RL.5.1,
RL.5.2,
RL.5.4,
RL.5.5,
RL.5.6,
W.5.3,
W.5.5,
W.5.8,
W.5.10,
RL.6.4,
RL.6.5,
RL.6.6,
W.6.3,
W.6.5,
W.6.10
This interdisciplinary poetry unit invites students to explore voice, identity, memory, gratitude, and interconnectedness through the lens of Joy Harjo’s poetry and worldview. Over the course of five multi-session lessons, students will read, analyze, and respond to poems by Joy Harjo—the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate—while crafting their own original poetry. Blending reading, writing, visual art, and social-emotional learning, the unit supports students in reflecting on their lived experiences and expressing themselves creatively.
The unit opens by introducing Joy Harjo’s background, poetry, and role as Poet Laureate. Students begin by reading her poem Remember, engaging in discussion about the significance of place and cultural identity. They annotate the text and participate in a mapping activity to visually explore personal and geographic roots. In the second lesson, students explore the theme of memory by viewing artwork by Native artist Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and listening to Harjo read Remember aloud. These experiences serve as inspiration for students’ first individual poem, a piece rooted in personal memory and reflection.
The third lesson shifts from individual writing to group collaboration. Students gather in poetry groups to co-create a collaborative poem, weaving lines from their personal Remember poems into one shared work. This process mirrors the act of basket weaving—intentional, cultural, and expressive. Students rehearse and perform their group poems, practicing rhythm, repetition, and spoken delivery.
In the fourth lesson, students return to individual writing with a new thematic focus: interconnectedness. Through Harjo’s Eagle Song and Eagle Poem, along with a haiku by Issa, students consider how humans are linked with animals and the natural world. They write “Animals Are Alive” poems using word banks and imagery from their own lives, working closely with a poetry partner to give and receive feedback.
The final lesson explores the theme of gratitude. Inspired by Joy Harjo’s Praise the Rain, students write individual Praise Poems, beginning with a gratitude list and moving into free verse composition. They learn about the emotional benefits of giving thanks, linking poetry to social-emotional wellbeing. In the final sessions, poetry partners form small groups to create and rehearse a second collaborative poem using lines from their individual Praise Poems. These are performed in class, providing a celebratory close to the unit.
Throughout the unit, students participate in meaningful writing, rich discussion, and creative collaboration. They create three individual poems and two group poems, while also decorating poetry folders and contributing to a class art project that maps identity and connection. Optional extensions include publishing a class chapbook, hosting a poetry reading, or exploring Native American artists and poets more deeply.
This unit honors the belief that poetry is a living practice—and that every student’s voice, story, and perspective matters. By engaging with the work of Joy Harjo and creating their own poetic expressions, students come to see poetry not only as literature, but as a tool for reflection, connection, and cultural awareness.
