Weaving Words: How Young Students Use Poetry to Connect Culture and Self

  • Publication date May 27, 2025

Kirstin Purtell

Introduction and Rationale

This curriculum unit is designed to integrate grade-level English Language Arts standards through an immersive exploration of poetry. By engaging students in a variety of multisensory learning experiences, this unit fosters meaningful, real-world connections between poetry, personal expression, and interdisciplinary studies. Through creative writing, performance, and analysis, students will deepen their understanding of poetry’s role in shaping identity, culture, and global perspectives. Beyond its academic value, poetry serves as a powerful tool for self-expression, emotional processing, and community building. This curriculum encourages students to explore why people write—beyond the confines of classroom assignments—by examining poetry as a means of storytelling, advocacy, and personal reflection. By the end of the unit, students will have developed a greater appreciation for poetry’s ability to inspire, connect, and amplify diverse voices.

When I decided to be a Fellow at the Teachers Institute for Tulsa while simultaneously embarking on my teaching career with Tulsa Public Schools, I faced immediate scrutiny from those around me. Many questioned my decision to juggle both responsibilities. I, however, recognized the unique opportunity to enrich both my professional practice and personal understanding of poetry, ultimately benefiting my current students and the hundreds of students I aim to teach in the years to come. In an era dominated by technology, students are increasingly conditioned to believe that all meaningful content must be brief and easily digestible, whether in the form of a thirty-second read or a fleeting video among the countless others they encounter daily. Yet, I remain steadfast in my belief that authentic learning experiences, those that engage students deeply and meaningfully, have the potential to profoundly impact individuals of all ages. As an educator, I am committed to empowering my students through the arts and, in this case, through the transformative power of poetry. The activities and layout of this unit are designed to provide numerous opportunities for engagement and hands-on classroom projects throughout the year. Each section can be taught independently or integrated with other subjects, allowing for a more interdisciplinary and holistic learning experience that fosters deeper understanding and connections across different areas of study.

School Demographics

My desire to enhance the literacy program with multicultural poetry stems from the diverse demographics of both the school I serve and the surrounding community. The demographics of my school are as follows: 53% White, 14% Hispanic/Latino, 7% Native American, 7% Black, and 18% of students identifying as two or more races. This contrasts slightly with the broader demographics of Tulsa, which are: 57% White, 19% Hispanic/Latino, 14% Black, 4% Native American, and 15% identifying as two or more races1. I am able to use this data to inform the selection of poets and works for the curriculum that I’m creating, but a more comprehensive survey follows at a later part of this unit. It is essential that these choices evolve with the shifting demographics of the classrooms they serve. Poetry should not only reflect the experiences of students as a mirror but also serve as a window through which they can safely explore cultural differences and similarities across time and geography. As a self-contained first-grade teacher, I am responsible for meeting the educational, social, and emotional needs of all my students within the classroom. Given the evolving nature of public schools, I have the flexibility to teach students from first through eighth grade in the future. While this curriculum is designed with my youngest students in mind, I want to emphasize how adaptable it is and how it can effectively engage any elementary-aged classroom and beyond. Over the past year, I have built strong relationships with my students and their families, allowing me to identify meaningful cultural connections within the classroom that can be further explored through poetry. My students have deep ties to their Native American ancestry, particularly the Pawnee tribe, as well as to Christianity, Islam, Black, Latinx, Pakistani and Chinese cultures. The families in my classroom are also incredibly diverse, with a range of household structures including dual-parent and single-parent families, multigenerational homes, and a broad spectrum of economic backgrounds, from affluent to low-income.

Unit Content

My goal is to develop a curriculum for educators that employs a varied approach that fosters a deep and multifaceted engagement with poetry. The main component of this curriculum will focus on using poetry from diverse cultures; specifically, selecting works that reflect the varied cultural backgrounds of my students. By exploring these poems, students will be encouraged to reflect on the differences and similarities between cultures, fostering a sense of empathy and global awareness. The educational standards established by my state require the teaching of various writing styles, including narrative, opinion, informative, and research writing. As a result, there is limited time during the school year for lessons explicitly in poetry. I aim to guide my students in studying the lives of poets, encouraging them to conduct biographical research to gain insights into the personal and historical contexts that shaped each poet’s work. This research will culminate in a variety of writing assignments where students will engage in activities including but not limited to: composing poetry inspired by the style of a poet they have studied, writing letters to contemporary poets to share how their works have personally impacted them, conducting research on different eras and styles of poetry, and exploring how these styles reflect the emotions of the people from those periods. The bond formed between poet and student is invaluable. When students realize that real people are behind the words they read and emulate, they begin to understand that art, whether poetry or any other form, is a direct expression of another person’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. My hope is that by seeing themselves reflected in the lives of others, students will cultivate a deeper sense of empathy and compassion. Given the demanding nature of modern curricula, it is essential that these poetic lessons be adaptable and integrated across multiple disciplines, ensuring that they complement and enhance the broader educational experience.

