This curriculum unit focuses on the reading and writing of poetry, emphasizing the development of the students’ social and emotional responses and creativity over technical analysis. It is written for use in an after school and Saturday morning enrichment program open to all students at a comprehensive high school. Hopefully, it will also prove useful to English and writing teachers in middle and elementary schools as well as ESL and bilingual teachers. The strategies and activities, particularly with regard to reading “great poetry,” are modeled after Kenneth Koch’s work in the New York City Public Schools. Participation is the main assessment criterion, and journaling is employed to develop a daily writing habit. An extensive bibliography includes resources for teachers and collections of poetry in both English and Spanish.
(Developed for After School and Saturday Academy; recommended for Middle School English, grades 7-8, High School English, grades 9-10, and Enrichment/Remediation, grades 7-12)
