April is National Poetry Month

Teaching poetry to elementary school students is one of the most enjoyable things I have experienced as a teacher. I am not in the classroom this year to share this study with them but I can share a bit here.

Every year we ask our students to read through books of poetry and stop at a poem that they connect with. Coincidentally, one of my painting assignments this semester was to "let a poem find me" and to let that poem speak to my theme for painting. Happily, a few poems and quotes found me. Here's one of them and some poetry sites I've poked my nose into. Better late than never ;)

I'm pasting this guy right into my writing notebook.

Kindness
Naomi Shihab Nye, 1952

Links to Poetry Resources:

TED-ED: 10 Poems to read during National Poetry Month
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group: Poem-a-Day 2105
Poetry Foundation: Children's Poetry
The Classroom Bookshelf 

Let a POem Find you!