Activities

Poetry Printables

Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8

Overview

Fun, ready-to-print poetry activities are the perfect tools to bring words to life. Use these reproducibles to teach new concepts, reinforce past lessons, and inspire creativity. After introducing budding writers to the sounds and styles of poetry, invite them to copy down their favorite verse or write a new poem of their own and keep it their pockets to share with friends, using the Poem in Your Pocket (PDF) reproducible.

Poetry Lessons Each of these reproducible poetry pages offers suggestions to visibly introduce the poem, explores a science concept, and includes a phonics-building activity. Each poetry page can also be colored and displayed. Beautiful Butterflies (PDF) — Grades Pre-K-1

Through pictures and rhyme, students learn about symmetry in the wings of a butterfly and then create their own symmetry art project.

Who Sees the Wind? (PDF) — Grades Pre-K-1

Students are encouraged to move along with this repetitive-word verse and to share their observations about the wind. Extension and shared writing activities help students to "see" the wind.

Celebrate the Earth (PDF) — Grades Pre-K-1

An excellent poem to introduce the topic of community and togetherness, this activity also invites students to create thank you notes for their favorite gift from the earth.

Poems in the Classroom Use the following reproducible pages to reinforce phonics lessons, inspire student writing, and build reading skills. Phonics Poems (PDF) — Grades K-2

Delightful rhymes reinforce the consonant sounds of /b/, hard /c/, and short vowel /a/.

Weather Poems (PDF) — Grades K-2

From the brash, crash BLUNDER of thunder to a steaming, sizzling summery day, these poems will inspire students to write their own descriptive verses about the weather.

School Days (PDF) — Grades K-3

Show students the poetry of everyday life in this collection of seven poems about fire drills, substitute teachers, classroom jobs, and more.

4 Poems for Partners & Small Groups (PDF) — Grades 1-2 Questions and answers combined with repetitive lines encourage students to take turns and read together.

Shape Poems A shape poem is one that is shaped like its subject matter. Use these printables to guide students in creating their own shape poems. Soccer Poems (PDF) — Grades K-3

After first organizing their soccer related words and descriptive and rhyming words, students fill the empty soccer ball with their poem. Poetry with a Twist (PDF) — Grades 3-Up

Starting with a distinct shape, students build a poem by brainstorming words, feelings, and activities associated with that shape. For a twist, students then rewrite the poem in a different style. Hands-On Poetry With these poetry activities, students try their hands at writing together, writing for each other, and expressing themselves.

Fold It Poem (PDF) — Grade 3-Up

Students write a poem together, line by line, using only the previous student's final word as inspiration!

Best Guess Poetry Squares (PDF) — Grades 3-6 Students create cinquain riddles that give clues to numbers or math concepts.

Writing an Acrostic (PDF) — Grades 4-8

Word choice is key in expressive and descriptive poetry. Students become familiar with this process by writing an acrostic poem.

Everything You Need:

Poetry Month: Everything You Need

Subjects:

Phonics, Poetry, Writing, Songs and Rhymes