Legacy in Lines

My typical school year begins in Mid-August so starting in late September gives me ample time to get to know my students, administer surveys, and analyze the results. Mid-September through mid-October is recognized as National Hispanic Heritage Month, so I choose to begin my unit by highlighting the contributions of Latinx authors and poets to literature. This period also marks the start of teaching my students how to write descriptive essays. The poets I’ve selected to feature are Pablo Neruda and Alberto Ríos. I’ve chosen Neruda’s poem “Ode to My Socks” to help students deepen their understanding of descriptive writing and word choice. The imagery in these lines offers a powerful example:

“I slipped my feet
into them
as though into
two
cases
knitted
with threads of
twilight
and goatskin.
Violent socks,
my feet were
two fish made
of wool,
two long sharks
sea-blue, shot
through
by one golden thread,
two immense blackbirds,
two cannons:
my feet
were honored
in this way
by
these
heavenly
socks.”2

 The other poem I’d like to focus on is Ríos’ “November 2: Día de los Muertos” as it aligns with the celebration of the Hispanic holiday. This will enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of a cultural event that may be outside their typical experiences. By exploring the poem through the perspective of someone who participates in this tradition, students can better imagine themselves as individuals with different cultural experiences than their own. Rios describes the holiday as “not simply the Day of the Dead—loud, and parties. More quietly, it is the day of my dead. The day of your dead.”3 For further examples of poems with descriptive imagery written by authors from countries like Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Chile, one could look to the collection of poems in This Same Sky, edited by Naomi Shihab Nye. There are also many opportunities for a small daily activity that allow my students to connect their prior knowledge and experiences to Hispanic culture, such as through proverbs and popular culture. The book My First Book of Proverbs/Mi Primer Libro de Dichos by Ralfka Gonzalez and Ana Ruiz provides students with the opportunity to engage with vibrant folk art alongside common proverbs translated in both Spanish and English, such as “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”4 and “When you use force, not even your shoes fit.”5 Daily discussions of these proverbs can help students develop critical thinking skills by encouraging them to interpret meanings and consider various perspectives. Additionally, these discussions enhance vocabulary and language comprehension as students delve into the deeper significance of familiar phrases. The lessons conveyed through these proverbs promote valuable life lessons, fostering empathy, respect, and a sense of community. This makes the opening of this unit a holistic learning experience, centered on the contributions of Latinx authors, artists, and poets.

Echoes of Our Native Land

Starting in November, the country celebrates National Native American Heritage Month, which holds particular significance in Oklahoma, where we rank second only to Alaska in the highest percentage of Native American citizens. This gives us a unique opportunity to access a rich variety of Native art and artists. For this section, I’ve chosen to highlight Joy Harjo, a Tulsa resident and internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022 and has received numerous accolades, including the Poetry Society of America’s 2024 Frost Medal, Yale’s 2023 Bollingen Prize for American Poetry, and the National Humanities Medal.6 One of my favorite works from Harjo’s extensive collection is the poem “Remember,” which has been beautifully adapted into a children’s picture book. With its mystical illustrations and displays of Native artistry and design, it calls on readers to remember the deep connections that unite us all:

“Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.”7

Throughout my time in this poetry seminar, I’ve had the unique opportunity to explore a wide variety of poems by different authors. My experience with Native American art and poetry has particularly highlighted themes of nature, unity, and harmony. These are values I hope to pass on to my students, especially in a time that often feels divided and full of opposition. I want them to connect with the world around them and truly feel a sense of belonging to nature.

To achieve this, I’ve chosen the cinquain poem form, which offers a structured yet creative way for students to express their thoughts. A basic cinquain follows a strict five-line structure with a specific syllable count: line 1 has 2 syllables, line 2 has 4 syllables, line 3 has 6 syllables, line 4 has 8 syllables, and line 5 returns to 2 syllables. Each poem focuses on a single subject, with the first line being a noun and the final line summarizing the topic through a related noun.

