How to Teach Poetry to High School Students

To teach poetry to high school students, consider their personal interests. Syntax, rhyme, imagery and relevant life topics may be effectively addressed in a high school poetry class. Asking students to write their own poetry increases opportunities for creativity and self-expression.

• Choose poetry on topics of interest to high school students. Love, personal struggles, sports, friendship and growing pains are common themes with this age group. Choosing relevant topics helps students to immediately see themselves in the work.


• Review poems with the class. Ask students to identify main themes, imagery, alliteration and rhyme patterns. Invite opinions on each poem. Students can practice verbalizing how poetry makes them feel and what thoughts it brings to the surface.


• Divide students into groups. Assign a different poem to each group. Ask group members to read, evaluate and discuss the poem. Upon returning to the larger group, each poem can be read out loud and individual groups can share their observations.


• Draw comparisons between classic poetry and current day work. Capture student interest by referring to contemporary song lyrics and rap music. Invite students to share their feelings openly about the quality and themes of the poetry.


• Assign students a poetry writing task. Ask them to write a sonnet, haiku or ode. Provide high-quality examples of each poetry type and explain the specific characteristics of each. Encourage students to adhere to the general form of the poetry type but use creativity in writing their own. Choose three of the best poems to read to the class, with writers' permissions.