Julie Macy
Introduction
In third grade, poetry is frequently approached as a brief and superficial activity, where considerable emphasis is placed on recognizing various forms of poems instead of engaging in a thorough analysis and comprehension of their content. In addition, the cultural backgrounds of minority students are seldom represented within the prescribed curriculum, resulting in a disconnection between these students and the educational resources provided to them. Nevertheless, when learners are provided with chances to establish personal connections with classroom material, their levels of interest and engagement significantly increase. This unit aims to address those disparities by utilizing culturally relevant poetry to enhance students’ reading comprehension while simultaneously cultivating an understanding and appreciation for diverse cultures.
Demographics
I teach third-grade English Language Arts (ELA) at a Title I elementary school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where all students qualify for free breakfast and lunch. Our school has undergone significant demographic changes over the past five years. Our neighborhood school was primarily made up of affluent, white students but is now a diverse community of African-American, Hispanic, European, Native-American, Middle-Eastern, and refugee families. My classroom reflects this diversity, with students from a wide range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds represented.
Despite these changes, one of our core values remains the same: to ensure that every student feels a sense of belonging, valued, and equipped for success. This unit has been designed with that goal in mind by providing students with experiences and tools that affirm them while encouraging deep engagement with their peers and the broader community.
Unit Rationale
The improvement of reading comprehension is one of the major emphases in our district and across the state. Numerous students enter third grade reading at levels significantly below expectation. Traditional methods of teaching often fall short of addressing the unique challenges these students face and rely on dull, standardized methods that fail to spark curiosity and encourage critical thinking. In my years of practice, I have observed that students will be more involved in their learning if they are placed in experiential and interactive situations that are tailored to their interests and personal experiences.
This unit addresses many of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for third-grade ELA, including determining the main idea, identifying elements of poetry, discerning an author’s purpose, recognizing literary devices, answering inferential questions, and expressing thoughts and feelings through writing.[1] These standards may seem overwhelming for young students, but the innovative, student-centered approach of this unit will make the content more accessible and enjoyable.
Overview
The unit is organized into two main sections that address essential aspects of reading comprehension and cultural understanding through poetry: 1) What clues can we find in poems to help us understand their meaning and connect them to our own experiences? 2) How can reading and understanding poetry from different cultures help us to learn about the experience, traditions, and feelings of others?
For many third-grade students, poetry can seem confusing or intimidating, primarily because they have not been exposed to explicit instruction in uncovering its subtle meanings. In third grade, the teaching of poetry has often focused on structural elements such as rhyming patterns and forms, without delving into the feelings, imagination, or messages within the text; this means that students miss out on meaningful experiences with poetry.[2]
This section of the unit will give students practical strategies for approaching poetry. Students will learn how to identify and analyze key elements such as imagery, tone, diction, and theme with the aid of graphic organizers in order to gain understanding. According to research, when students are given explicit instruction on how to read and analyze these features, they show a much better appreciation and understanding of poetry.[3] In addition, in order to ensure that the content resonates and captivates students, they will be asked to connect the themes and emotions within poetry to their own lives.
For example, students might explore a poem that encapsulates the excitement and chaos within family celebrations. Through guided discussion and open-ended questions, they will analyze how the poet uses vivid imagery and tone to convey feelings. Students will then reflect on their personal experiences with family celebrations—finding common ground and recognizing shared emotions. This not only builds comprehension but also creates a personal connection to the text.[4]
The next section presents learners with poetry originating from an array of cultural contexts, thereby broadening their comprehension of various experiences and traditions. By emphasizing the perspectives of distinct communities, culturally pertinent poetry affords students insight into the experiences of others, promoting empathy, respect, and a more profound appreciation for diversity.
Culturally relevant teaching is a powerful tool for creating inclusive classrooms. Research points out that making academic content relevant to students’ cultural identities and lived experiences makes learning more meaningful and engaging.[5] Exploring poetry that reflects a variety of cultural perspectives allows students to celebrate their heritage while learning about the values and traditions of others.
Students will read and analyze the poems, by authors of diverse backgrounds, to examine how culture informs each work in regard to theme and style. For example, a poem that speaks about nature in many Native American traditions may be put beside a poem about the role of community in Hispanic culture. Through comparative analysis of such works, students will identify overarching themes such as love, resilience, and family while, at the same time, understanding differences within other cultures.
