Teaching Ideas

Elementary Schools

Most Interesting Bugs

Depending on the ages and abilities of the students as well as the types of poetry you wish to have them write, you may work on developing rhymes and rhythmic patterns, haiku or diamante patterns. Remind students that they are telling us in their poem about what makes the bug interesting.
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Cooking with Me

Most students enjoy cooking, especially when the menu includes their favorite foods. In this writing lesson, Students concoct a short story in which they “star” as the chef who’s preparing a wonderful meal for family and friends.
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Incredible Color

Colors surround us throughout our lives and can evoke wonderful feelings. In this poetry lesson idea, students explore all the ways in which colors transform their lives. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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The Hawk Sees

Imagine life's events from the viewpoint of a bird of prey. Students write a short story that incorporates the landscape, flora, fauna and happenings in the life of a hawk.
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Penguin Adventures

Students who love animals are encouraged to pen a short story about the life and adventures of a favorite mammal, reptile, bird, or amphibian.
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Wheels

Wheels take us across town and sometimes across the country. This lesson is for poetry on a transportation theme.
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Middle Schools

Where in the World?

Imagine trading places with a student of the same age living in another area of the world. This poetry lesson weaves social studies and geography into creative writing.
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My Nobel Prize

Scientific discoveries and initiatives that promote peace sometimes earn Nobel prizes. In this short story lesson, students write about the discovery they made that was honored with a Nobel prize.
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Food Advertising with Poetry

Have students discern features and benefits of a favorite food.
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Interview with a Mummy

Though we often think of mummies as Egyptian, many have been found in Central and South America. Through a poem, students reveal the life of a mummy found on an archaeological dig. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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Dinosaur Bones

We are fascinated by each new discovery of dinosaur bones and the latest find in Argentina. In this lesson, students tell the story of an imaginary personal find where there's a dinosaur bone fragment in their hands.
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You'll Never Believe What My Pet Brought Home

Pets that venture outdoors often bring home “gifts” for their owners. This lesson idea asks students to look beyond the dead mole left on the doorstep by an adoring cat or a bone found by their dog. What’s the most interesting thing a pet can bring home, and what’s the story behind the discovery?
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High Schools

Imagine Me as a Grandparent!

For many teens, imagining the future means next week, and relationships are sometimes uneasy interactions with parents or the opposite sex. This lesson idea asks them to look decades ahead to a time when they are grandparents. Writing from the point of view of their grandchild, they create a short story that explores the relationship they share with that grandchild and their grandchild's perceptions of them as the grandparent. Encourage students to think about their relationships with grandparents or other older adults as they shape this story.
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Now What?

The thrill of extreme skateboarding captures the imagination. Two dramatic photos serve as the inspiration for a poetry writing assignment on what happens in the seconds after the photos were taken. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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Red Box

A photo of an artisan's hands painting a red box is the backdrop for this short story writing assignment. Students are encouraged to use all of their powers of observation plus a hefty measure of imagination to create an engaging short story about the red box. (This lesson also includes photographs. Please click here to download a PDF file of the photographs.)
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Career for a Day

Poetry that describes a day in the life of a dream career.
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Open Road

Few experiences are as memorable as earning a learner's permit or a driver's license. In this short story lesson, students relate their experiences that led to their first opportunity to be behind the wheel of a car.
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Jammin'

Music speaks to us in so many ways. In this lesson, students write poetry about making music or the experience of listening to music.
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