We start by brainstorming topics in nature that we notice, appreciate, and are curious about. Most of my students choose animals, though some have selected subjects like flowers, weather, gems, and dandelions. I then project an example of a completed cinquain, and we begin generating basic adjectives, verbs, and nouns connected to the topics. After that, I work with students in small groups to refine their word choice, using thesauruses and online research to enhance their imagery and clarify their ideas. Below, I’ve included two examples of finished cinquain poems created by my students.

“Wolves

Shadowy, Powerful

Stalking, Chasing, Attacking

Kings of the Forest

Predator”8

By James H.

“Rubies

Glowing, Red

Glistening, Living, Shattering

Lava in the Walls

Jewels”9

By Beckett V.

Because Joy Harjo lives in the same city as my school and is well-known for her community outreach and efforts to educate young people through the art of poetry, the culmination of this section will involve my students sending their completed nature-based cinquain poems to her. As a class, we will collaboratively come up with three questions to ask her, focusing on aspects such as her life, sources of inspiration, and poetry style. However, I recognize that my students might be more interested in lighter topics, like her favorite color or dinosaur, so we may end up with two thoughtful questions and one more lighthearted question. Ultimately, I want to ensure that my students’ voices are heard and that they remain interested!

Poetry of the Crescent

The months of December and January can be particularly busy for elementary schools, with numerous cultural celebrations and events. It can be challenging to find time to incorporate additional resources while managing these demands. However, as a classroom leader, my responsibility is to provide as many learning opportunities as possible that align with my objectives and keep my students on track for the next grade level. While Christmas-themed activities are abundant in media, homes, and culture—and I fully appreciate that—it’s not my primary focus during this time. Instead, I want to dedicate a portion of this time to exploring Muslim, North African, and Middle Eastern poets and their artistic contributions. This aligns perfectly with the imaginative stories section of my current curriculum, creating a natural entry point into fables and the rich literary traditions of this part of the world. After conducting some of my own research, I became deeply inspired by the concept of the “ḥakawātī”8—the traditional storyteller of the Middle East and North Africa. In ancient times, these storytellers would gather audiences in cafés or public spaces during the evening, weaving together epic sagas filled with rich lore and timeless lessons. Drawing from my students’ enthusiasm for modern superheroes, I aim to guide them in crafting their own epic narratives—stories filled with heroic journeys, formidable adversaries, hubris, and meaningful lessons. We will begin with in-depth character development, allowing students to build complex, multi-dimensional heroes. They will then translate their stories into comics, visually bringing their characters and adventures to life. In a final celebration of their creativity, students will present their comics in a classroom setting designed like a café, inviting parents and the wider community to attend and enjoy the stories.

This project will seamlessly blend ancient traditions with contemporary interests. By honoring the storytelling methods cherished by countless cultures throughout history, I hope to celebrate my students’ passions for superheroes and modern comics. Additionally, we’ll acknowledge the groundbreaking work of artists like Saladin Ahmed, a Muslim American comic book writer from Detroit. Ahmed’s notable contributions to stories such as Miles Morales, The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, and Magnificent Ms. Marvel will provide modern examples of how cultural heritage and storytelling intersect. Upon completion of this unit, my students will gain a holistic understanding of the profound connection between Islamic cultural heritage and the hero’s journey. They will recognize how themes of struggle, resilience, and strength resonate not only in the stories of ancient heroes but also in the narratives of modern-day communities, including the rich contributions of Muslim culture to the comic book world.

One resource I feel compelled to share with my students is The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. This book, which was first introduced to me by a 9th-grade teacher, has had a profound and lasting impact on me. When a work of art—especially poetry—resonates so deeply, I believe it’s not just appropriate but essential to share it with students. Doing so fosters a deeper connection with my class, encouraging a genuine love for literature and the arts in an honest and purposeful way. The effects of this approach extend far beyond the classroom, and I believe it aligns with the core of what it means to be an elementary teacher: we plant seeds of knowledge, inspiration, and empathy that may not bloom immediately but will grow in ways we may never fully see. Our role is to trust in the process and provide students with ample opportunities to build strong foundations in both learning and human connection—tools that will help them understand and engage with the world around them.

