Read it out loud first
Read a short poem aloud twice, then let kids tap the rhythm on their desks the second time. Ask, "Which words rhyme? Which words did you love?" Hearing the music of a poem before analyzing it keeps poetry fun.
Why it works: showing first, practicing together, then letting kids try alone is the "gradual release" model teachers have relied on for decades (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).
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