National Poetry Month 2025 Teaching Resources
Celebrate National Poetry Month 2025 with printable poetry worksheets, poetry writing resources, poems for kids and more guides designed to engage students with the world of verse!
Not familiar with National Poetry Month? Don't worry! The ELA teachers at Teach Starter have got your lesson planning covered this April!
What Is National Poetry Month?
National Poetry Month is an annual observance here in the United States that occurs in the fourth month of the year. Designed to promote poetry and its appreciation and to encourage the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry, the event was started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996 and has since grown to become the largest literary celebration in the world!
It's also a prime chance for you to add activities to your lesson planning to celebrate poetry and its role in culture and society, challenging students to express themselves through verse!
When Is National Poetry Month 2025?
No matter the year, National Poetry Month is observed in April.
It seems to be fitting. After all, April is also the birth month of celebrated poets William Wordsworth (born April 7, 1770) and William Shakespeare (born sometime in April 1564).
3 Fun National Poetry Month Activities for the Classroom
This resource collection is chock full of poetry writing prompts, templates, and more activities to inspire your students to bring out their inner poet. Use them along with these fun ways to celebrate this important date on the poetry calendar in your classroom!
- Plan a Poetry Writing Contest — Work with other teachers in your school to plan a poetry writing contest to get students excited about putting pencils to paper!
- Incorporate the Holidays — Earth Day and Arbor Day both fall in April and provide ample fodder for kids to trod as they write their poems.
- Hold a Poetry Slam — A poetry slam is a competition in which students can perform their own poems or recite poems by other poets. It's a great way to encourage students to express themselves creatively and build their confidence.
What Is the History of National Poetry Month?
Looking to impress upon your class just how important this month is? A little history lesson may be in order!
As we mentioned, National Poetry Month was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets. The goal was to increase awareness and appreciation for poetry in the United States, broadening the audience for poetry, encouraging more people — like our students — to read and write poems, and promoting a greater understanding of the role poetry plays in our culture.
- Free Plan
Writing Template - Primary Grades
A blank template to use for a variety of writing pieces in the primary grades.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - GROWTH
An acrostic poem template for the word 'growth'.
- Free Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - LEARN
An acrostic poem template for the word 'learn'.
- Plus Plan
Earth Day - Acrostic Poem Template Pack
An acrostic poem template pack to use in the classroom to celebrate Earth Day and National Poetry Month.
- Plus Plan
How to Write a Limerick - Worksheet Pack
Use this 2-page worksheet when teaching students how to write a limerick.
- Plus Plan
Roll and Find – Figurative Language Worksheet
Explore, identify and interpret figurative language with this engaging roll and find activity.
- Plus Plan
Simile Poster (Primary)
Show your students an example of a simile using this colorful classroom display poster.
- Plus Plan
Poetry Match Game - Elements of Poetry Activity
Practice identifying poetic elements in examples of poems with a poetry sorting activity for fourth grade and fifth grade.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Weeks 4 and 5
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
Concrete Poem Template – Thunderstorm
A template for students to write a concrete poem about a thunderstorm.
- Plus Plan
Concrete Poem Template – Crescent Moon
A template for students to write a concrete poem about the moon.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Week 3
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
The Troll Poem and Task Cards
A poem and set of task cards about a Troll.
- Plus Plan
Concrete Poem Template – Recycling
A template for students to write a concrete poem about recycling.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poems Poster
A poster providing a definition and example of an acrostic poem.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Week 2
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - ARTIST
An acrostic poem template for the word 'artist'.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - GEOGRAPHY
An acrostic poem template for the word ‘geography’.
- Plus Plan
Color Rhyming and Poetry Worksheet
A worksheet to help students form rhyming words and create a rhyming poem.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - TIME
An acrostic poem template for the word ‘time’.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - PLANET
An acrostic poem template for the word ‘planet’ to use for Earth Day, during National Poetry Month, and when learning about the solar system.
- Plus Plan
Acrostic Poem Template - ENERGY
An acrostic poem template for the word ‘energy'.
- Plus Plan
Primary Weekly Poetry Guide - Week 1
Use this weekly poetry guide to celebrate National Poetry Month in your primary classroom.
- Plus Plan
Concrete Poem Poster
A poster providing a definition and example of a concrete poem (or shape poem).
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For Kindergarten
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 1st Grade
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 2nd Grade
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 3rd Grade
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 4th Grade
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 5th Grade
- National Poetry Month 2025 for For 6th Grade