Rhymes of Resilience

February is recognized as Black History Month, and it is also the only month in my current curriculum that specifically focuses on poetry. Poetry is an integral part of Black history and serves as a foundational cornerstone of the rich cultural heritage created by Black Americans. For educators seeking to deepen their understanding of the importance of teaching Black students, acknowledging privilege, and working toward a more equitable future for all, I recommend the following texts: How I Shed My Skin: Unlearning the Racist Lessons of a Southern Childhood by Jim Grimsley, For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education by Christopher Emdin, White Fragility by Robin Diangelo, Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad, Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, and We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom by Bettina L. Love.

The vast amount of poetry and Black artists is both inspiring and overwhelming, and one of my challenges in creating this section of my unit has been narrowing my focus. I deeply value giving my students the time to engage with our readings, breaking them down and truly getting to know the poems, rather than rushing through many poems in short bursts. The culmination of this unit will have my students creating free verse raps that reflect on overcoming difficult times in their lives. I want the emphasis to be on identifying coping strategies rather than dwelling on the stressors themselves. To support this process, I will collaborate with our school counselor, who has kindly offered to help guide students through their emotional journeys.

It is essential to recognize that many students may identify difficult times of their life but struggle to articulate how they’ve overcome them, as they are still developing emotional resilience. This is a crucial teaching moment, as it offers students a future coping skill that could significantly impact their lives—simply by writing poetry. The literacy focus for this section will center on rhyming and fluency, helping students craft verses that effectively convey their messages. A fantastic resource for this lesson is Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry With a Beat by Nikki Giovanni. This book beautifully blends contemporary and classic poets, and includes a CD that allows students to engage with the poems through performance, providing an immersive and interactive experience. To take this experience a step further, I’ve reached out to local recording studios, and I’ve received positive responses from a few who are excited to review my students’ verses and offer feedback. This activity not only helps my students connect the present with the past but also fosters a relationship with local musicians, allowing them to recognize and appreciate the thriving arts community in Tulsa. I would recommend that anyone considering this curriculum first engage with local resources before extending it to broader areas, fostering a sense of community that connects your classroom to the city around you.

Voices of the Pacific

The final section of my unit will begin in May, when we celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. During this time, I want to push the boundaries of what poetry can do to enhance literacy teaching. This aligns with the biographical essays that are a focus in my curriculum at this point in the year. To deepen students’ engagement, I have selected eight poets of Asian and Pacific Islander descent for them to explore: Grace Lin, Li-Young Lee, Ocean Vuong, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Naomi Shihab Nye, Kenji Liu, Katherine Willis Pershey, and Makoto Fujimura. To begin the exploration, I set up learning centers where students can interact with pictures of the poets, basic facts about their lives, written and audio samples of their poems, and visuals of the countries they come from. This variety of materials allows students to connect with the poets in different ways. For example, a student might be drawn to a particular poet because they find the images of the poet’s home country interesting, or they may connect with the emotion in a poem or its unique sound. Some may even find themselves captivated by amusing details like the poet’s appearance or the names of places mentioned in the work. This process is personal for each student, and I’ve found that giving them the time to explore, investigate, and make their own choice about which poet to research instills a sense of autonomy and ownership over their learning. This sense of control significantly enhances their motivation and makes the assignment much more enjoyable.

Once students have selected a poet, we continue our research using district-approved resources. My focus during this stage is not only on helping them gather factual information about the poet’s life and work but also on understanding how their personal experiences and cultural background shape the themes and styles of their writing.

For our final project, students will create and perform their own haikus. Similar to the cinquains we worked with earlier in the year, haikus follow a simple formula that allows students to produce beautiful poetry with ease. A haiku consists of three lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5, meaning the first line has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the third returns to 5. Just as with the cinquains, this structure encourages students to focus on crafting meaningful words within a manageable framework, making it a perfect way to culminate the unit.

One activity I encountered in my poetry course was the concept of writing poetry from the perspective of someone else. I can think of no better way to conclude this unit than by incorporating a metacognitive approach to creating art. After completing our research, my students will write haikus from the perspective of the poet they studied. They will identify a major event or theme from their poet’s life and craft a poem that reflects that experience. This exercise is not only a creative challenge, but it also teaches an essential life skill—putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. To truly empathize with another person, to understand their struggles or triumphs from their point of view, is a gift that this curriculum uniquely offers. It allows students to engage in deep reflection while still meeting multiple learning objectives and state teaching standards. Through this exercise, students will not only develop their writing skills but also cultivate a sense of empathy and a greater understanding of the human experience.

