I recently completed a project I have been chipping away at for months. One that’s perfect for those of you looking to weave social emotional learning (SEL) into your curriculum seamlessly and creatively. I’m talking about a collection of emotions poems, available on Teachers Pay Teachers. This SEL Poetry Book is not just a tool for reading and comprehension; it’s a tool to encourage richer, deeper emotional understanding and expression for even our youngest students.
Let’s dive into how you can integrate these poems into your daily classroom activities to enhance learning, foster emotional growth, and create a nurturing classroom environment.
1. Morning Meetings – Start the Day with Emotions Poems!
Morning meetings are a great opportunity to set the tone for the day. Why not use an emotion poem as a talking point? Select a poem that aligns with a theme or emotion you want to address. Read it together and open the floor for students to share their thoughts or personal experiences related to the emotion discussed. This not only enhances comprehension and verbal expression but also builds empathy and listening skills among peers.
2. Literature Circles – Deepen Understanding
Incorporate these emotions poems into your literature circles. Assign each group a different poem and ask them to analyze the feelings and situations presented. Encourage them to discuss the author’s use of language—how does the poem show sadness, joy, or anger? What words or phrases stick out? Afterward, each group can present their findings, promoting critical thinking and collaborative learning.
3. Writing Workshops – Inspire Personal Narratives
After exploring these poems, encourage your students to write their own! An option is to pick an emotion they’ve recently felt or one they struggle with and compose a poem about it. This exercise allows students to reflect on their feelings, improving their self-awareness and writing skills. You might be surprised at how insightful and creative your students can be when they translate their emotions into words!
4. Art Integration – Visual Expression
These poems were carefully designed in two different ways: one set with a large space for student illustration, and one set with a matching clip art. After reading a poem, ask your students to create a piece of art that represents the emotion or scenario in the poem. This could be a drawing, a collage, or even a digital piece. Artistic expression is a powerful way to deepen emotional understanding and makes for a beautifully diverse display of student work that can adorn your classroom walls.
5. Peer Teaching – Foster Leadership
Do you have a student buddies program? Using emotions poems during this time would be such a fun, meaningful connection. Have older students teach a poem to younger students or their buddy classroom. This peer teaching not only reinforces the poem’s themes and emotions but also boosts confidence in the ‘teacher’ students and provides a different perspective for the learners. It’s a wonderful way to build community and leadership skills within your classroom.
6. Drama Activities – Bring Emotions Poems to Life
Why not turn these poems into a mini-play or have students perform dramatic readings? Using SEL activities in tandem with drama lessons is literally the perfect match! Assign roles, let students direct their performances, and maybe even add some props. This makes learning dynamic and memorable and helps students express emotions physically and vocally, which is a critical aspect of SEL.
Integrating SEL into your curriculum doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
With resources like the Emotions Poetry Book, you can build & enhance your teaching toolkit and provide your students with engaging, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent activities. Remember, the goal is to make learning about emotions as natural and interactive as possible. This not only helps in creating a supportive learning environment but also equips students with the emotional skills they need to navigate the world around them.
