April is National Poetry Month—a great time to celebrate the art of poetry with your students! In this blog post, I’m going to share National Poetry Month activities perfect for high school students.
Whether you want your celebration to last one class period, one unit, or the whole month, you’ll find something perfect for your class.
Want some done-for-you but fun and engaging activities? Try these Poetry Writing Activities or these Poem of the Week Activities.
What is National Poetry Month?
National Poetry Month takes place during the month of April. It is meant to celebrate poetry and remind us how important poetry is to culture.
Established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, it’s now the largest literary celebration in the United States.
For ELA teachers, this month is a perfect way to get students engaged with poetry through fun and meaningful National Poetry Month activities.
Before honing in on exactly which National Poetry Month activities you’d like to try with your class, consider how much time you want to give it. Some of the following activities can be done in a single class period. Some could span the whole month (or even the rest of the school year) if you wanted.
Decide how much time you can devote to National Poetry Month, and then jump right in with an activity that excites you!
National Poetry Month Activities #1: Teach Poem Types with a Poetry Unit
This is probably the most obvious one, but if you want to dive deep into poetry, why not a poetry unit?
A poetry unit is a great way to introduce students to different forms of poetry, from classic poems by Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, and Langston Hughes to contemporary free verse. A poetry unit lets students explore literary devices, analyze different types of poems, and even write their own poetry.
One way to do this is by teaching students different poetry forms and then having them write their own. Exposing students to different poems will help them find one they like, and every new form is an opportunity to practice their poetry skills.
If you don’t have time to create lesson plans from scratch (and your students are really afraid of poetry!) consider grabbing my Poetry Writing Activities Bundle.
In this bundle, students will learn about simple poems–like haikus and cinquains–and some more moderate-level poems like limericks and odes. Each resource includes a lesson that covers important literary terms with examples of the poetry types. Then, students fill out the included graphic organizers to make writing their own poems as simple as possible.
Want some more ideas for a simple poetry unit? Check out this post on how to use poetry writing worksheets.
National Poetry Month Activities #2: Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day
Poem in your pocket day is April 18th. It’s exactly what it sounds like: on Poem in Your Pocket Day, you carry around a favorite poem in your pocket.
Encourage students to carry a favorite poem in their pockets and share it with classmates throughout the day. You can have students find a poem to bring and share at home. Or, you could print out some of your favorites and let them pick one for their pockets.
This simple poetry activity fosters a love for poetry in a fun and informal way. Plus, it’s an easy way to get the whole school involved!
National Poetry Month Activities #3: Host a Poetry Reading Day
A classroom poetry reading is a great way for students to share their own poems or recite works from famous poets.
If you had students do the Poetry Writing Activities mentioned in #1 above, you could have them choose their favorite to share with the class. Otherwise, you could provide dramatic or funny poems and let students choose which ones to read.
This can be as formal or casual as you like—set up a cozy space with poetry books and let students take turns reading, or go all out and invite other classes to listen.
You could even serve coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to really make your classroom feel like a cozy coffeehouse reading!
National Poetry Month Activities #4: Study a Poem of the Week Throughout April
If you want to use National Poetry Month to add some poetry analysis–not just fun–to your classroom, this might be the winner for you!
Every week in April, have students analyze a Poem of the Week. This is a great way to practice literary analysis skills in bite-sized pieces.
If you want, you could even have students replicate the form, style, or voice of each poem of the week in their own unique poem, too.
To skip the prep work for this, grab my Poem of the Week Bundle (or just grab the four you want for April).
Each of my Poem of the Week Activities includes a worksheet breaking down analysis of the poem into five steps. A slideshow introduces the students to the poets and walks them through each step of analysis. Then, you can use the optional “write your own” activity included in each. These turn the poem of the week into a mentor text for your students to use to write brand new poems!
Poem of the week activities are really the perfect mix of everything–teach literary terms, practice analysis skills, and having fun writing original poems!
National Poetry Month Activities #5: Explore the Favorite Poem Project
Have students participate in the Favorite Poem Project, created by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky. This could be done in conjunction with celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day (#4 above) or hosting a poetry reading day (#3 above).
This project encourages people to share their favorite poems and the personal connections they have to them. It’s a great way to show students how poetry can be meaningful in everyday life.
