Finding Your Voice in Words: A Poetry Writing Workshop

• New lesson editor
• English
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1-3

Creative Poetry Workshop:

“Finding Your Voice in Words”

By the end of today's lesson you will be able to:

• Understand what makes a poem “poetic” (sound, rhythm, emotion, imagery)

• Write and share a short original poem

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to write a creative poem for the poetry competition.

What do I need?

You need one i-Pad between two people as you will be working in pairs today.

Notebook and a pen/pencil

Poetry is…

Brainstorm words or phrases

Text

1. Warm-up (10–15 min): “Poetry Is…”

Purpose: Activate ideas and vocabulary

Instructions:

On the board, display:

Poetry is…

1. Ask students to brainstorm words or phrases (e.g., feelings, rhythm, imagination, song, dreams). Fill in on next slide

Poetry is…

Get them to fill in the words they have thought about

Fill in the blanks

In pairs, make a quick metaphor: Write the answer in your notebook

“Poetry is like ___ because ___.”

Example: Poetry is like music because it makes you feel things you can’t explain.

2. In pairs, they make a quick metaphor:

“Poetry is like ___ because ___.”
Example: Poetry is like music because it makes you feel things you can’t explain.

Share 2–3 with the group.

Sound and Rhythm

“The sun is shining bright.”

In pairs: Think how we could make this sound more interesting?

2. Sound & Rhythm (10 min): “Word Music”

Purpose: Practice rhythm and creative sound

Instructions:

Write simple lines on the board:

“The sun is shining bright.”
Ask: Can we make it sound more interesting?
Students suggest changes:
“Golden sun dances in the sky.”

Clap or tap rhythm while reading lines aloud.

Encourage playful repetition or rhyme (not required).

Sound and Rhythm

“The sun is shining bright.”

Maybe use a metaphor - A way of comparing one thing to being like another. Even though this is not true

"The classroom was a zoo.": This implies the classroom was chaotic and noisy by comparing it to a zoo. 

2. Sound & Rhythm (10 min): “Word Music”

Purpose: Practice rhythm and creative sound

Instructions:

Write simple lines on the board:

“The sun is shining bright.”
Ask: Can we make it sound more interesting?
Students suggest changes:
“Golden sun dances in the sky.”

Clap or tap rhythm while reading lines aloud.

Encourage playful repetition or rhyme (not required).

How did you make "The sun is shining bright", sound more interesting?

Imagery Challenge - Paint with Words

Imagery uses descriptive language to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

Look at the pictures on the next slide....

What can you see, smell, hear, feel?

3. Imagery Challenge (15–20 min): “Paint with Words”

Purpose: Build strong visual and emotional language

Instructions:

Show 2–3 photos (e.g., forest, ocean, city night).

Ask: What can you see, smell, hear, feel?
Write sensory words on the board.

Students choose one image and write 4–6 poetic lines using at least one word for each sense.
Example:

What can you see, smell, hear, feel?

What can you see, smell, hear, feel?

What can you see, smell, hear, feel?

Finding Your Voice

Choose one image from the previous three and write 4–6 poetic lines using at least one word for each sense.
Example:

“In the dark forest,
The wind whispers secrets,
Leaves taste like rain.”

Tip: make a screen shot of your chosen "image" before you start writing your short poem.

“My Mini Poem”

Purpose: Create a personal poem using prompts - Work individually

Prompts (choose one):

• A memory I will always remember .....

• Inside my dream…

• My pet

• My best friend .....

Guidelines:

• 8–12 lines

• Try to include a feeling and a metaphor

Or....

Stick to the ideas we looked at yesterday: Forests/Woodlands

Ocean/Beach

City at night

4. Writing Time (20–25 min): “My Mini Poem”

Purpose: Create a personal poem using prompts

Prompts (students choose one):

A memory I never forget…

If I were the wind…

Inside my dream…

A color I can feel…

Guidelines:

6–10 lines max

Use at least one metaphor or simile

Try to include a feeling and a picture

Teacher circulates, helping with vocabulary and rhythm.

“Poetry Café”

Who would like to volunteer to read their poem aloud?

Listeners give positive feedback only (“I liked the image of…” “That line was powerful…”).

🎤 5. Sharing & Performance (10–15 min): “Poetry Café”

Purpose: Build confidence and celebrate creativity

Instructions:

Turn the classroom into a “Poetry Café” — dim lights, soft background music.

Students volunteer to read their poem aloud.

Listeners give positive feedback only (“I liked the image of…” “That line was powerful…”).

Entering the Competition

Ensure your poem is all your own work. No AI generated entries accepted.

Poetry competition (in English) starting on the 2nd of September. Deadline: 27th of October.

Send your poem to Enza Poslavsky- [e-mail]

Winners will be announced on 18 November and awarded a prize!

Need more info: Ask in the library or talk to your English teacher.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Which part was most fun or challenging?