HOMESCHOOL & Classroom Poetry RESOURCES, Ages 5-17
Developed & created by a teacher and published poet
Jump to: Poetry Basics | Poetry Lists | Poetry Lessons & Activities
To help you select the best resource for your child, the border of each resource is color coded by age & grade level.
Of course, every child is different and you know your child best, so these are simply guidelines.
Ages 5–17 (All Grade Levels) |
Ages 5–8 (Lower Elementary)
Ages 8–12 (Upper Elementary) |
Ages 12–14 (Middle School)
Poetry Basics
Ages 5-17
Poetry 101 Starter Kit
Features poetry basics like definitons, styles and vocabulary plus three poetry activities for kids aged 5 to 17. Includes how to write a rhyming poem and free verse with examples and templates provided. Great for beginners of all ages, including parents who want to learn alongside their kids.
Ages 5-17
How Teaching Poetry Weaves into Other Skills
Reading, listening, vocabulary and more–how literacy and learning skills dovetail with reading and writing poetry. Practical ways to incorporate poetry into your teaching day.
Poetry Lists
Ages 5-17
15 Poems Every Kid Should Know
This list of 15 poems every kid–every person–should know includes classics to contemporary, silly to sober. Some recognizable and some new, these verses are for reading, listening and reciting. Short poems, long poems and in between, this list will get you started.
Ages 5-17
10 Best Poetry Collections for Children
Whether you have 5 minutes during Morning Time or 15+ minutes for a lesson, this poetry book list has all you need to begin. Collections edited by Caroline Kennedy, A.A. Milne’s delightful verse and Robert Louis Stevenson classics are just the start. Download your booklist today!
Ages 5-8 Lower Elementary
Picture Books as Poetry
Rhyming picture books are the perfect place to begin training young ones to listen for the music of poetry. This round up of 8 kid favorites helps everyone make friends with poetry. From Dr. Seuss’ “My Many Colored Days” to linguistics-rich “Sheep in a Jeep” series, the list includes titles that will soon become favorites.
Poetry Lessons & Activities
Ages 5-8 Lower Elementary
Write a Rhyming Poem With Mary had a Little Lamb
Have a young one that wants to write a poem? “Mary Had a Little Lamb” is a perfect rhyme to begin with, mimicking the familiar lines to create an original poem. Download includes how-to’s and examples, along with a fill in the blank template. Easy and accessible.
Ages 5-8 Lower Elementary
How to Write a Limerick
Beginning with the nonsense of an Edward Lear limerick, children will be able to craft their own limerick with the pattern provided. Teaches auditory discrimination with rhyme patterns combined with the fun of nonsense. Easy and accessible for beginning writers.
AGes 8-12, Upper Elementary & Mid School
Using Jabberwocky to Teach Vocabulary, Grammar & Reading
“Jabberwocky” is best known for its whimsical, made-up words like “slithy toves,” “borogoves,” and “galumphing.” The poem follows the nonsensical arc of the hero’s journey using made-up words yet is still understandable. This resource helps kids identify rhymes, parts of speech and make up their own nonsense words. Drawing a slithy tove is optional.
Can be adapted for younger ages.
Ages 8-12 and Up
How to Write a Poem with pictures aka Art Journaling
Using magazine scraps and glue, word cut outs and more, this resource provides the steps to ‘write’ a poem with pictures. The perfect process for kids to express themselves, especially if they’re not a writer. Perfect for ages 8-12 and up.
Ages 12-14, Middle School & Up
How to Write a Free Verse Poem with metaphors & Homonyms
Writers who want to try their hand at writing their own poems will benefit from these clear step-by-step and how-to’s. Using both metaphors and homonyms as launching pads, writers can work through brainstorming, editing and writing a free verse poem. Definitions, examples and prompts included.
Make Friends with Poetry, Especially if You’re Meeting for the First time!
Whether your family uses Classical Conversations or the Charlotte Mason approach in your Homeschool Planning (or something in between), the Resource Library has activities and inspiration for your weekly teaching time, whether it’s 5 minutes or 15 or more.
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