The poems chosen are specific to the cultural background of my students. These include: Joy Harjo’s “A Map to the Next World”and “Remember”, N. Scott Momaday’s “The Names”, Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise”, James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, Juan Felipe Herrera’s “Your Names”, Francisco X. Alarcon’s “Ode to the Orange”, Robert Frost’s “The Mending Wall”, Cynthia Rylant’s “The Dream”, Rumi’s “The Guest House”, Maryam Ala Amjadi’s “We Are the One”, and Joanne Harris’ “The Sweetness of Freedom”.
The unit’s interactive, student-centered design ensures that learning is engaging and enjoyable. Group discussions and collaborative projects allow students to learn from one another, while creative writing activities give them the freedom to express their own ideas and emotions. By making poetry relevant and accessible, this unit has the potential to inspire a lifelong appreciation for the written word that combines critical literacy skills with the exploration of cultures. It allows students to engage in the study of poetry and make personal connections while, at the same time, developing their understanding of the world around them. Through the development of both academic growth and cultural awareness, this unit prepares students to become the reflective, empathetic, and curious citizens of an increasingly global society. By engaging with poetry, students will enhance their reading abilities while simultaneously developing greater compassion and cultural awareness as active participants in their communities.
Unit Content
Reading comprehension in the third grade is a significant skill that lays the groundwork for academic and personal development of a student. At this stage, students move from learning to read to reading to learn, and thus comprehension becomes an inseparable part of learning. Reading comprehension involves constructing meaning from texts through decoding words, understanding their contexts, and connecting it with prior knowledge. This not only includes comprehending the literal meaning of the text but also examining deeper levels, including implicit themes, the author’s intentions, and connections to larger ideas. National reading skills, outcomes of culturally responsive pedagogy, and the use of poetry as a teaching tool create a framework for examining means by which poetry may be employed to facilitate individual connection and cultural insight.
National trends in reading proficiency highlight chronic challenges faced by third-grade students. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate that roughly one-third of students across the country achieve reading levels at or above the proficient threshold, with substantial differences found between different demographic groups.[6] For instance, the 2024 NAEP outcomes showed that only 30% of students in the fourth grade scored at reading proficiency, with considerably lower percentages for those in Oklahoma, historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and low-income family groups.[7] Socioeconomic status, resource scarcity, and linguistic diversity are prevalent contributing factors to these gaps, especially in Title I schools where a majority of students experience systemic obstacles to academic achievement. These variations underscore the imperative to embark on focused interventions informed by reading science. Empirical research extols the central role of phonemic awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension as interrelated abilities critical for competence in reading.[8]
Timothy Shanahan advocates for the synthesis of divergent elements to conceptualize a cohesive blueprint for literacy development.[9] Third-grade teachers are encouraged to concentrate on these areas simultaneously while considering the varying cultural and linguistic backgrounds of their students. Culturally responsive teaching is a practice that acknowledges and builds on the cultural assets students bring with them to the learning environment. Gloria Ladson-Billings cites three fundamental pillars of this practice: academic achievement, cultural competence, and critical consciousness.[10] Making students’ cultural experiences part of the curriculum of learning allows educators to create more engaging and equitable learning contexts. In multicultural classrooms, this approach allows for linking the students’ daily lives to the school curriculum. Empirical findings indicate that culturally responsive teaching has the potential to improve reading comprehension by making the texts more meaningful and relevant to the learners.[11] For example, Fernando Rodriguez-Valls notes that the utilization of culturally responsive poetry enhanced engagement and comprehension in students from diverse multicultural backgrounds.[12] Similarly, Roberta Linder emphasizes that multicultural literature establishes social awareness and empathy, essential for the establishment of a diversified learning environment.[13] By incorporating multicultural literature and poetry, students have the opportunity to recognize their own identities within the curriculum while simultaneously gaining an understanding of others’ experiences and traditions. This mutual benefit promotes not merely personal relationships but also a deeper comprehension of the human condition.