National Poetry Month Activities #6: Teach a Figurative Language Unit
Poetry is filled with rich figurative language, making it a perfect way to help students understand literary devices like simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole. If you want to pause for some fun–but still need to cover those important literary terms–this might be a great way to celebrate the month!
You can have students identify examples in classic poems, slam poetry, or free verse poems.
Your figurative language unit can be anything you want, but I have a done-for-you Figurative Language Mini-unit right here.
In this resource, you’ll first teach figurative language terms and have students hunt them down in a scavenger hunt.
Then, students will practice what they learned with task cards and a fun figurative language tasting activity. (You can learn all about a figurative language tasting activity right here.)
Lastly, students will write about a setting using figurative language of their own making.
Teaching figurative language–with plenty of poetry as examples–can be the perfect bridge to diving right back into literary analysis when April is over.
National Poetry Month Activities #7: Do a Harlem Renaissance Unit
If you’re looking for another mini-unit idea, consider focusing on a specific time period–like the Harlem Renaissance.
Introduce students to poetry from the Harlem Renaissance. Poets like Langston Hughes and Claude McKay wrote about identity, culture, and social change—topics that still resonate today.
Analyzing these works can spark critical thinking and powerful discussions. You could even include poets like Paul Laurence Dunbar who laid a foundation for the writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
If you want to combine this idea with poems of the week (#4 above), check out these Poem of the Week Activities: “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar and “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay
National Poetry Month Activities #8: Use Social Media for Poetry
Challenge students to share short poems, favorite lines, or even black out poetry on social media. This makes poetry feel more relevant and connects students to a broader audience. Plus, it’s a great excuse to incorporate digital literacy into your poetry lessons!
If you need resources for Black out and Found Poetry you can grab my lesson right here.
If you want to incorporate technology without actually having students on Instagram in your classroom, you can adapt my #Bookstagram template!
National Poetry Month Activities #9: Create a Poetry Bulletin Board
Dedicate a space in your classroom where students can post original poems, favorite poetry quotes, or visual poetry projects. It’s a fun way to keep poetry at the forefront throughout April.
You could even choose poems to post from celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day (#2 above), your class’s poetry reading (#3 above), or the Favorite Poem Project (#5 above).
National Poetry Month Activities #10: Try a Poetry Slam
Bring energy into your classroom with a poetry slam! Let students perform their original poems in a supportive, competitive environment. Slam poetry is an engaging way to challenge students to experiment with rhythm, tone, and expression. This is a great time to put that figurative language unit (#6 above) into practice.
I also highly recommend watching Elizabeth Acevedo perform her poetry to excite students for this activity.
National Poetry Month Activities #11: Analyze Song Lyrics as Poems
Want to make poetry more relatable? Analyze song lyrics for literary devices, rhyme schemes, and themes. Students love seeing how their favorite artists use poetic techniques in their lyrics. Taylor Swift is a popular pick for these kinds of activities.
National Poetry Month Activities #12: Celebrate Earth Day with Nature Poetry
Since Earth Day falls in April, why not connect it to poetry? Have students read and write nature-themed poems.
Classic poets like Robert Frost and Carl Sandburg wrote beautiful nature poetry, and students can use them as inspiration for their own poetry. (Check out this Poem of the Week Activity for Robert Frost’s “Design” or Marianne Moore’s “A Jelly-fish”.)
You could also grab some clipboards and have students do some poetry writing outside. With the weather improving, why not make the most of it?
National Poetry Month Activities #13: Start a Poetry Journal
Encourage students to keep a poetry journal throughout the month. They can jot down new poem ideas, favorite lines from famous poets, or experiment with different forms of poetry. This is a fantastic way to track their growth as writers.
Conclusion
National Poetry Month is the perfect opportunity to immerse students in the art of poetry.
Whether you’re focusing on slam poetry, classic poems, or free verse, there are so many fun poetry activities to explore. Poetry is a fantastic way to help students express themselves, build literacy skills, and connect with different voices across time and cultures.
And if you need a little help, my Poetry Writing Activities, Poem of the Week Activities, or Figurative Language Mini-unit can make planning a breeze. Happy writing!