For the Ides of March, Tania Runyan has a Julius Caesar “Opposite Day” poetry prompt.
Lord of the Flies: Simon Writes Home
Not all the boys on the island will admit it, but homesickness is one of the greatest challenges the Lord of the Flies characters face. Poet Tania Runyan and the boys of the island explore a “letters home” epistolary poetry prompt.
Lord of the Flies: Poem to a Conch
Buried in the rich symbolism of Lord of the Flies, Tania Runyan finds a poem for the conch.
Teach It: Collaborative Poetry—I’m With Aristotle
Writing collaborative poems proves a fertle ground for students to learn and grow both collectively and individually.
A Ritual to Read to Each Other: Blessing Dora Copperfield
In our reading roundup, A Ritual to Read to Each Other, we consider how to bless Dora Copperfield from Dickens’ ‘David Copperfield.’
Poetry Out Loud: When Poems Become Magic Cloaks
Poetry memorization and recitation can be like a magic cloak, with the power to transform and transport students. Learn great tips for how to start, from theater teacher Dana Kinsey.
Creating an ‘I Love Poetry Moment’: Magic City’s Ashley M. Jones
For National Poetry Month, create an ‘I Love Poetry Moment,’ following the example of Ashley M. Jones and the Magic City Poetry Festival.
Literary Analysis: The Yellow Wall-Paper Affects Us All
The Yellow Wall-Paper may seem like a simple story on the surface, but it’s actually quite complex. This analysis of the classic 1892 story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman probes that complexity in fascinating ways.
By Heart: “This Is Just To Say” + New Carlos Ashley Challenge
Join author Megan Willome as she learns William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just To Say” By Heart and talks about plums as a breakfast food.
Sun and Moon Poems: Night Poetry Prompt
Join author Callie Feyen as she confesses her fear of teaching Romeo and Juliet, and realizes there is much more to see than what she’s afraid of.
Take Your Poet to Work Day: Jorge Luis Borges
We’re getting ready to celebrate Take Your Poet to Work Day! Our 2018 poet collection starts with Argentine author and poet Jorge Luis Borges.
Infographic: How to Write a Tanka
Try your hand at writing a tanka poem with our fun new infographic.
What the World Needs Now is Love
There are two love stories we’re honored to share with a world that needs love. Come learn the secret (and join in a few congratulations!).
Write the Moon: A No-Write Poetry Prompt
With a little help from a possum, pumpkin spice, and a classroom of kindergartners, Callie Feyen has a no-write poetry prompt for fall.
10 Surprising Ways to Help a Child Learn to Read
Helping a child learn to read doesn’t require jumping from an airplane. Donna Falcone says you can start with the simple act of play—and other surprising ways.
Reckless in the Library With Sight Word Baseball
Reading teacher Callie Feyen has been curious if recklessness can be used to learn, or, perhaps more radically, if recklessness is in fact needed to learn. Watch out, then, for baseball in the library!
How to Write a Limerick Infographic
But what about the girl from Nantucket? Our new limerick infographic won’t tell you that, but will give you tips on how to write a limerick.
On Finding Stories—And Maybe Myself
Callie Feyen invites readers to consider not just what is in a picture, but what’s not in the picture, when finding the story to tell.
“Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge” by Malcolm Guite
In “Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge,” Malcolm Guite tells the story of the poet’s life through the words and themes of his most famous poem.
Interview with an English Teacher, Pt 2: The Heroic in Literature
English teacher Diane Flint reflects on “the heroic” and “the hero’s journey” as a central theme taught in most English curricula.