Empirical research validates the effectiveness of culturally responsive pedagogy in enhancing academic success.[14] A meta-analysis by Brittany Aronson and Judson Laughter revealed that culturally relevant instructional strategies had a positive impact on students’ academic performance, critical thinking skills, and sense of identity.[15] Furthermore, a publication by the United States Department of Education promotes inclusive curricula reflecting a range of cultures and histories as a strategy for narrowing achievement gaps.[16]
When students feel that their identities and experiences are recognized in the classroom, they are more engaged and motivated, and this positively impacts their reading comprehension and overall growth in literacy.[17] Poetry is one strong way to enhance reading comprehension and make connections between the text and personal experiences. The unique features of poetry, such as the language, rhythm, and imagery, invite students to engage with the text in a multitude of ways. Research shows that repeated poetry readings build fluency, which is a critical component of comprehension.[18] Poetic elements, such as theme and figurative language, are analyzed to give students a deeper understanding of the text. Karen Newsome found that using poetry in the classroom greatly improved the reading fluency and comprehension of third graders.[19] Poetry permits students to reflect on their feelings, identities, and experiences. As Jyoti Bachani presents, poetry can provide a historical record as well as serve as a methodological tool for understanding the personal and collective story.[20] Poetry writing and analysis at the third-grade level will help students effectively convey their thinking and make deep connections to the literature. Teachers can provide prompts that would make students connect the themes of a poem to their own lives to enhance both comprehension and engagement.
One of the main components of reading comprehension involves the ability to distinguish between surface meaning and deeper meaning. Surface meaning refers to the literal content of a text-the words and ideas that comprise it. For example, the surface meaning of a poem might be about a landscape. By contrast, deeper meaning is constituted by the underlying themes, feelings, and messages that the author wants to bring out. In deeper meaning, students need to think inferentially, use knowledge from previous experience, and interpret the figurative language and symbolism in the text. Poetry is an especially effective way for students to go beyond surface-level comprehension. The concise form and use of metaphor and imagery invite the readers to search for layers of meaning and relate these to broader contexts.
Research has indicated that reading poetry activates many parts of the brain by increasing neural connectivity and improving cognitive skills which are also vital for reading comprehension.[21] Students who read and analyze poetry engage the language networks of the brain, particularly areas involved in semantic processing, rhythm, and emotional engagement. In a study by Siyuan Liu et al, evidence shows that the processes of writing and interpreting a poem involve multilevel integration among executive function, memory retrieval, and sensory imagination for deeper understanding.[22] As students navigate metaphors, rhythm, and structure, they strengthen neural pathways for inferential thinking and meaning-making-skills needed to understand both literal and figurative language in all text types.[23] This heightened neural activity promotes better retention, critical thinking, and the exploration of multiple perspectives, rendering poetry invaluable for literacy development.
Reading and understanding different poetry from other cultures allows students to engage in a wide range of perspectives. This nurtures hope and resilience among them. By delving into poetic expressions that reflect cultural traditions, challenges, and victories, students gain a deeper appreciation of the shared and varied human experience. Multicultural literature nurtures social awareness and empathy. According to Linder, exposure to such literature allows students to become more aware of, and to appreciate, multiple perspectives-a necessary ingredient in establishing an inclusive classroom environment.[24] For instance, studying the poetry of Langston Hughes is a way into the lives of African Americans during the era of the Harlem Renaissance, just as the study of haikus introduces one to Japanese aesthetics and traditions. These engagements with poetry from diverse traditions ultimately help create a classroom dynamic of inclusiveness and mutual respect.
To make meaningful discussions around the ways poetry helps students deepen their understanding of texts and make personal connections to experiences as well as nurture empathetic appreciation of various customs and feelings, educators will need to develop content knowledge in their curriculum. Teachers and students will need to become knowledgeable of basic poetic form and develop deeper awareness of common poetry devices including: rhyme, meter, line break, and stanza. To go deeper into meaning, a student needs a sound knowledge of metaphors, similes, and personification. A knowledge of the poem’s main message or emotional tone would be necessary to understand what was written. Beyond that, any knowledge about the cultural or historical background of the poem gives better insight into how to read the text and thus appreciate it better. Rereading promotes more active reading and interpretation of texts and helps in fluency building.[25]
While teachers should be articulate in the different ways of teaching poetry, such as close reading, thematic analysis, creative writing, among others, they should also understand culturally responsive teaching methods. Eric Fishman states, “Assisting students in translation increases their affinity with language and meaning.”[26] A teacher needs to be sensitive to the various backgrounds students come from, choosing poems that reflect this and dignify them. This means being aware of any potential biases and creating an inclusive curriculum. Professional learning opportunities that focus on culturally responsive practices along with evidence-based reading strategies are paramount. Understanding evidence-based reading practices allows teachers to situate poetry within the bigger picture of literacy teaching. For example, Shanahan writes about how reading and writing development are interrelated, which indicates that the use of writing poetry could enhance comprehension skills.[27] Teachers should also look for resources such as multicultural poetry anthologies and professional development workshops to better enhance their own teaching.
