, students learn about a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks titled "Skipper" which is about her goldfish. Students draw the water, life and objects in a fish bowl shape, then describe what people would see if they looked in...

Young thinkers view two narrative art tapestries and study the images included that tell a story about the Roman Emperor Constantine. As they examine the details of the tapestries, pupils use a Venn Diagram to record the similarities and...

Pupils identify and analyze various forms of poetry, then use information gathered from research to write their own cinquain poems. They then identify each syllable of their cinquain with a small icon that reflects the theme of their...

Oh the Poe-try of Edgar Allan! Apart from the punny title, not much more humor can be found in either Poe's works or in this quiz. The questions highlight the sad, dark focus of much of Poe's writing. Quotes from poems then have various...

Students go outside to the playground and write a piece in the style of beat poets based on what they see and hear outside.

Introduce your class to the techniques of proper writing. In groups, they brainstorm their ideas on family structures and discuss the importance of having a male figure in their lives. After listening to an African-American poem, they...

Examine the works of visual and performing artists with upper graders. Using the works, they identify the comparisons among the techniques used. They will also review the six traits of effective writing and keep a writing journal...

Students who have recently learned about similes and metaphors practice putting them in their writing. They get a better understanding of how similes and metaphors can be used by practicing the usage of them in their own personal...

While this Fun Trivia online quiz has little educational merit, the idea of writing limericks to describe Shakespeare's plays is not only fun, but also has academic value. It's worth taking a look!

Eighth graders write a poem that introduces them to their class. In this poetry writing lesson, 8th graders use the format for the 'All About Me Poem" to write a poem about themselves and use it as get-to-know-you activity.

After examining winning entries to the Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition, young poets try their hand at this fixed form.

Poets write love letters, but how often do the objects of their love write back? Compare Christopher Marlowe's "A Passionate Shepard to His Love" to Sir Walter Raleigh's response, "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd," with an engaging...

The Navajo people build their dwellings with the doors facing the rising sun in the east to welcome wealth and fortune. Pupils learn about the traditions of the Navajo people in the first part of a 16-part unit. They explore American...

In this poetry lesson, young readers discuss that poems can sometimes have silly words and made up people, places, and things. Students read and listen to silly poems then write a response poem to their favorite.