1. Strategies for Reading Poetry

2. Rules for Reading Poety
Read Poetry Aloud
Consider the Shift (Shift Happens)
Read Poetry Like Prose- break into sentences
Literal vs Figurative Meaning - annotate on either side of the poem
Break Down Figurative Language
Don’t Skip the Title
Read Multiple Times
There Is Not One Right Answer
Denotative vs Connotative meanings of words
Annotate

3. 3x3
Read a poem three times before discussing. After each reading, students rate understanding level on a scale of then write one pressing question from each reading.
Ranking 1X___________ Question 1:
Ranking 2X___________ Question 2:
Ranking 3X___________ Question 3:
Matt Brown, Santa Clarita, CA

4. Notice and Note
Have students read through a poem individually then read through the poem as a class. Ask students what they noticed in the first reading. Now have students mark the poem. Students can mark poetic devices, write questions in the margin, or define words - whatever they feel will help them understand the poem better. Finally, have students write two or three statements (small detail or big picture) about the poem. Discuss as a class.
1st Reading - What do you notice?
Notice statement one-
Notice statement two -
Notice statement three -
Jori Krudler, Paradise High School, Paradise, CA

5. Literary CSI
Give students 4 poems - three from one poet and one from a different poet. Give students time to conduct a close reading (annotating strongly encouraged) of each poem. Students then work in pairs to determine which poems bear the same DNA.
Thanks to Brian Sztabnik from Long Island for sharing this idea!

6. Write a Group Sonnet Folger Library - Writing a Group Sonnet
Stacy Gray’s Class - Northgate High

7. Poem Construction
Susan Barber’s classes