Writing Collaborative Poems
Winter, with its longer nights and colder days, calls for the warmth of community and caring, as we navigate the season together.
Embrace the spirit of connection by engaging in a collaborative poetry project. Here are step-by-step instructions.
Collaborative poems can weave a cloth of love that connects students with their stories and nurtures a tightly-knit classroom community.
Winter Collaboration Poem
Encourage students to join in crafting a collaborative winter poem that reflects the spirit of the season.
1. Reflect
Invite students to take a moment to reflect on what the winter season means to them—whether it's the holidays, snowy landscapes, festive traditions, or anything else that resonates.
2. Brainstorm
Ask students to jot down at least three lines related to the winter season in poetry notebooks or on individual paper. These could be personal experiences, favorite traditions, or things they love about the season.
3. Choose A Favorite Line
Invite students to choose one of their favorite winter lines and write it on an sticky sentence strip.
4. Collaborate in Groups
Ask students to form small groups of 3-4 students, and take turns sharing their chosen lines. Then, invite them to create a collaborative winter poem using the lines from their group by sticking the sentence strips on the classroom wall, and reading through the group's poem together. Discuss and edit as needed by rearranging lines, adding a title, including an ending, elaborating on details and making their group poem flow.
5. Present the Poem
Invite each group to read their collaborative winter poem to the class.
6. Reflect
Ask students to reflect on the collaborative process. Share the inspiration behind their lines and any unique elements their group incorporated. What did they enjoy about working together? How did different perspectives contribute to the poem?
Teaching Poetry Workshop
Interested in learning more about teaching poetry? Join me for my virtual workshop this April.
When: Saturday, April 27th 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET.
Format: Virtual workshop on Zoom. You’ll receive an access code after registration.
Dive into the art of teaching poetry with this practical and inspiring workshop designed for educators who teach students in K – 8. In this hands-on session, I'll guide you through techniques for launching a powerful poetry workshop in your classroom. Here's what you can expect:
Workshop Highlights:
Practical Tips for Teaching Writing and Reading Poetry: Learn actionable strategies to make poetry accessible and enjoyable for your students.
Inspirational Poetry Prompts: Discover effective prompts tailored to all students, sparking their creativity and passion for writing poetry.
Creating a Poetry Environment: Explore ways to cultivate a poetic environment in your classroom that resonates with your students, fostering a love for poetry.
Personal Poetry Crafting: Immerse yourself in the creative process by crafting your own poem. This firsthand exploration will deepen your understanding of poetry, allowing you to connect more intimately with your students.
Resource Package: All participants will receive a comprehensive handout featuring mentor poems and a carefully curated list of favorite poetry books. These resources are designed to inspire and can be seamlessly integrated into your classroom.
Free Audio Book: All participants will receive a free copy of Georgia’s new audio book, Awakening the Heart. (You can listen to chapter 1 now!)
Certificate of Completion: Participants who successfully complete the workshop will receive a certificate of completion for their CV or teaching portfolios.
Teaching Poetry: Nurturing Hearts, Inspiring Minds promises to provide you with a toolbox of practical resources and strategies that you can immediately apply in your teaching practice.
The workshop draws inspiration from the latest edition of Georgia Heard's book, Awakening the Heart (Heinemann, April 2024).
Looking for Inspiration?
Don’t miss my Winter Poetry Book Recommendations.
