Materials for Teachers | Academy of American Poets

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Here, you’ll find poetry lesson plans, poems for kids and for teens, essays about teaching, a calendar of teaching resources for the school year, a glossary of poetry terms, and more. Our lesson plans, most of which are aligned with the Common Core, have been reviewed by our Educator in Residence with an eye toward developing skills of perception and imagination. \n\nRead more about Teach This Poem’s impact. 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<div id="block-stanza-content"> <article> <div> <div class="field field--body"><p>Since <a href="https://poets.org/poet/robert-frost">Robert Frost</a> 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 poetry lesson plans, poems for kids and for teens, essays about teaching, a calendar of teaching resources for the school year, a glossary of poetry terms, and more. Our lesson plans, most of which are aligned with the Common Core, have been reviewed by our Educator in Residence with an eye toward developing skills of perception and imagination. </p> <p><a href="https://poets.org/teach-poem-poetry-rescue">Read more</a> about Teach This Poem’s impact. </p> </div> <div class="field field--highlighted_content pt-5 pb-1 card-deck card-deck--calloutcard"> <div class="container"> <div class="row card-deck__cards d-flex"> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/national-poetry-month/dear-poet-2025" rel="bookmark">Dear Poet 2025</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p>Every National Poetry Month we present Dear Poet, a multimedia education project that invites you</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/collection/lesson-plans-black-history-month" rel="bookmark">Lesson Plans for Black History Month</a> </h4> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/collection/lesson-plans-black-history-month" rel="bookmark"></a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p>To celebrate Black History Month in February—and the rich tradition of African American poetry al</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/womens-history-month-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Women’s History Month: Poems for Kids</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body">The following poems celebrate Women’s History month and honor the legacy of women poets.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <div class="field field--field_image"> <div class="field__content"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/images/BreakupsHeartbreak110x110_Teens_.png?itok=HvhUlMVW" width="110" height="110" alt="Breakups & Heartbreak: Poems for Teens" /> </div> </div> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/breakups-and-heartbreak-poems-teens" rel="bookmark">Breakups and Heartbreak: Poems for Teens</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body">Browse poems about difficult love, heartache, and the end of relationships.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/lesson-plans-theme" rel="bookmark">Lesson Plans by Theme</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p>Find poetry lesson plans organized by theme, occasion, and class subject, including lesson plans featuring poems about social justice, the environment, and many other topics.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--callout bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/love-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Love: Poems for Kids</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body">Read a selection of poems about love, friendship, romance, and devotion like “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Love Comes Quietly” by Robert Creeley, and more. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="views-element-container pt-5 card-deck--lessonplancard-container" id="block-views-block-lesson-plan-listing-card-block"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <h2 class="card-deck__title font-italic">Lesson Plans</h2> <div><div class="row d-flex card-deck__lesson-cards js-view-dom-id-1612be51e617cb1d9b0ed4311cfcd0dbd8875b1d8744e5c1fa2c18e2cc988e5d"> <header> <p><a href="/lesson-plans">4 Lesson Plans</a></p> </header> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--lesson-plan bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/lesson-plan/teach-poem-invisible-work-kwoya-fagin-maples" rel="bookmark">Teach This Poem: “Invisible Work” by Kwoya Fagin Maples</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p><a href="https://poets.org/sign-academy-newsletters">sign up for teach this poem</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div class="card--lesson-plan__level"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/751" hreflang="en">Elementary School</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--lesson-plan bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/lesson-plan/teach-poem-thats-my-heart-right-there-willie-perdomo" rel="bookmark">Teach This Poem: “That’s My Heart Right There” by Willie Perdomo</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p><a href="https://poets.org/sign-academy-newsletters">sign up for teach this poem</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div class="card--lesson-plan__level"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/751" hreflang="en">Elementary School</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--lesson-plan bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/lesson-plan/teach-poem-note-self-work-beau-sia" rel="bookmark">Teach