Integrating poetry into a reading program will also allow the realization of even broader literacy and academic goals. Integrating poetry into mandated curriculum will help students learn how to think and problem solve through critical thinking. For instance, when interpreting the meaning of a poem, they examine word choice, imagery, and tone—a skill set critical to deciphering more complex texts. Moreover, poetry facilitates vocabulary development because students are exposed to new words in a multitude of contexts. The genre offers great opportunities for word study with its concise, imaginative language, further developing reading skills.
Effective use of poetry in the classroom requires careful planning and ongoing professional development. Teachers need strategies for selecting poems that are appropriate both in age and cultural relevance. They should also be able to lead discussions that foster critical thinking and respectful discourse. Professional learning experiences can help deepen teachers’ knowledge about poetic analysis, instructional strategies, and culturally responsive teaching. Resources, such as anthologies and digital tools, can also facilitate teachers’ delivery of quality poetry instruction.[28]
Educators can use a variety of formative and summative assessment strategies to measure the impact of poetry on reading comprehension and cultural understanding. The best evidence could come from watching the students’ participation in discussions, reading their written reflections, and gauging their creative writing regarding their own engagement and learning outcomes. Teachers can use various rubrics guiding comprehension, interpretation, and personal connections to the text to document student progress. Measuring reading fluency and comprehension on pre- and post- assessments could also help measure the influence of the poetry instruction on literacy achievement.
Reading comprehension can be significantly improved by incorporating poetry into the curriculum, especially when using culturally responsive teaching methods.[29] They will learn important critical literacy components, connections into their own lives, and finally empathy toward differing perspectives through high-level poetic engagement. It improves fluency, comprehension, awareness, and development of students on social and emotional levels. With planning and consideration for inclusiveness, poetry can be used to spark a love of reading and learning that will last throughout a student’s life.
Teaching Strategies
Teaching poetry in the third-grade classroom requires a strategic approach that engages students while enhancing their reading comprehension and cultural awareness. Poetry’s unique structure, rhythm, and figurative language provide a rich medium for students to explore meaning, develop fluency, and build connections between texts and their personal experiences. Several research-based teaching strategies, including annotation, repeated readings, close reading, visualization, and discussion-based approaches, can help students navigate poetry effectively. These strategies can help educators create an environment in which poetry can serve both as a literary tool and as a cultural bridge to critical thinking and empathy.
Annotation is an effective tool that prompts students to approach poetry with active engagement. In third grade, this can be adapted to developmental appropriateness and support a means by which learners interact meaningfully with text. In annotating poems, a student emphasizes key words, underlines figurative language, and jots down their thoughts in the margins. This process helps students to slow down and focus on the poem’s language, structure, and meaning.
Teachers can model how to teach annotation with a shared poem. Through annotation, students can begin to practice identifying powerful words or phrases, marking areas they don’t understand and making connections to their own lives. Annotation allows for richer understanding to be developed in students by encouraging critical thinking about word choice, tone, and imagery in poetry. Robert Frost’s “The Mending Wall” is an excellent poem for students to annotate:
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
‘Stay where you are until our backs are turned!’
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I’d ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That wants it down.’ I could say ‘Elves’ to him,
But it’s not elves exactly, and I’d rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father’s saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’[30]
On a basic level, the poem seems to be two neighbors fixing a wall, but annotating would help students really explore Frost’s use of metaphor, symbolism, and repetition. Emphasized phrases like “Good fences make good neighbors” let students wonder about its meaning in different contexts and debate with each other if the poem reinforces or argues against this view.[31] Identifying shifts in tone and perspective, like the speaker’s curiosity and the neighbor’s adherence to tradition, can lead students toward a more subtle understanding. Students will thus be able to investigate, through annotation, Frost’s imagery, such as “boulders that have fallen,” to understand how physical barriers relate to social and emotional divisions, further deepening their critical thinking and comprehension skills.[32]
Research supports annotation as effective in reading comprehension. According to Shanahan, working at a detailed level with text allows students to build their powers of inference-a skill needed in reading poetry that goes beyond surface meaning.[33] This ongoing practice of annotating a text can give students the confidence and spark needed for inquiry during the reading of a poem.
