April is National Poetry Month! April 27, in particular, was Poem in Your Pocket Day. Students across the district had a great time writing and sharing their own personal poems.

 

At Pakanasink, second-grade students in Suzanne Parker and Kim White’s classes mingled so they could share their poems with friends in both classrooms. As students walked through the school, others would stop them and ask to hear their poems.

 

The second-grade classes have been learning about poems throughout the month of April and this was a fun way to wrap up the unit.

 

The practice of writing poetry improves language skills and builds vocabulary. It sparks creativity and creates self-awareness. It can also be therapeutic. And also fun!

 

Poem in Your Pocket Day was initiated in April 2002 by the Office of the Mayor in New York City. In 2008, the Academy of American Poets took the initiative to all 50 United States, encouraging individuals around the country to participate. In 2016, Canada began celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day.