This Poem: “Note to Self Work” by Beau Sia</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p><a></a></p></div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div class="card--lesson-plan__level"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/751" hreflang="en">Elementary School</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-lg-6 col-12"> <div class="card card--lesson-plan bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/lesson-plan/teach-poem-coming-light-mark-strand" rel="bookmark">Teach This Poem: “The Coming of Light” by Mark Strand</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p><a href="https://poets.org/sign-academy-newsletters">sign up for teach this poem</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div class="card--lesson-plan__level"> <a href="/taxonomy/term/751" hreflang="en">Elementary School</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-4 layout-sidebar" role="complementary"> <div> <div id="block-nodesidebarfields"> <article> <div> <div class="field field--sidebar_sections"> <div class="field__content"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--video paragraph--view-mode--sidebar"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--video paragraph--view-mode--sidebar video-block"> <h3> <div class="field field--title">A Teacher’s Guide to Teach This Poem</div> </h3> <div class="video-block__video"> <iframe allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YIuY8pHkVlE"></iframe> </div> <div class="video-block__description"> <div class="field field--body"><p>Join Education Ambassador Richard Blanco and Educator in Residence Dr. Madeleine Holzer in this brief video guide to learn about Teach this Poem, which uses primary sources from the Library of Congress to aid educators in teaching poetry.</p> </div> <div class="video-block__links d-flex justify-content-start pt-3"> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIuY8pHkVlE" />Watch on Youtube</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__content"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--resource paragraph--view-mode--sidebar resource pt-4 px-3 bg-white"> <div class="field__content resource__image"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2025-02/Dear%20Poet%202025%20-%20IG%20Feed.png?itok=147oueq3" width="480" height="480" alt="blue and white image of a young student writing. In the corner, black text reads, Dear Poet 2025" /> </div> <h3 class="field field--title resource__title">Dear Poet</h3> <div class="field__content resource__body"><p>Every National Poetry Month we present Dear Poet, a multimedia education project that invites young people in grades five through twelve to write letters in response to poems written and read by award-winning poets.</p> <p><strong>The submission period for </strong><a href="https://poets.org/national-poetry-month/dear-poet-2025"><strong>Dear Poet 2025</strong></a><strong> is now open until April 24, 2025.</strong></p> <p><a href="https://poets.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/2024%20Dear%20Poet_Final.pdf"><em>Read, download, and share the 2024 Dear Poet Booklet, featuring the poems, students’ letters, and poets’ responses.</em></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </aside> </div> </main> <div> <div id="block-nodesubcontentfields"> <article> <div> </div> </article> </div> <div 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class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Poems Kids Like</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/poems-kids" hreflang="und">Poems Kids Like</a></div> <div class="field field--body"><p>Read a selection of poems kids love by poets like Lewis Carroll, Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and more.</p></div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/hope-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Hope: Poems for Kids</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/hope-poems-kids" hreflang="en">Hope: Poems for Kids</a></div> <div class="field field--body">The following poems are about hope by poets like Maya Angelou, Jane Hirshfield, Langston Hughes, and more. </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/beginnings-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Beginnings: Poems for Kids</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/beginnings-poems-kids" hreflang="en">Beginnings: Poems for Kids</a></div> <div class="field field--body">The following poems are about beginnings by poets like Naomi Shihab Nye, Theodore Roethke, Walt Whitman, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, and more. </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/love-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Love: Poems for Kids</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/love-poems-kids" hreflang="en">Love: Poems for Kids</a></div> <div class="field field--body">Read a selection of poems about love, friendship, romance, and devotion like “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Love Comes Quietly” by Robert Creeley, and more. </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/myths-and-fairy-tales-poems-kids" rel="bookmark">Myths and Fairy Tales: Poems for Kids</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/myths-and-fairy-tales-poems-kids" hreflang="en">Myths and Fairy Tales: Poems for Kids</a></div> <div class="field field--body">The following poems are about fables, fairy tales, folklore, legends, and myths by poets  Homer, Saeed Jones, Kim