Teaching Strategies

Preparing Your Unit

I believe that building a strong relationship with the families of my students is just as important as the one I cultivate with my students. Parents and caregivers must understand that we are all part of one team, with the shared goal of ensuring both academic success and social/emotional growth. Early in the school year, I will provide families with a survey that includes a series of questions designed to help me better understand the families of my students. Below are some of the questions I plan to include, along with a possible layout:

  • Does your child prefer a nickname over their legal name? If so, what is it?
  • What are the most common foods enjoyed in your home? Are there any special foods for occasions or celebrations?
  • What languages are spoken at home?
  • Does your family have special ties to any countries or regions outside of the United States?
  • What are the occupations of the adults in your household?
  • What hobbies do your family enjoy together?
  • Which holidays do your family celebrate most? Are there any special traditions you observe?
  • Are there any holidays or multicultural activities you prefer your child not to participate in?
  • Who lives in the household with your child?

The survey of my classroom revealed a rich cultural diversity, including Native American ancestry, particularly from the Pawnee tribe, as well as influences from Christianity, Islam, Black, Latinx, Pakistani and Chinese cultures. Based on this, I selected the following subjects, poems, and poets to form the foundation of my unit. I also reviewed the long-term structure of our current literacy curriculum, and the pre-planned months dedicated to celebrating and exploring the history of various cultures in both popular culture and the school system. By combining these elements, I developed my own long-term plan for the poetry unit. This plan seamlessly integrates poetic concepts with state-required objectives, enhancing the existing literacy curriculum without replacing it. This approach is crucial for ensuring the program’s inclusion in public schools, particularly during a time when educators face increasing scrutiny over their teaching practices and the freedoms they are granted to teach in the best interest of their students.

Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative learning strategy that encourages active participation and ensures every student’s voice is heard. It begins by giving students dedicated “think time” allowing them to reflect and form their own thoughts on a given topic before discussing with others. This process not only promotes independent critical thinking, but also enhances communication skills, as students pair up to share their ideas and listen to their peers’ perspectives. The final stage, sharing with the larger group, fosters a sense of community, where students collectively build understanding through diverse viewpoints. By giving every student the opportunity to contribute, Think-Pair-Share supports inclusive learning and encourages deeper engagement with the material.

Learning Stations

Learning stations can be an effective way to introduce students to various types of poetry and different poets while incorporating multi-sensory engagement. You can set up different stations, each focusing on a specific type of poetry—such as haikus, limericks, or free verse—and provide materials like printed examples, audio recordings, and visual aids. For example, one station might feature a poem’s visual representation with colorful imagery, while another could have a recorded poet reading their work aloud, allowing students to hear the rhythm and emotion of the poem. Additionally, you could create a hands-on station where students engage with poetry through tactile materials, such as creating poems with magnetic words or crafting visual poems with cut-out magazine letters. This approach engages students’ different senses—sight, sound, and touch—ensuring they experience poetry in a variety of ways, which can deepen their understanding and appreciation.

Gallery Walk

A gallery walk activity can be an exciting way to engage students during a poetry unit, as it encourages movement, collaboration, and creative reflection. After researching different types of poetry and poets, students can create their own original poems, which are then displayed around the classroom as part of the gallery. As students walk through the “gallery,” they can read each other’s work, analyze various poetic styles, and provide constructive feedback or reflections on the poems. This not only fosters a sense of community and peer appreciation but also allows students to see the diverse approaches to poetry within their class. To deepen engagement, incorporate questions or prompts at each station that encourage students to reflect on the creative process or the techniques used in each poem. By walking through the gallery, students actively engage with the material and each other, making the learning experience more dynamic and interactive.

Multisensory Learning

A teaching strategy that incorporates movement and music into poetry offers a dynamic, multisensory learning experience that engages students on multiple levels. By having students act out the rhythms and emotions of a poem, they physically connect with the language, making living, breathing language arts experiences. Music can be used to highlight the mood or themes of a poem, allowing students to feel the poem’s beat, flow, and tone, which reinforces comprehension and retention. For example, students might clap along to the rhythm of a poem or use dance movements to express its imagery and emotions. This active involvement helps kinesthetic learners grasp the material in a more hands-on way while also catering to auditory and visual learners. Overall, combining movement and music with poetry encourages creativity, deepens understanding, and makes the learning process more enjoyable and memorable.

