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National Poetry Month

National Poetry Month was established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 as a month for the national celebration of poetry. The Academy wished to bring attention to and appreciation of contemporary poetry and its writers—to revitalize this lost art. “In the end, we hoped to achieve an increase in the visibility, presence, and accessibility of poetry in our culture.”

There are many ways to enjoy National Poetry Month and The Academy of American Poets has many resources to help you do so. For example, their Poetry Read-a-Thon is an open invitation to classrooms in every state and at every grade level in the country to celebrate the reading of poems and writing about poems as well as to facilitate the development of student writing and comprehension skills. Students choose poems to read and then write prose responses to the poems they read. You can also sign up for the Poem-a-Day email, discuss poetry with other educators, and have a poet visit your classroom. The For Educators section offers many more ideas, resources, and lesson plans.

But don't stop there! To help you observe the Month of Poetry in April — and all year long — LEARN NC has also compiled a special collection of poetry resources from our collections that includes many more great websites, articles, and lesson plans.

Websites

National Poetry Month
Celebrate poetry all year long! This website has readers guides to poetry, recommendations from leading poets, how start your own poetry reading group as well as tips for librarians and educators getting ready to celebrate Poetry Month.
Provider: The Academy of American Poets
Format: Web resource
Media: audio
Poets' Corner
Poets, poems, biographical information and references to print and other online collections. Interesting features include American Folk Songs and Spirituals, a subject index and a chronological index. A mega-poetry site with nearly 7000 poems and 800 poets!
Provider: The Other Pages
Format: Web resource
Poetry 180: a poem a day for american high schools
Former Poet Laureate of the United States, Billy Collins, has selected 180 poems for high school students, one for each day of the school year. Who can resist such titles as "Cartoon Physics," "Biscuit," "Sentimental Moment or Why Did the Baguette Cross the Road?" and "Alley Cat Love Song?"
Provider: Library of Congress
Format: Web resource
Poets.org: The American Academy of Poets
The Academy of American Poets was founded in 1934 to support American poets. Its website provides a rich collection of essays, interviews of poets, biographies, poems, audio clips, teacher resources, and much more.
Provider: The American Academy of Poets
Format: Web resource
Favorite Poem Project
Find over 50 short video documentaries of both common and eminent Americans reading aloud their favorite poem and explaining why it is special to them. Also find selected poetry and lesson plans.
Provider: Boston University
Format: Web resource
Media: video

More poetic websites.

Lesson plans

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Nonsense Poetry and Whimsy
Students listen to the opening chapters of The Nursery ‘Alice,’ Carroll's adaptation for younger readers, and view Sir John Tenniel's illustrations from the original edition.
Provider: National Endowment for the Humanities
Format: lesson plan (grade 2)
What is poetry?
This lesson introduces students to the poetic process. They will be able to connect poetry to life in a meaningful way become more careful readers of poetry.
Author: Teachers Connect
Format: lesson plan (grade 10)
Creating found poetry from picture books
Students select and read a picture book and afterwards create “found poetry” based on the picture book.
Author: Barbara Groome and Jo Peterson Gibbs
Format: lesson plan (grade 8)
Poetry portfolios: Using poetry to teach reading and writing
Supports students' exploration of language and writing skills as they read and dissect poetry.
Provider: IRA/NCTE
Format: lesson plan (grades K–2)
A matter of identity: Writing an extended metaphor poem
Students apply their knowledge of literary devices by reading and analyzing the poem “Identity” by Julio Noboa Polanco. Students then create their own poem incorporating the literary devices studied and analyzed in the above mentioned poem. This lesson includes modifications for a Novice Low Limited English student.
Author: Susan Brooks and Carrie Mabry
Format: lesson plan (grades 9–12)

More poetic lesson plans.

Articles

Holding a poetry slam
Introducing students to “the competitive art of performance poetry” builds enthusiasm for literature among even reluctant readers. This article explains how a high school in Cleveland County, North Carolina, held its first poetry slam.
Author: Nancy Blalock
Format: article/single page

Last updated March 1, 2007