Addonizio, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, and more. </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="field__content feature bg-white d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row"> <article> <div class="field field--featured_media feature__media d-lg-flex justify-content-lg-end flex-lg-row"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/feature/public/2020-03/696x486_BestPractices.png?itok=0xqGlaXm" width="696" height="486" alt="Best Practices virtual events homepage 696x486" /> </div> <div class="feature__content py-3 h-100"> <h3 class="feature__title"> <a itemprop="name" class="text-dark" href="/text/best-practices-virtual-events-and-readings" rel="bookmark">Best Practices for Virtual Events and Readings</a> </h3> <div> <div class="field field--featured_meta feature__subtitle">Resource</div> <div class="field field--title"><a href="/text/best-practices-virtual-events-and-readings" hreflang="en">Best Practices for Virtual Events and Readings</a></div> <div class="field field--body"><p>For resources on making hybrid and virtual events and readings accessible, please visit: <a href="https://www.arts.gov/impact/accessibility/re"></a></p></div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="views-element-container py-4 card-deck--essaycard" id="block-views-block-essays-card-block"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-12"> <h2 class="card-deck__title font-italic">Essays</h2> </div> </div> <div><div class="row card-deck__cards card-deck__essay-cards d-flex js-view-dom-id-35af9d0c6a304cd6dad2f11c9d0038943fb8a0e1f2dbfb1569504505840a05fd"> <header> <p><a href="/essays">3 Essays</a></p> </header> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-md-4 col-12"> <article class="card card--essay bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/adapting-teach-poem-online-or-hybrid-classroom" rel="bookmark">Adapting Teach This Poem to an Online or Hybrid Classroom</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p><a href="https://poets.org/teach-poem">Teach This Poem</a>, though developed with a classroom in mind, can be easily adapted for remote learning, hybrid learning models, or in-person classes. Please see the suggestions below to help you adapt this lesson for remote or blended learning. We have also noted suggestions when applicable and will continue to add to these suggestions online.<br><br>  </p></div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div itemprop="author" class="card__name"> <div class="field field--field_contributors"> <div class="field__content">Ansley Moon</div> </div> </div> <div itemprop="datePublished" class="card__year"> <div class="field field--field_date_published" itemprop="datePublished">2020</div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-md-4 col-12"> <article class="card card--essay bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/poetry-creative-practice-enhance-engagement-and-learning-conservation-science" rel="bookmark">Poetry as a Creative Practice to Enhance Engagement and Learning in Conservation Science</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p>This essay on poetry and science was originally published in the peer-reviewed journal <em>BioScience</em> on October 4, 2018.</p> <p><a class="button-grey" href="/collection/lesson-plans-about-environment">lesson plans about the environment</a></p></div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div itemprop="author" class="card__name"> <div class="field field--field_contributors"> <div class="field__content">Various</div> </div> </div> <div itemprop="datePublished" class="card__year"> <div class="field field--field_date_published" itemprop="datePublished">2018</div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="views-row card-deck__card col-md-4 col-12"> <article class="card card--essay bg-white h-100"> <div class="card-body"> <h4 class="card-title"> <a itemprop="title" href="/text/dear-poet-fostering-lifelong-engagement-poetry" rel="bookmark">Dear Poet: Fostering a Lifelong Engagement With Poetry</a> </h4> <div class="card-text"> <div class="field field--body"><p>Every year during <a href="/national-poetry-month/home">National Poetry Month</a>, the Academy of American Poets produces <a href="/national-poetry-month/dear-poet-project">Dear Poet</a>, an education project that gives young people around the world the opportunity to engage directly with some of the award-winning poets on our Board of Chancellors. To participate, students watch videos of these poets reading their poems aloud and write letters in response to the poet of their choosing. They mail or email their letters to the Academy of American Poets office, and, after carefully reading each and every letter, we select a multitude to share on Poets.org.</p></div> </div> <div class="card-footer"> <div itemprop="author" class="card__name"> <div class="field field--field_contributors"> <div class="field__content">Academy of American Poets</div> </div> </div> <div itemprop="datePublished" class="card__year"> <div class="field field--field_date_published" itemprop="datePublished">2018</div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="region region-pre-footer newsletter-support-follow"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="newsletter-form col-md-4"> <div class="region region-pre-footer newsletter-support-follow newsletter"> <h3 class="signup-title">Newsletter Sign Up</h3> <div class="newsletter__form newsletter__content"> <div id="mc_embed_signup"> <form 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