Verse Journalism

Verse journalism is a creative way to combine news and poetry. Instead of just reporting facts like in traditional news, students use poetry to share their thoughts and feelings about a news story. This allows them to focus on parts of the story that interest them most and express their opinions in a creative way. They can use poetry to describe an event but also add their own personal perspective, making the story more meaningful to them. By doing this, students can explore how the news connects to their own lives and the world around them, while also practicing their writing skills in a fun and unique way.

Classroom Activities

Nature Cinquain Poems

After studying Native American history and understanding how it influences the art created by this group of people, my students will write cinquain nature poems inspired by the works of Native American poets and authors. We will begin by learning the basic structure of a cinquain, followed by examining examples to identify imagery and refine our word choice using thesauruses. This process will allow students to practice the valuable skill of self-revision, improving their poems through thoughtful editing. Once the poems are finalized, students will create nature collages that reflect the themes and subjects of their poems. The final projects will be presented at our Native American Heritage Celebration assembly, where students will share their work with the school community, connecting the artistic process with cultural appreciation.

Hakawātī

My students will explore the storytelling tradition of ḥakawātī from the Middle East, using it as inspiration to create epic heroes who help them overcome personal struggles. After participating in a character development activity that allows them to deeply understand and build their heroes, students will craft comics and dialogue to narrate a single story featuring their characters. To further immerse ourselves in the ḥakawātī tradition, we will host a gathering with friends and family to present these stories in a simulated open-air café setting, reminiscent of the historical context in which ḥakawātī tales were shared. This event will highlight how ancient storytelling traditions can blend with modern-day interests to foster both creativity and a sense of community. By connecting the past with the present, the event will celebrate the power of storytelling and poetry in uniting people through shared experiences and imagination.

Rap Rhymes

During Black History Month, I focus on rhyming and fluency by having my students create their own raps about a time in their lives when they faced a challenge and overcame it. To ensure that parents are prepared to discuss any sensitive topics that may arise, I send the activity home in advance, allowing them to support their children if needed. I also collaborate with the school’s counselor, who leads discussions on coping skills and resilience, helping students understand how they can build emotional strength. We will connect these lessons to the resilience demonstrated by the Black community, discussing how understanding the struggles and disadvantages faced by others can inspire us and foster a sense of connection. If time permits, my students will use the various media applications provided by our district to create, record, and design visuals for their raps. These final projects will be shared in a classroom event, where students will present their work to family and friends, celebrating their creativity and the powerful messages of resilience they’ve expressed.

Biographical Haiku

In this exploration of poetry, I create learning centers where students can engage with diverse materials about various poets, such as images, biographical facts, written and audio samples, and visuals of their countries. This approach allows students to connect with poets in different ways, fostering autonomy and enhancing motivation as they choose a poet to research. The research process emphasizes not only the poet’s life and work but also how personal and cultural experiences shaped their writing. The unit culminates with students writing and performing their own haikus, using the simple 5-7-5 syllable structure to encourage creativity within a manageable framework. The final project includes students writing haikus from the perspective of the poet they studied, promoting empathy and deep reflection. This process enhances their writing skills while cultivating a greater understanding of others’ experiences.

Verse Journalism

In this activity, students will learn to write poems based on a news story or event, helping them understand the story better and express their feelings about it. First, the teacher will read a story about a news event and discuss how this makes the students feel. Students will then pick their news story, do some research, and answer questions about the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of the event. They will also describe the emotions and senses connected to the story. Next, students will use their answers to write a poem, adding creative language like metaphors and sound words. After writing, they will revise their poems, thinking about how to make their words more powerful. Finally, students will share their poems with the class and discuss the stories behind them.

Appendix on Implementing District Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts

