National Poetry Month

​April is National Poetry Month!

  You don't have to teach English or Language Arts to have your students appreciate the beauty of the written word.  Edgar Allen Poe defined poetry this way... "I would define, in brief, the Poetry of words as The Rhythmical Creation of Beauty."

Check out some of the poems about physics or chemistry or math. Just as Fibonacci is represented in so many things in nature, so poetry is represented in so many of the things we study at school.

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Poems can be beautiful, funny, outrageous... and so much more. Check out some of the links below for apps and websites to use in the classroom. Monica Evons posted an excellent resource for elementary educators... some are ipad apps, but many are readwritethink ideas.

Poetry Videos

Just as Shakespeare's plays were meant to be performed, so much poetry is visual or meant to be performed. Spoken word poetry, poetry slams, etc... are much more popular than they were when I was a student- actually I don't think they existed... There are some excellent videos online- but the caveat- listen to them first!

These are "classroom friendly poems"  I have not listened to all of them. 

From "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein.

​Poem in Your Pocket Day is coming up on April 21. You can still celebrate it before or after the date.  Check out their resources here 

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There are so many great resources for your students, for teachers- both elementary and secondary... check some of them out on these symbaloos.

Taylor Mali... 

an oldie, but goodie...