“Poetry Through the Senses”: Begin the poetry unit by engaging students’ senses. Provide a variety of objects, such as a seashell, a feather, or a piece of chocolate, and ask students to observe and describe the object using sensory language. Encourage them to think about how the object looks, feels, smells, sounds, and even tastes. Then, have students share their descriptions and discuss how sensory language can enhance poetry.

“Exploring Emotions”: Start the poetry unit by exploring different emotions and how they can be expressed through poetry. Provide a list of emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger, or fear, and ask students to choose one that resonates with them. Instruct them to write a short poem that captures the essence of that emotion. Afterward, have students share their poems and discuss how different poetic devices, such as metaphors or similes, can effectively convey emotions.

“Poetry Collage”: Begin the poetry unit by creating a collaborative poetry collage. Provide a variety of magazines, newspapers, and art supplies. Instruct students to cut out words, phrases, or images that catch their attention and arrange them on a large piece of paper or poster board. Encourage them to experiment with different combinations and create a visually appealing collage. Once completed, have students share their collages and discuss the themes or messages they convey. This activity can spark discussions about the power of imagery and symbolism in poetry.

“Poetry in Music”: Start the poetry unit by exploring the connection between poetry and music. Play a few songs with meaningful lyrics and ask students to listen carefully and identify poetic devices, such as rhymes, metaphors, or alliteration. Discuss how the lyrics evoke emotions or tell a story. Then, have students choose a favorite song and analyze its lyrics, identifying poetic elements and discussing the impact of the words on the overall meaning of the song. This activity can help students understand the similarities and differences between poetry and songwriting.

“Found Poetry”: Begin the poetry unit by introducing the concept of found poetry. Provide a variety of texts, such as newspaper articles, magazine ads, or even old books. Instruct students to select a page or a few paragraphs and circle or underline words or phrases that stand out to them. Then, have students rearrange the selected words and phrases to create a new poem. Encourage them to experiment with line breaks, punctuation, and spacing. Afterward, have students share their found poems and discuss how this process allows them to discover new meanings and perspectives.