Explore Poetry!: With 25 Great Projects

Poems can be silly, serious, or fun, just like kids! Whether it’s the sing-song rhythm of a limerick, the serendipitous magic of a found poem, the deceptive simplicity of a haiku, or the easy familiarity of an acrostic poem, children are charmed by poetry. And what’s more fun than reading poetry? Writing it! In Explore Poetry! With 25 Great Projects children have fun learning about different forms of poetry while delving into different literary techniques such as personification, metaphor, and alliteration, all of which are discussed in a simple and accessible way.

Activities include creative writing exercises designed to reinforce language arts skills, plus art projects that encourage children to visualize concepts and definitions. Short biographies of important poets reinforce the concept of poetry as an important part of society.

Explore Poetry! meets Common Core State Standards for language arts; Guided Reading Levels and Lexile measurements indicate grade level and text complexity.

Informational and inspiring, Explore Poetry! fits seamlessly into the poetry curriculum of grades 2 to 4 and serves as an enrichment resource all during the school year, especially April, Poetry Month.

Andi Diehn is a writer, editor, and book critic with a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. She has published dozens of articles, stories, and essays and spent many hours volunteering in her sons’ classrooms. She lives in Enfield, New Hampshire, with her family.

Bryan Stone is a cartoonist and the illustrator of several books for Nomad Press including Explore Night Science!, Explore Flight!, Explore Rivers and Ponds!, Explore Rocks and Minerals!, and Explore Electricity!. He lives in Hartland, Vermont.