April is National Poetry Month, an annual celebration of all things poetry. Inaugurated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, this event highlights the importance of poetry in our culture and showcases the work of poets from all around the globe. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event!

One simple way classrooms like yours can participate is by mixing poetry into daily routines, such as reading a poem at the start of class or encouraging students to write their own poems throughout the month. You can also display student poems around the classroom or hallways, create a class poetry anthology, or organize poetry readings that give students a chance to share their work and hear poetry read aloud.

Students can take part in national initiatives hosted by the Academy of American Poets. For example, the Dear Poet Project invites students in grades 5–12 to read poems by contemporary poets, watch videos of the poets reading their work, and write letters responding to the poems. Another popular activity is Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 30, 2026, when participants carry a favorite poem and share it with classmates, teachers, friends, or family throughout the day. Teachers and students can also follow the Poem-a-Day series to discover new poetry each day of April.

National Poetry Month at Prestwick House

If you plan on bringing the National Poetry Month celebration to your classroom, our resources can help! Head to the English Teacher’s Free Library to find plenty of downloadable poetry materials to share with your students. Here are some of our favorites:

Free Lesson Plans

• The Poetry of Bob Dylan Lesson Plan
• Rhyme and Repetition in Poe’s “Annabel Lee” Lesson Plan
• "Because I could not stop for Death" Lesson Plan
• Teaching Shakespeare: "Sonnet 73" Lesson Plan
• Writing Found Poetry with Elie Wiesel's Night Lesson Plan
• A Raisin in the Sun “I Am” Poetry Lesson Plan

Free Posters

• “Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson Poster
• “In the desert” by Stephen Crane Poster and Worksheet
• “Oread” by H. D. Poster and Worksheet
• “Fog” by Carl Sandburg Poster and Worksheet
• “A Noiseless Patient Spider” by Walt Whitman Poster
• “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost Poster
• “The Lamb” by William Blake Poster
• “The Tyger” by William Blake Poster
• “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold Poster
• “Should the Wide World Roll Away” by Stephen Crane Poster
• “Spring Offensive” by Wilfred Owen Poster
• “The Artist” by Oscar Wilde Poster
• What is a Shakespearean Sonnet? Poster
• What is a Villanelle? Poster

We also created a guide to some of our favorite free poetry materials from around the web. From lesson plans and videos to poet biographies and digital libraries, these free online poetry resources can be adapted for both in-school and distance learning.

Do you have any special poetry plans for your students to mark the occasion? Let us know on Facebook and Instagram!