The approach of repeated reading is important for building fluency and increasing understanding of poems among third-grade students. Fluency provides accuracy, automaticity, and prosody; all are pieces of comprehension of a text. Repeated readings acquaint students with the poem’s rhythm and phrasing, allowing them to more easily decode unfamiliar words and reducing cognitive load. As fluency is built with the text, students can move beyond word recognition and pronunciation to explore meaning, tone, and underlying themes.
Sherri Faver noted that repeated readings of poetry significantly enhanced students’ reading fluency and overall comprehension.[34] This seems even more effective when those poems contain rhyme and predictable patterns. When students read any poem aloud several times, they produce a natural cadence that enhances their ability to recognize phrasing, punctuation, and expressive intonation. This allows them to more actively engage with the message, figurative language, and emotional impact of the poem, resulting in improved comprehension and critical thinking. One of the poems utilized for this purpose in this unit is “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou:
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.[35]
This poem, with its rhythmic structure, repetition, and powerful imagery, is accessible but offers layer after layer of meaning with each reading. The repetition of “I rise” enforces resilience and self-empowerment that will help students grasp both the surface meaning of overcoming obstacles and deeper themes of historical perseverance and personal strength.[36] In this way, students will be able to analyze the figurative language, tone, and emotional impact of the poem by re-reading it multiple times, building both literacy skills and cultural appreciation. The poem’s uplifting message encourages students to make connections to their own experiences, making reading more meaningful and personally relevant.
Repeated readings by teachers can be done through choral reading, partner reading, and performance-based approaches. In choral reading, the whole class reads a poem to reinforce and install word recognition and rhythm. In partner reading, students are given the opportunity to take turns reading stanzas in order to encourage peer support and collaborative learning. Performance-based readings have students embody their voice with emotion and tone, making it an interactive and engaging experience.
Beyond fluency, repeated readings create a deeper awareness in students with the possibility to explore multiple layers of meaning. First readings let students get an overall idea about a poem; subsequent readings provide them with more opportunities to review figurative language, identify themes, and find personal connections. This gradual development scaffolds their understanding, helping them appreciate poetry even better.
Other valid approaches which may lead to better understanding by means of poetry are close readings. A close reading involves one reading a poem multiple times: once for general comprehension, once for literary devices, and once, finally, for interpretation and analysis.
Teachers can also initiate close readings with specific questions. For instance, when analyzing a work such as Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” students might first read and summarize the very basic story of the poem. On the second reading, they might analyze and discuss metaphors. On the third reading, they can connect the message of the poem to choices and decisions in their own lives.
Research supports the use of close reading as one way to develop comprehension skills. Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey write that close reading helps students understand complex texts because it requires “questioning, inferences, and text interpretation based on evidence.”[37] This work aligns well with the ultimate goal of third graders as they move out of surface level comprehension into higher order thinking such as critical and analytical skills.
Visualization is a strategy that encourages students to create mental images based on textual descriptions. Poetry’s vivid imagery makes it an ideal genre for practicing visualization. When students imagine the scenes described in a poem, they form stronger connections to the text and improve their ability to comprehend abstract ideas.
This could be promoted by the teacher reading a poem, while the students close their eyes and imagine what they hear. For example, the nature haiku that the teacher will read might relate to the change in seasons or the rustling of leaves. After that, they can draw what they have imagined, which would solidify this comprehension through artistic expression.
This is particularly helpful for English Language Learners (ELL’s) and for students struggling with abstract conceptions. The missing pieces in the language become bridged when visualizations make poetry more relatable on a sensory level. It has also been proven that there is improved recall and understanding because of increased brain activity across regions responsible for meaning making during visualizations.[38]
Discussion-based strategies, such as Socratic seminars and think-pair-share, encourage students to engage in dialogue about poetry’s meaning and cultural significance. By discussing poetry, students learn to articulate their thoughts, listen to diverse perspectives, and refine their interpretations based on peer input.
