As you probably already know, April is National Poetry Month. Inaugurated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, it is now an annual event to celebrate poetry and its vital role in American culture.
Poems are some of the richest and most complex texts we can read for they often convey universal truths–or some of the most nuanced ideas–through striking, moving, and innovative uses of language. Repeated close readings of poems help us to discover their richness and nuances, lead us to appreciate the poems as works of art, and guide us to insights about life and our humanity.
If you are planning to read poetry with your students this month and participate in the celebration, here are some resources you might want to tap:
The Academy of American Poets National Poetry Month Webpage presents ideas for celebrating poetry in April and throughout the school year.
By following 30 Days 30 Poets on Twitter, you and your students will be able to enjoy the insights of 30 different contemporary American poets throughout the month of April.
Scholastic has assembled teaching resources and lesson plans at http://teacher.scholastic.com/poetry/.
For more ideas and lesson plans, you may want to consult ReadWriteThink at http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/april-national-poetry-month-20478.html.
The Favorite Poem Project, initiated by former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, also shares lesson plans–frequently with tie-ins to videos of everyday Americans reciting their favorite poems.
Another former poet laureate, Billy Collins, launched Poetry 180, which provides a poem appropriate for high school students for each day of the school year.
American Life in Poetry, a project of former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, provides a poem with a brief introduction by Kooser on a weekly basis.
For poems, podcasts, videos, and literary nonfiction about poetry, the Poetry Foundation is an excellent resource.
In addition, Poetry Out Loud, which sponsors a national poetry recitation contest for high school students, has lesson plans and handouts to support close readings of poems.
Please share other resources you use to celebrate National Poetry Month or to teach poetry throughout the year.