Monday, April 9, 2012

Tips for Planning Poetry Lessons


There are many ways to prepare a lesson focused on poetry. In the field of reading instruction, there are generally a “pre,” “during,” and “post” components of lesson planning. Here are some tips for each of these parts.
The first component:
Before reading the poem
Build background, set a purpose, create interest, and/or make predictions.



  • Introduce the poem by title and the poet by name.
  • Connect the subject of the poem to other things read previously.
  • Highlight any vocabulary that may be difficult beforehand.
  • Guess what the poem might be about based on the poem’s title.
  • Preview the poem’s structure noting anything unusual.
  • Preview the poem’s content noting anything unusual.



Over time, try these pre-reading strategies, but only one at a time.
For more details, get your copy of The Poetry Teacher’s Book of Lists.
And if you already have the book and would like to offer additions, corrections, or other input, please do so in the COMMENTS area. Thanks!

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