In reading poetry from other cultures, discussions are very much a venue to explore the themes of identity, heritage, and tradition. For example, the reading of Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” can invite discourses of resilience and historical struggles. Discussions of such poems coming from various cultural backgrounds allow students to develop wider insights into diverse lived experiences and empathy.
As Ladson-Billings reminds, culturally responsive teaching requires a process of validation of students’ backgrounds within an exposure to diverse ways of thinking.[39] Discussion-based activities meet this criterion as students learn about others’ thoughts and perspectives on poetry as they share personal connections. Such discussions create a classroom atmosphere of inclusion where the voices of all are heard.
Writing is a complementary strategy where students have the opportunity to deepen their engagement with poetry. Students, through writing their poems, are able to apply knowledge regarding poetic structures and literary devices. Writing provides an avenue of self-expression of feelings, hence creating a sense of personal relation in poetry.
According to Shanahan, reading and writing are interconnected; the process of composing texts helps students crystallize how the language is used to carry meaning.[40] Reading and writing poetry will enable students to appreciate literary craft and cultural expression more.
Strategic teaching methods should be combined in using poetry to enhance reading comprehension and cultural awareness among students: annotation for active engagement with text, repeated readings for fluency and confidence, and close reading for deepening interpretative skills. Visualization allows students to connect with poetic imagery, while discussion-based approaches encourage critical thinking and cultural exploration. Writing integrated into the process reinforces comprehension and personal expression, making poetry a dynamic and impactful component of literacy instruction.
Such research-based strategies enable educators to use poetry not only as an aid in developing literacy but also as a means of creating an inclusive learning atmosphere. It is through focused instruction that students develop into better readers while also understanding and appreciating the diverse voices and traditions represented within the poetry.
Classroom Activities
Poetry Reflections
After listening to, reading, and discussing “Remember” by Joy Harjo, students will compose a brief personal response in the form of “I remember…”. During this reflective writing exercise, students will be able to connect their own memories to culture, family, or nature themes, as Harjo’s poem is explored. Students will then share responses in pairs or small groups, fostering an appreciation of the diverse experiences and perspectives within the classroom.
Compare and Contrast Two Poems from Different Cultures
In this activity, students will compare and contrast “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou and “Ode to the Orange” by Francisco X. Alarcón and discover how poetry from different cultures portrays strength and appreciation of everyday experiences. The class will begin with a read-aloud of the two poems, and a class discussion of their themes—Angelou’s poem celebrates courage and determination in hard times, while Alarcón’s poem basks in and is grateful for a dull but rich part of life. Students will be in pairs to work on a Venn diagram and identify the similarities and differences of the poems’ themes, structure, and tone. Next, they will write a short paragraph explaining which poem had the greatest impact on them and why. Finally, students will share their responses in small groups, encouraging them to appreciate multiple cultural perspectives and the power of poetry to express strong emotions and events.
Poetry Quilt
For the culminating experience, students will be in groups creating a poetry quilt, a shared written and visual work, celebrating diversity through poetry. Each student will choose an inspiring line from a poem read in class. They will write their chosen line carefully on a square sheet of paper, illustrate its significance in drawings, symbols, or color, and include a brief explanation as to why they made that choice. Once complete, the squares will be arranged and hung together on a bulletin board or wall to form a poetry quilt. To conclude the activity, students will participate in a gallery walk, reading their classmates’ work and gaining an understanding of how poetry can unite individuals from many different backgrounds.
Bibliography
Angelou, Maya. “Still I Rise.” Allpoetry. Accessed 8 February 2025. https://allpoetry.com/poem/8511437-Still-I-Rise-by-Maya-Angelou.
Aronson, Brittany, and Judson Laughter. 2016. “The Theory and Practice of Culturally Relevant Education: A Synthesis of Research Across Content Areas.” Review of Educational Research 86 (1): 163–206. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315582066. A summary of research on culturally relevant education that explores its theory and practice to improve student engagement and success.
Bachani, Jyoti. “A Case for Poetry as History and a Methodology with Poems by James G. March.” Journal of Management History 28, no. 1 (2022): 156–78. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMH-04-2021-0024. This article explores how poetry serves as both a historical record and a method for understanding the past.
Cardona, M., and M. Rodriguez. “Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates.” (2023). This government publication discusses important key principles for fostering safe, inclusive, and supportive school environment that promote fairness and student well-being.
