Use this FREE! guide to annotating poetry with your students. This guide walks students through seven steps of poetry annotation from their first read and analysis of the title to writing an interpretation of the poem overall.

This guide uses seven steps:

1. Analyze the title of the poem

2. Read the poem multiple times

3. Paraphrase and define tricky lines and words

4. Write a simple summary

5. Identify elements of language

6. Analyze structure

7. Make an interpretation

This guide is appropriate for students in all grades of high school, and for advanced middle school students.