Poetry and Identity: Exploring Ourselves Through Poetry

This is a unit for high school English students, exploring the intersection of personal identity and social narratives in poetry. Students will read a range of poetry from a diverse group of American poets, examining the ways in which the author's lived experiences, shape their diction, themes, and tone. 

Students will write poetry of their own, reflective of their lived experiences and share it with one another through a mini writer's workshop. The unit will also include a socratic seminar to engage with one another in their explorations of the poetry and a written final reflection to demonstrate their learning, growth, and plan of action for moving forward.

All resources are digital, but all can be printed and/or adapted for in-person learning.

Please see the free resource "Lesson 1-An Introduction to the Lives and Words of Poets" to get a feel for the unit.