My recommendation for K through 3 in terms of introducing poetry is, first of all, to get beyond the sense of intimidation about sharing poetry. What I’ve discovered is that most adults have had a really unhappy experience with poetry in their own student life, and so they’re kind of put off at the very notion of sharing poetry with their students. So, it’s important to remember that if you present poetry as if it were castor oil, no one will like it.
A way around that is to find poetry that you love, that you are excited about, and that you’re passionate about - because students are going to pick up on your attitude. People talk about poetry that they feel should be taught, and I always say, “Don’t ‘should’ all over me. Choose work that you like.”
The poetry market is so rich now that it can be used throughout the curriculum. There’s poetry on math, science, space travel, sports, school supplies — poetry on just every conceivable subject.
So choose poetry that you like, that you connect with, and that you know your students are going to connect with, and start there, so that they have a positive experience. Have fun with it! Don’t start out by analyzing! Nobody needs to start out analyzing — get them in love with the genre. Let analytical work come later — years later. Their first experience should be enjoyable. It should be fun. Choreograph poems. Experiment with ways to perform it. Children love an opportunity to perform. Do reader’s theater with it. Make it a fun experience for yourself and for your students. After that, they’ll take off. You won’t be able to keep them away from it.
