copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson
copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson
Teaching Poetry
by Kyleen Liu
ScEd 276 project
Reading Activities
|Pre-Reading | During Reading | After Reading | Just For Fun |
Before Reading
1. “Poetry Tools in Action.” Poetry Tools. University of Virginia, Center for
Technology and Teacher Education. 17 February 2005
<http://www.poetryforge.org/>
This website includes poetry generator tools for students to initiate discussion and ideas about poetry. These tools can help students experiment with language and understand poetic devices. Every poetry tool has an accompanying lesson plan for teachers.
2. “Glossary of Poetry Terms.” Infoplease. Pearson Education, publishing
Infoplease. 17 February 2005
<http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0903237.html>
This is an Infoplease website of a detailed glossary of poetry terms that can be used to introduce poems to the students. Consider dividing key terms with groups of students for class presentations on definitions of the terms.
3. Hewitt, John. “Poetry Writing Tips.” Writer’s Resource Center. 17 February 2005
<http://www.poewar.com/archives/2004/10/24/poetry-writing-tips>
On this website, there are several helpful links to writing pages. Have students read The Idea Log to help them think of ideas for their writing. Poetry Writing Tips also has good advice for your students learning to write poetry.
4. Yothers, Brian. “Writing About Poetry.”OWL at Purdue University and
Purdue University. 17 February 2005 <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_poetry.html>
This is a Purdue University website on writing about poetry. It gives a brief summary of basic poetic terms, example topics for papers, and tips on how to write about poetry. It also has a link for information on MLA.
5. La Rue, Jeanne. “Lyrics Connection.” 2 May 1997. 17 February 2005
<http://www.lyricsconnection.com/>
This website is a database of lyrics for pop music to tie pop culture to the poetry unit and is useful for an introduction to poetry. Lyrics can be connected to poems with similar themes.
6. “WriteNet.” 2005. Teachers & Writers Collaborative. 23 February 2005
<http://www.twc.org/forums/index.html>
On the website, professional writers give strategies for teaching writing. Some of the good lesson plans for poetry are “Classical Music and Poetry,” “Using the Six Senses in Poetry,” and the “Bilingual Poetry Workshop.” There is also a virtual poetry workshop with exercises for young writers.
7. Stein, Dana. “Poet Online.” 23 February 2005
<http://www.poetonline.com/>
Read classic poems and about recommended books on the Poet Online website. Students can also learn about the haiku and the limerick.
8. “Taking the Fear out of Teaching Poetry.” Poetry Class. The Poetry Society. 23 February 2005
<http://www.poetryclass.net/>
This is a resource-filled website filled with lesson plans and ideas that can easily be adapted to meet different age groups. It contains links to sites where student can submit poetry and find tips on writing.
9. Grimes, Linda Sue. “Classic Poetry.” 23 February 2005
<http://webpages.charter.net/classicpoetry/>
Students can learn how to write about poems from the How-To’s section of this website. This site also has essays and analyses written on poems and writers.
10. “Poetry Magic.” 23 February 2005
<http://www.poetrymagic.co.uk/>
This site has information on writing, the history of poetry, and the different genres of poetry. Information on literary criticism is also available for more advanced readers. It also has a page of links for more teaching poetry websites.During Reading
1. “Poet’s Corner.” Thomson & Gale. 17 February 2005 <http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/poets/index.htm>
This website includes biographies of major poets and a twenty point quiz for students to test their knowledge of poets. It also includes several activities exploring themes in well-known poems.
2. “Listening to Poetry: Sounds of the Sonnet.” 23 May 2002. National
Endowment for the Humanities. 17 February 2005 <http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=365>
This is a lesson plan suitable for grades 9-12. “Listening to Poetry” has links to the poetry you will need for the lesson, including poems by writers from the British Elizabethan, Romantic, and Victorian eras, as well as American 19th and 20th century writers.
3. The Academy of American Poets. 17 February 2005
<http://www.poets.org>
This website has biographical information on many poets and electronic versions of their poems. It also has a great link on poets of the Harlem Renaissance.
4. “Canonical Verse.” The eServer Poetry Collection. Iowa State University. 17 February 2005
<http://eserver.org/poetry/>
This website has useful links for recordings of poetry, electronic texts of poems, and has essays on poetry.
5. Quiller-Couch, Arthur, ed. “The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250-1900.”
2004. Bartleby. 17 February 2005
<http://www.bartleby.com/101/index.html>
The Bartleby Website has a list of British poets (ranging from 1250-1900) and electronic versions of their poems. Students can use the web to read their assignment or to do research on works of the writer they are studying.
6. “Spotlight on Voices and Visions.” Annenberg/CPB. 17 February 2005
<http://www.learner.org/catalog/extras/vvspot/>
This is the website for the video series, Voices and Visions. It lists thirteen American poets and includes video clips and other websites about the writer. The video series can be ordered off this website or played online.
