Teaching Kids to Write Poetry

Looking at a blank page is always a mind blower when it comes to creativity, so don't give them a blank paper, but instead make five categories on the board or on five index cards that each child can have to help them brainstorm words on their topic. It is best to give them only one topic so that they can concentrate on only one. After each index card is labeled with the five senses: touch, smell, sounds, taste, and sight, allow the students independently or in groups to brainstorm as many words and ideas as they can to fill that card. For example, the topic may be a trip to the beach. Each index card should have different sensory ideas, words, or phrases about the beach. Words such as splash, gulls screaching, and waves crashing might go on the sounds card.

After gathering all the ideas from the cards, students may write their favorite sensory phrases one on each line of a piece of notebook paper or type the poem onto a word document on the computer. Remind the students that every line of a poem shouls start with a capital letter, and end punctuation is not needed unless they hust want to add a period or a comma at the end of some of the lines of poetry.

Using Kid Pix or other drawing programs will add to the poems appeal when you are ready to have it printed out to place in their class poetry book or on a classroom bulletin board.

The Beach
Splashing waves crashing around me
Sunrays beaming over my head
A crab catches my little toe
Ouch!