ELA Activity: Eavesdropping Poetry

In this creative writing activity, secondary ELA students will use what they overhear in the hallways to write poems! Download the lesson template and hear from ELA teacher Jennifer Nash how she implemented this activity in her classroom!

Inaugural Poetry Discoveries

Like lots of others, I didn’t discover Amanda Gorman until she graced the country with, well, her grace, her presence, and her poetry at the inauguration ceremony of President Biden.

Rock Star Poets

The “Greatest Hits” album. All the greats do it—Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom Petty, Elton John, Madonna, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mariah Carey—so it only makes sense that poets would do the same thing. 

Dead White Poets Society

Scads of English teachers have shown the movie Dead Poets Society in class to either begin their poetry unit or to try and inspire an appreciation for poetry. I technically showed the movie to teach media messages as constructs, but residual poetry appreciation was always an added bonus and hope. 

The Outer and Inner Beauty of Poetry

Probably not long after Gutenberg slapped some ink on a page, we got the aphorism not to judge a book by its cover.

Generally true.

But even if the collection of poems in How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope edited by James Crews didn’t epitomize the craft and power of poetry, the...