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Poetry 180
Pros: True to its title, this site is a list of ready-to-share poems that lend themselves to being read aloud.
Cons: Analytical reading isn't promoted; poet biographies and historical context would be a welcome addition.
Bottom Line: This accessible site supports a daily community-building ritual of reading poetry aloud.
The simplicity of the site invites many applications. An entire school community may want to create a ritual of reading poems daily, perhaps sharing them after the announcements. Within the classroom, a teacher might begin the year selecting a daily poem and soliciting volunteers to read aloud, modeling expectations of the ritual throughout the year and moving toward an environment where students begin to take ownership of the process.
For further application, have your students focus on research and comprehension. For example, with a poem assigned in advance, students -- either working independently or collaboratively -- could research a poet’s life, prepare discussion prompts, and pull specific vocabulary to highlight. Students could present findings and critical questions to the class, including a reading. Such an assignment could extend the work with these poems beyond the Common Core Speaking and Listening Standards, helping students interact with the language in more complex and meaningful ways.
Poetry 180: A Poem a Day for American High Schools says it all. Created during his tenure as U.S. Poet Laureate, this is Billy Collins’ list of 180 poems that invite being read aloud. Chosen specifically with teens in mind, the poems touch on engaging subjects such as relationships, struggles with siblings and parents, love and loyalty, death and change.
The site's homepage presents Collins’ reasoning behind the collection and then offers five links: 1) the list of poems, 2) the Library of Congress’ Poetry and Literature Center, 3) suggestions on how to use the list, 4) permissions for the poems, and 5) an explanation on how to best read poems aloud (there’s a downloadable audio version of this guide as well). As a longtime advocate for experiencing rather than analyzing poetry, Collins has placed the focus of the site on the list. Simply choose a poem, and you’re ready to read.
Poetry 180's greatest strength is also its biggest weakness: It’s a list of poems -- no more, no less. Keeping this in mind, you'll find a collection of poems that teens will love to listen to. The range in language, imagery, form, and subject matter may even win over reluctant students who might think that poetry is beyond their grasp. The ritual of reading aloud every day can enhance a sense of classroom community.
With the poems numbered, you could easily use Poem #1 -- Collins’ “Introduction to Poetry” -- on the first day of school and proceed from there. If, however, you’re seeking poems with ready-made discussion prompts, comprehension questions, or literary devices already highlighted, you won't find them here. It should also be noted that, despite the range in verse and prose, there's little diversity in Collins' choice of poets.
Learning Rating
Overall Rating
Great Resource for a Poetry Unit!
Each year as I begin a poetry unit, I find myself stumbling back across Poetry 180's website. It is a truly helpful resource that can be used year after year. This website is helpful for middle and high school ELA courses. Perhaps, supplemental resources that went along with the poem may help a teacher in her planning of a poetry unit.
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