Castles, Anne, Kathleen Rastle, and Kate Nation. “Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition from Novice to Expert.” Psychological Science in the Public Interest 19, no. 1 (2018): 5–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618772271.
Concannon-Gibney, Tara. “Immersing First Graders in Poetry: A Genre Study Approach.” The Reading Teacher 72, no. 4 (2019): 431–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1728. A great article examines how a genre study approach to poetry enhances first graders’ reading comprehension and engagement.
Faver, Sherri. “Repeated Reading of Poetry Can Enhance Reading Fluency.” The Reading Teacher 62, no. 4 (2008): 350–52. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.62.4.8. This article discusses how repeated readings of poetry improve students’ reading fluency and overall literacy skills.
Fisher, Douglas, and Nancy Frey. 2012. “Close Reading in Elementary Schools.” Reading Teacher 66 (3): 179–88. The authors discuss the implementation of close reading strategies in elementary schools to improve students’ comprehension and critical thinking skills.
Fishman, Eric. “Teaching Students to Translate Poetry.” Reading Teacher 75, no. 1 (2021): 119–23. A great article that explores how teaching students to translate poetry enhances their linguistic skills, deepens comprehension, and fosters an appreciation for literary nuances.
Frost, Robert. “Mending Wall.” Poetry Foundation. Accessed March 20, 2025. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44266/mending-wall.
Hogan, Tiffany P., Hugh W. Catts, and Todd D. Little. “The Relationship Between Phonological Awareness and Reading: Implications for the Assessment of Phonological Awareness”. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 36, no. 4 (October 2005): 285–93. An article that discusses the importance of phonological awareness on reading development.
Kennedy, Laura M., Rae L. Oviatt, and Peter I. De Costa. “Refugee Youth’s Identity Expressions and Multimodal Literacy Practices in a Third Space.” Journal of Research in Childhood Education 33 (1): 56–70. The article examines how refugee youth use multimodal literacy practices to bridge their culture and academic knowledge.
Ladson-Billings, Gloria. “Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.” American educational research journal 32, no. 3 (1995): 465-491. A long-standing article with current relevance discusses the idea of culturally relevant pedagogy, emphasizing the importance of academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness in education.
Linder, Roberta. 2021. “Enhancing Social Awareness Development Through Multicultural Literature.” Middle School Journal 52 (3): 35–43. A great article that discusses how using diverse literature in education can help promote social awareness and understanding among students.
Liu, Siyuan, Michael G. Erkkinen, Meghan L. Healey, Yisheng Xu, Katherine E. Swett, Ho Ming Chow, and Allen R. Braun. ‘Brain Activity and Connectivity during Poetry Composition: Toward a Multidimensional Model of the Creative Process’. Human Brain Mapping 36, no. 9 (September 2015): 51–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.22849. An interesting article that explores how brain activity and connectivity are involved in the creative process of writing poetry.
“The Nation’s Report Card: 2024 Reading Snapshot for Oklahoma Grade 4.” National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/subject/publications/stt2024/pdf/2024220OK4.pdf (accessed January 15, 2025). Oklahoma state test results.
Newsome, Karen E. “Using Poetry to Improve Fluency and Comprehension in Third-Grade Students.” Georgia Educational Researcher 6, no. 1 (2008). This article examines how poetry can help enhance reading fluency and comprehension skills in young learners.
“Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts.” Oklahoma State Department of Education. https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/osde/documents/services/literacy-policy-and-programs/oklahoma-academic-standards/2021-OAS-English-Language-Arts-Standards.pdf (accessed February 2, 2025). English Language Arts Standards for Oklahoma.
Shanahan, T. 2016. “Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development.” Handbook of Writing Research (2nd ed., pp. 194–207). A great read that explores the connection between learning to read and write, highlighting how development in one skill supports growth in the other.
Rodriguez-Valls, Fernando. 2009. “Culturally Relevant Poetry: Creating Esperanza (Hope) with Stanzas.” Multicultural Education 17 (1): 11–14. This article discusses how poetry can be used as a tool to empower students by incorporating their cultural backgrounds and experiences into learning.
Appendix on Implementing District Standards
Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts
- 3.1.S.2 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about what they are reading and writing, expressing their own ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole-class settings.
- 3.2.F.2 Students will orally and accurately read grade-level text at a smooth rate with expression that connotes comprehension.
- 3.2.R.1 Students will determine the main idea and supporting details of a text.
