Lesson Plans | Academy of American Poets

The Lesson Plans library from the Academy of American Poets helps families bring rich, contemporary and classic poetry into language arts without starting from scratch. Organized by grade level, theme, and standards, each free plan highlights one or more poems and offers discussion questions, close-reading activities, and writing prompts. Developed by educators and poets, the lessons encourage students to explore imagery, voice, and structure in ways that go beyond simple “what is this poem about?” summaries. Parents appreciate the thoughtfully chosen texts and the scaffolding for deeper conversations, especially if they’re nervous about teaching poetry. Because the plans are modular, you can sprinkle them into an existing curriculum or string several together into a poetry unit at very little cost.