April is National Poetry Month, and while we know many of our members celebrate poetry all year long, now is the perfect time to resurface some of our classroom activities, lesson plans, and inspiration for reading and writing poetry—whether with your students or for your personal enjoyment and practice. Access the resources below, and, if you’re an NCTE member, enjoy 30% off our poetry books through April.
Be sure to also visit our longtime partner the Academy of American Poets, which launched National Poetry Month 30 years ago and has even more resources for participating in what has become the largest annual literary celebration in the world. Access the beloved Poem-a-Day, a poetry readings and events calendar, the Dear Poet Project for fifth through eighth graders, and more.
For Elementary Educators
Find articles, a podcast, a booklist, and more in the poetry-themed issue of Classroom Corridors: Expertise and Inspiration from Elementary Teachers. Full access to this multimodal publication by and for elementary teachers is restricted to NCTE members, but each issue includes one open-access article; this issue’s is “Using Stories and Poems to Inspire Student-Led Events and Conversations” by Stephanie Hernandez.
For PreK–Eighth Grade
Each year, the NCTE Children’s Poetry Awards Committee produces the Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels list for students ages three to 14 by authors of the most outstanding contributions to poetry books and verse novels for children. Find the 2026 Notable Children’s Poetry Books and the 2026 Notable Verse Novels on this list.
For Secondary Educators
The 2021 book Teach Living Poets by Lindsay Illich and Melissa Alter Smith opens up the flourishing world of contemporary poetry to secondary teachers. Find advice on reading contemporary poetry, discovering new poets, and inviting living poets into the classroom, along with sample lessons, writing prompts, and strategies for engaging with a professional learning community. NCTE members get 30% off this title in April.
For Students and Teachers Alike
From synesthetic poems to questioning poems to the ghazal, Kyle Vaughn’s Lightning Paths: 75 Poetry Writing Exercises has something fun or fascinating for every student and teacher as they explore the possibilities of poetry writing. The exercises teach and utilize technique while also focusing on and inspiring the intuitive and imaginative qualities of poetry. NCTE members get 30% off this title in April.
For Classroom Conversations
During National Poetry Month last year, NCTE shared a daily poem and a daily poet selected by author Charles R. Smith Jr., winner of the 2025 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, along with a classroom prompt. The “30 Poems for 30 Days of National Poetry Month” are accessible here, along with a message from Smith to teachers.
Something for Everyone
NCTE’s Poetry Resources web page is your access point to all things poetry, including interviews with poets, poetry lesson plans from ReadWriteThink, and poetry-related blog posts on a variety of subjects.
Recent NCTE Journal Articles
“Awards: Bringing the NCTE 2025 Notable Children’s Poetry Books and Verse Novels into the Classroom” by Junko Sakoi, Willeena Booker, Darryn Diuguid, Glenda Funk, Joe Pizzo, April Halprin Wayland, and Jongsun Wee
Published in Language Arts
“Awards: Challenge the Mind and Ignite the Spirit with Poet, Photographer, and Author Charles R. Smith Jr.” by Willeena Booker, Darryn Diuguid, Glenda Funk, Joe Pizzo, Junko Sakoi, April Halprin Wayland, and Jongsun Wee
Published in Language Arts
“Asian Poetry for the ELA Classroom: Four Pedagogical Design Principles” by Dominic Nah and Suzanne Choo
Published in English Journal
“Telescopes: Possibilities in YAL: Telling (Nearly) Impossible Stories through Poetry” by Arya Shahi
Published in English Journal