- 3.2.R.2 Students will identify elements of various genres in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction texts.
- 3.3.R.4 Students will find examples of literary devices:
- personification
- hyperbole
- simile
- alliteration
- onomatopoeia
- 3.3.R.5 Students will answer inferential questions, using a text to support answers.
- 3.4.R.1 Students will identify relationships among words, including synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and homographs.
- 3.4.R.2 Students will use context clues to clarify the meaning of words.
- 3.3.W Students will thoughtfully and intentionally write, addressing a range of modes, purposes, and audiences.
Notes
[1] Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts. Accessed February 2, 2025. https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/osde/documents/services/literacy-policy-and-programs/oklahoma-academic-standards/2021-OAS-English-Language-Arts-Standards.pdf
[2] Timothy Shanahan, Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development, 465-491.
[3] Karen Newsome, Using Poetry to Improve Fluency and Comprehension in Third-Grade Students
[4] Fernando Rodriquez-Valls, Culturally Relevant Poetry: Creating Esperanza (Hope) with Stanzas, 11-14
[5] Brittany Aronson and Judson Laughter, The Theory and Practice of Culturally Relevant Education: A Synthesis of Research Across Content Areas, 163-206.
[6]The Nation’s Report Card: 2024 Reading Snapshot for Oklahoma Grade 4
[7]Ibid.
[8] Anne Castles, Kathleen Rastle, and Kate Nation, Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition from Novice to Expert, 5–51.
[9] Timothy Shanahan, Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development, 194-207.
[10] Gloria Ladson-Billings, Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, 465-491.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Fernando Rodriguez-Valls, Culturally Relevant Poetry: Creating Esperanza (Hope) with Stanzas, 11-14.
[13] Roberta Linder, Enhancing Social Awareness Development Through Multicultural Literature, 35-43.
[14] Brittany Aronson and Judson Laughter, The Theory and Practice of Culturally Relevant Education: A Synthesis of Research Across Content Areas, 163-206.
[15] Ibid.
[16] M. Cardona and M. Rodriguez, Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates.
[17] Roberta Linder, Enhancing Social Awareness Development Through Multicultural Literature, 35-43.
[18] Sherri Faver, Repeated Reading of Poetry Can Enhance Reading Fluency, 350-352.
[19] Karen Newsome, Using Poetry to Improve Fluency and Comprehension in Third-Grade Students
[20] Jyoti Bachani, A Case for Poetry as History and a Methodology with Poems by James G. March, 156-178.
[21] Siyuan Liu et al., Brain Activity and Connectivity during Poetry Composition: Toward a Multidimensional Model of the Creative Process, 51-72.
[22] Ibid.
[23] Ibid.
[24] Roberta Linder, Enhancing Social Awareness Development Through Multicultural Literature, 35-43.
[25] Sherri Faver, Repeated Reading of Poetry Can Enhance Reading Fluency, 350-352.
26 Eric Fishman, Teaching Students to Translate Poetry, 119-123.
[27] Timothy Shanahan, Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development, 465-491.
[28] Laura Kennedy, Rae L. Oviatt, and Peter I. De Costa. Refugee Youth’s Identity Expressions and Multimodal Literacy Practices in a Third Space, 56-70.
[29] Gloria Ladson-Billings, Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, 465-491.
[30] Robert Frost, Mending Wall, Poetry Foundation, accessed March 20, 2025, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44266/mending-wall.
[31] Ibid.
[32] Sherri Faver, Repeated Reading of Poetry Can Enhance Reading Fluency, 350-352.
[33] Timothy Shanahan, Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development, 194-207.
[34] Sherri Faver, Repeated Reading of Poetry Can Enhance Reading Fluency, 350-352.
[35] May Angelou, Still I Rise, Allpoetry. Accessed 8 February 2025. https://allpoetry.com/poem/8511437-Still-I-Rise-by-Maya-Angelou.
[36] Ibid.
[37] Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey, Close Reading in Elementary Schools, 179-188.
[38] Laura Kennedy, Rae L. Oviatt, and Peter I. De Costa. Refugee Youth’s Identity Expressions and Multimodal Literacy Practices in a Third Space, 56-70.
[39] Gloria Ladson-Billings, Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, 465-491.
[40] Timothy Shanahan, Relationships Between Reading and Writing Development, 194-207.