7. “Is a Sentence a Poem?” Read, Write, Think. IRA/NCTE. 17 February 2005
<http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=246>
This lesson plan, which conforms to IRA/NCTE standards, is suitable for grades 9-12. It can be used to give students a definition of poetry. It also has links to the poetry used in the lesson plan.
8. Pellegrino, Joe. “World Poetry Audio Library.” 2001. 23 February 2005
<http://www.english.eku.edu/Pellegrino/worldpoetry/>
Traditional poems on this website can be found in text and audio (MP3) so that students can listen to the poem as they read it. The audio clips help students to hear the rhythm of the poetry.
9. “The Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center.” Library of Congress.
17 February 2005 <http://www.loc.gov/poetry/>
The Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center website gives biographical information on poet laureates. It also has a link to the Poetry 180 Project for 180 poems for students every school day. This website also has a list of events that are held in the Library of Congress.
10. “Poems: Background Reports.” The NewsHour. MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.
17 February 2005
<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/poems/poems.html>
This PBS site has links to video clips of former poet laureate Robert Pinsky reciting poetry of other poets as well as his own. Poems correspond to the holidays and seasons throughout the year.Back to Top
After Reading
1. “Poetry.Com.” The International Library of Poetry. 2005. Watermark Press.
17 February 2005
<http://www.poetry.com/>
Poetry.Com has contests and awards for poems submitted. Poems can also be found in the links, including the 100 Greatest Poems Ever Written list. The website includes an online rhyming dictionary.
2. “Giggle Poetry.” 17 February 2005
<http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetrycontest/contests.html>
This website is an online poetry contest for students to enter if they are required or encouraged to submit work for publication. It is more suitable for younger audiences, but can also be used for middle school/junior high students.
3. “Favorite Poem Project.” Boston University. 17 February 2005
<http://www.favoritepoem.org/>
The Favorite Poem Program begun in 1997. Its site includes videos of students talking about their favorite poem and relating it to their lives. The same format could be used for a final group/individual video projects to end the poetry unit. Teacher resources are available on the website.
4. “Online Poetry Classroom.” The Academy of American Poets. 17 February 2005
<http://www.onlinepoetryclassroom.org/index.cfm>
The National Poetry Map on this website shows poetry organizations, programs, literary journals, bookstores, and contests by state and each state has its own listing. This website also has lesson plans for teachers and a poet/poem database.
5. “Clickable Poems.” 17 February 2005
<http://www.clickablepoems.com/>
This website presents new poems using multimedia. It can be used as a resource for a final project on poetry. Student can submit work for the website in HTML format.
6. “Fooling with Words with Bill Moyers.” Thirteen/WNET. 17 February 2005
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/foolingwithwords/>
This is the website connected to the PBS series, Fooling with Words, a series about the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. There is a link for lesson ideas for teachers that can be downloaded.
7. “Word Games and Online Poetry Collaboration.” About.Com. 17 February 2005
<http://poetry.about.com/od/collabswordgames/>
This website has links to word games on different poem styles and etymology plus links to online poetic collaboration. Students can explore what others have done or contribute to a poem in the making.
8. “The World of Poetry.” 1998. Washington Square Arts, Inc. 23 February 2005
<http://www.worldofpoetry.org/reading.htm>
The World of Poetry has video clips of bilingual readings. These resources are suitable for multicultural literature units. There is also a link to The Poetry Project.
9. “BBC - Arts - Books.” BBC. 23 February 2005
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/books/>
The BBC website has links to visual poetry, digital stories, audio clips and lists of events for writers. The writing section also has writing tips, such as “Showing & Telling” and “Points of View.” Audio interviews with poets are also available in the poetry section.
10. “Poetic License.” 2003. NewVoices Media. 17 February 2005
<http://www.itvs.org/poeticlicense/>
This online poetry journal lists youth groups in America and their workshops and competitions. This website also includes a discussion area for youth to share their ideas. There are lists of books on poetry and a media packet that can be ordered.Just for Fun
1. Osborne, Bobbie. “Click and Drag Poetry.” Coffee Break. 1998-2000. 17 February 2005 <http://www126.pair.com/bobbie/archive/inspire/java.html>
This website models magnetic poetry which can be used for inspiration for poets of all ages.
2. “Instant Muse Poetry Generator.” 17 February 2005
<http://www.webcom.com/wordings/artofwrite/poetrygenerator.html>
The Instant Muse Poetry Generator uses random input to develop creativity. The generator creates one-line phrases to help inspire poets.
3. “Tips for Teaching Poetry.” 17 February 2005
<http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/7537/984anpm.html>
Consider teaching poetry during April, which is National Poetry Month. This website has a list of activities for students to learn about poetry in fun and interesting ways.
Have questions about the Strategies? See the Key to the Reading Strategies here.