How I’m Teaching Poetry This Year
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Sometimes things kind of work their way into our lesson plans for the year without it being an intentional choice. That is sort of what happened to lead to me teaching poetry this year.
When I created my daughter’s 9th grade curriculum plan, I knew that she would take a poetry and movie class through our co-op. I didn’t know that this coursework would awaken an interest in poetry.
Within just a few days of beginning her class, I began finding handwritten poems scattered around the house. There was a poem about me on my nightstand. The next day, I found a cute poem about pumpkin spice lying on the dining room table.
I want to capitalize on this newfound interest, so I am making a plan for teaching poetry this year.
Her poetry co-op class has coursework each day and meets a few times a month, so I want to keep the rest of the poetry lessons low-key.
Teaching Poetry Plan
Poetry and Movie Course
This class, from Hide the Chocolate, will make up the bulk of my daughter’s poetry lessons. Each month, she will dive in deep with one poet. She will learn about that poet’s background and spend some time reading poems written by that poet.
There is a specific literary element that corresponds with each poet.
My daughter will spend the month finding that specific literary element in poetry. Then she will watch a movie with her co-op friends. They will find the literary element in the movie.
I really like the way that this course is laid out.
My daughter is able to move through the course without much help from me. One of my goals this year is to encourage a little more independence with school work, so this makes me happy.
Jack Prelutsky Books
My children and I have been big fans of Jack Prelutsky for years. He just has a knack for making poetry interesting . . . and hilarious.
Pizza, Pigs, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem and Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme are two books where Prelutsky walks kids through the process of writing their own poems.
He gently awakens their creative side without poetry feeling stuffy or boring.
- Author: Prelutsky, Jack.
- Publisher: Greenwillow Books
- Pages: 208
Last update on 2026-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
My plan is to incorporate these books during quiet moments of the day. I read to my kids fairly often, so this will be a natural extension. This generally happens when my kids are still sleepily eating breakfast or as a way to call them back to school after lunch.
These books are kind of like responsive reading books. I read the introduction, the poems, and the poetry prompt. Then my children verbally respond with their poetry ideas.
I want this reading time to feel light and fun, so I don’t require the kids to write their answers to these prompts.
Last update on 2026-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I’m sure we will also work through the poetry activities during our poetry tea times.
Poetry Tea Time
My family loves poetry tea time.
It is one of my all-time favorite homeschool traditions. I will forever treasure the memories of my children sitting around the dining room table, sipping tea and nibbling cookies while they listen to poetry.
We have not had a set schedule for poetry tea time for years. Instead, we typically squeeze it into our calendar wherever we can fit it. This year, I want to work it into my lesson plans a minimum of twice each month.
Sometimes it might be a tea with themed poems, home-baked treats, and the fine china. Other times it will be a simple affair with store-bought baked goods served on paper plates while we take turns reading whatever sounds interesting.
WriteShop Poetry Freebies
WriteShop is my favorite homeschool writing curriculum, but they also offer plenty of free resources for teaching poetry.
How to Write Never Poems – This poetry style will create hilarious poems while also teaching alliteration.
Rhymes for Sales: A Poetry Game – This game is a great way to practice different rhyme patterns.
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