We have wrapped up our poetry unit. Since New Year’s we’ve been reading and writing poems, We put all the kids’ poems into books (after typing, printing, and illustrating them) and invited the families in to see and hear some of the poems. It was a blast! So I am inspired to share with you moe poetry fun – books we use in the classroom and a couple books I mention at the end of this post to help you teach poetry.
Enjoy and let me know if you use any of them already or are going to try !
New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
This and the next book are filled with fun, goofy poems, with amazing opportunities for vocabulary expansion! Kids love his rhyme and sense of humor.
Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children
The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders
The Light in the Attic
Mrs Cole on an Onion Roll by Kelli Dakos
This year my students got really into these funny, random school based poems.
Winter Poetry by Barbara Rogasky
Beautiful! A few are too advanced for second graders but it shows them not all poetry has to rhyme or follow a strict form.
Haiku Hike by the Students of St Mary’s Catholic Elementary School
I’d never tried writing Haiku with second graders before but they were inspired by this book of poems all by students like themselves. They really took to it!
Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry
This is my own book from childhood. It’s falling apart but full of every kind of poem!
A Kick in the Head by Paul Janeczko
Wild, fun and imaginative concrete poetry.
Poetry for Young People – Emily Dickinson
Beautiful and some a little bard but great to expose the to different types of poems and noted poets like Dickinson.
My Hippo has the Hiccups by Kenn Nesbitt
Just so fun and silly!
FOR THE TEACHERS: The two books are for you as you teach poetry to your students. I use and recommend both!
Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School by Georgia Heard
Easy Poetry Lessons that Dazzle and Delight
