It’s the end of the year and so many teachers are sharing the same concern… we still need to cover poetry! 

Poetry can feel daunting, and bring up a lot of school-trauma in us. A lot of us dreaded poetry units as students, and our exposure to poetry is often low. Even among LA teachers, not too many of us are curling up with a collection of poems in the evening. We want to make learning fun and engaging, we want to make poetry units as good as our favourite units, but its different. Poetry can feel subjective, opaque and a bit of a moving target. Students need to learn the basics, the rules, key poetic devices, but how do we make them care and connect what they learn to their lives – without just writing a Mother’s Day card. 

I’m excited to share a dynamic poetry unit culminating in an electrifying poetry slam. Students easily connect with spoken word poetry, and the unit leverages the science of learning to ensure deep understanding and long-term retention.

Why a Poetry Slam?

Poetry slams are not just performances; they’re platforms for authentic expression and connection. By working towards a slam, students will:

• Find Their Voices: Discover their unique perspectives and develop the confidence to share them with the world.
• Hone Their Craft: Master the elements of effective poetry, from figurative language to impactful delivery.
• Build Community: Collaborate, support each other, and celebrate the power of the poems.

The Science of Learning Connection

This unit is designed to maximize learning through proven strategies:

• Spaced Repetition: Key concepts and skills will be revisited throughout the unit to reinforce understanding.
• Retrieval Practice: Activities like quizzes and writing prompts will challenge students to actively recall information, strengthening their knowledge.
• Interleaving: Mixing up different types of activities and topics will keep students engaged and promote deeper learning.
• Elaboration: Encouraging students to make personal connections to poems and share their interpretations will enhance their understanding and appreciation of poetry.
• Multi-Sensory Learning: Visuals, music, and movement will be incorporated to cater to diverse learning styles and create a more immersive experience.

Unit Structure:

1. Discovering the Power of Poetry: Students will dive into diverse poetry styles, analyze mentor texts, and identify key elements of effective poetry.
2. Crafting Your Poetic Toolbox: They’ll explore poetic devices, experiment with different forms, and practice using their newfound skills.
3. Unleashing Your Inner Poet: Students will brainstorm personal topics, draft their first poems, and receive feedback from peers.
4. Refining Your Craft: They’ll revise their poems, focusing on clarity, impact, and originality.
5. The Poetry Slam: The unit will culminate in a celebratory poetry slam where students will showcase their talents and share their unique voices.

Get Ready to Slam!

 By incorporating science of learning principles and fostering a creative, supportive environment, you’ll empower your students to become confident poets and performers. So, are you ready to ignite your students’ passion for poetry and unleash their creative potential? It’s time to take your poetry unit to the next level with a slammin’ good time!

Week 1: Discovering the Power of Poetry (Immersion)

• Day 1: Introduce the concept of a poetry slam (show them the video: ‘A love poem for lonely prime numbers’). Put different kinds of poems around the class and have students mill around stopping to read them in groups. Have students try acting these poems out in different tones ,showing different emotions and reading at different tempos. (Where ever you are, read the next poem fast and sad… now have a partner read it with lots of dramatic pauses and as if they are confused)
• Day 2-3: Read Kwame Alexander’s How to write a poem. Have students write a poem inspired by the book. Then have them re-write the poem following Dr. Seuss’ style. Then introduce them to a sonnet, and have them re-write their poem in sonnet form. 
• Day 4-5: Analyze I’m From, and have groups identify key elements of effective poetry (imagery, figurative language, voice, structure). Have individuals write and share their own version. 

Week 2: Crafting Your Poetic Toolbox (Skills and Techniques)

• Day 1: Introduce poetic devices (metaphor, simile, personification, alliteration, etc.). Use games and activities (e.g., Hot Seat) to make learning fun and engaging.
• Day 2-3: Have students pick 10 things they care about. For each one, have them write a haiku about it, using a different poetic device (eg. A haiku with metaphor about soccer, and a haiku with rhyme about their X Box) 
• Day 4-5: Have students pick 3 of their haikus and rewrite them, writing one as a limerick, one as an ode and one as a shape-poem.

Week 3: Unleashing Your Inner Poet (Personal Expression)

• Day 1: Encourage students to brainstorm topics that resonate with them (personal experiences, social issues, observations). Use free writing and journaling to spark ideas.
• Day 2-3: Guide students through the process of drafting their poems, as a song. Emphasize the importance of authenticity and personal voice.
• Day 4-5: Facilitate peer review sessions. Encourage students to provide constructive feedback on each other’s work, focusing on clarity, impact, and originality.

Week 4: Refining Your Craft (Revision and Performance)

• Day 1: Teach revision strategies (adding/deleting, rearranging, strengthening word choice). Model the revision process using a sample poem.
• Day 2-3: Have students revise their poem-song, turning them into slam-poems based on peer feedback and self-reflection.
• Day 4-5: Introduce performance techniques (projection, intonation, pacing, gestures). Practice performing poems in small groups and provide feedback.

Week 5: The Poetry Slam (Celebration)

• Day 1-2: Final rehearsals and preparations for the poetry slam.
• Day 3-5: Host the poetry slam! Create a supportive and celebratory atmosphere. Invite an audience (other classes, parents, community members). Celebrate students’ hard work and growth.

This can easily be shortened and adapted to fit your needs. What’s important is that students know they are working towards their slam poem throughout the unit. This way, all of their learning and ideas are pieces of the bigger project, something that will help them and will be meaningful to them. When the work isn’t leading to something bigger, it can feel meaningless to students, which can quickly lead to disinterest and classroom disruptions. This time of year is hard enough without extra problems. This unit is something students have loved, right up to the last day. In fact, every year students get so invested that there is always one or two families emailing to say that their kid doesn’t want to miss the last few days of school for the first time because they want to present a poem – and there are an often even more letters that come sharing that this is the first time their child is looking forward to presenting something in class. 

Try ending the year with a slam, and let me know how it went!