  • 1.1.L.1 Students will actively listen using agreed-upon discussion rules.
  • 1.1.S.2 Students will engage in collaborative discussions about various topics and texts, including their own writing, with peers in small and large groups.
  • 1.1.S.4 Students will orally describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details expressing their ideas.
  • 1.2.F.1 Students will expand their sight word vocabulary by reading regularly- and irregularly-spelled words in isolation and context with increasing automaticity.
  • 1.2.F.2 Students will orally and accurately read grade-level text at a smooth rate with expression that connotes comprehension.
  • 1.2.W.2 Students will develop drafts by sequencing the action in a story or details about a topic through writing sentences.
  • 1.2.W.3 Students will revise drafts by adding and/or deleting text.
  • 1.2.W.5 Students will routinely use a recursive process to publish final drafts for an authentic audience (e.g., reading aloud, author’s chair).
  • 1.3.R.1 Students will identify the author’s purpose (i.e., tell a story, provide information) with prompting.
  • 1.3.R.2 Students will describe who is telling a story with prompting.
  • 1.3.R.3 Students will find textual evidence when provided with examples of literary elements:
    • setting ( i.e., time and place)
    • main characters and their traits
  • 1.4.R.1 Students will begin to determine relationships among words, including synonyms and antonyms.
  • 1.4.R.2 Students will use context clues to determine the meaning of words with prompting. 1.4.R.3 Students will use word parts (e.g., affixes, Anglo-Saxon roots, stems) to define unfamiliar words with prompting.
  • 1.4.R.4 Students will begin to use grade-level resource materials (e.g., simple dictionary, glossary) to clarify the meaning of words.
  • 1.4.R.5 Students will acquire new grade-level vocabulary, relate new words to prior knowledge, and apply vocabulary in new situations.
  • 1.4.W.1 Students will use grade-level vocabulary to communicate ideas through speaking and writing.
  • 1.5.W.2 Students will use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to add clarity and variety to their writing.
  • 1.6.W.1 Students will generate questions about topics of interest for research.
  • 1.6.W.2 Students will organize information found during group or individual research, using graphic organizers or other aids with prompting.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies

  • 1.2.4 Compare the features of urban and rural communities.
  • 1.2.5 Describe community customs and traditions as basic elements of culture.
  • 1.3.1 Explain why people may see events from different points of view.
  • 1.3.2 Describe the contributions of people and groups who have shaped our history and ways we commemorate important places and events of the past.
  • 1.3.3 Read and construct basic timelines to understand the chronology of events in history. 1.3.4 Identify primary sources and how they help us to learn about the past.

Bibliography

Diangelo, Robin. White Fragility. Boston: Beacon Press, 2018.

Emdin, Christopher. For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education. Boston: Beacon Press, 2016.

Gibran, Khalil. The Prophet. First. United States: Alfred A. Knopf, 1923.

Giovanni, Nikki. Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry With A Beat. Naperville: Sourcebooks, Inc., 2008.

Gonzalez, Ralfka, and Ana Ruiz. My First Book of Proverbs/Mi Primer Libro de Dichos. New York: Children’s Book Place, 1995.

Grimsley, Jim. How I Shed My Skin: Unlearning the Racist Lessons of a Southern Childhood. New York: Workman Publishing, 2015.

Harjo, Joy, “Joy Harjo.” https://www.joyharjo.com. 2010-2025. Accessed February 14, 2025.

Harjo, Joy. Remember. 1983. Reprint, Random House Studio, 2023.

Love, Bettina L. Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal. New York: MacMillan Publishers, 2023.

Love, Bettina L. We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom. Boston: Beacon Books, 2019.

Neruda, Pablo, “Ode to My Socks.” American Academy of Poets. 1993. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://poets.org/poem/ode-my-socks .

Rios, Alberto, “November 2: Día de los muertos.” American Academy of Poets. 2015. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://poets.org/lesson-plan/teach-poem-november-2-dia-de-los-muertos-alberto-rios

Saad, Layla F. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor. Naperville: Sourcebooks, 2020.

Shihab Nye, Naomi. This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World. 1992. Reprint, Aladdin Paperbacks, 1996.

U.S. Census Bureau; Quick Facts Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2025; generated by Kirstin Purtell; using data.census.gov; < https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/tulsacityoklahoma/PST045224> (2 February 2025).

Endnotes

  1. U.S. Census Bureau; Quick Facts Tulsa, Oklahoma. 2025.
  2. Neruda, Pablo, “Ode to My Socks.” 1993.
  3. Rios, Alberto, “November 2: Día de los muertos.” 2015.
  4. Gonzalez and Ruiz. “My First Book of Proverbs/Mi Primer Libro de Dichos.” 1995.
  5. Gonzalez and Ruiz. “My First Book of Proverbs/Mi Primer Libro de Dichos.” 1995.
  6. Joy Harjo, “Joy Harjo.” https://www.joyharjo.com. 2025.
  7. Harjo, Joy. “Remember.” 1983.
  8. H., James. “Cinquain Poems.” 2025
  9. V., Beckett. “Cinquain Poems.” 2025