Best Poetry Homeschool Curriculum for Elementary

This post contains affiliate links and we may earn a commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Our picks for the best poetry homeschool curriculum for elementary:

Poetry is an important part of a complete language arts education. Many homeschool language arts curricula do include poetry study, but some families wish to bring poetry into their homeschool in a deeper, more focused way. If you are looking to teach poetry to your homeschooled elementary student, there are two approaches you can take: the first option is to get a formal poetry curriculum, such as those we’ll talk about in this article; the second option is to go with a non-curricula poetry resource, such as a poetry anthology or audio CD, which you can use on a regular basis to introduce your child to the world of poetry. For a list of some of our favorite non-curricula poetry resources for kids, scroll to the end of this article.

In this article we’ll tell you about our favorite poetry curricula for homeschooled elementary students. These can be used in conjunction with any good language arts program. If you are homeschooling an older student, check out our related articles, Best Poetry Homeschool Curriculum for Middle School and Best Homeschool Poetry Curriculum for High School. And if you are simply looking for great non-curricula poetry resources, check out our recommendations at the end of this article!

Cottage Press Poetry Readers

If you are looking for a structured but still gentle, welcoming approach to teaching poetry, consider Cottage Press’s poetry reader series. Like Cottage Press’s other language arts offerings, the poetry reader series is inspired by the philosophies of Charlotte Mason, a Victorian-era educator who promoted an art- and nature-centered approach to teaching. Mason believed that the purpose of poetry was to delight and uplift, and this poetry program certainly falls in line with that ideal. Students who complete the full series will undoubtedly develop a rich foundation in poetry that will last a lifetime.

This series consists of three volumes, with three more planned for the future. Each can be used over a full school year, ideally in a family setting, as the program has been designed to be appropriate for kids of all ages. Each poem is read and enjoyed one by one, and families can move through the readers at whatever pace they choose.

The poems in the series have been carefully selected to represent the best of poetry in the English language, and students learn about famous poets and the development of poetry as they move through the program. Each volume features three poets, providing extensive biographical information and at least a dozen examples of each poet’s works. The first volume focuses on Burns, Tennyson, and Herbert; the second on Wordsworth, Milton, and Longfellow; and the third on Keats, Donne, and Scott. Every volume also includes selections from Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays. To begin the series, you’ll want to purchase Poetry Reader: Volume I. 

Memoria Press Elementary Poetry Curricula

If you are looking for a more academic, structured approach to teaching poetry to your elementary student, consider the wonderful poetry curricula options offered by Memoria Press. All of Memoria Press’s programs follow a classical homeschooling approach, which emphasizes the greatest writers and historical figures in the Western tradition. Its poetry curricula will ensure your student is not only exposed to great poems but can also understand how to analyze and interpret them. 

At the elementary level, Memoria Press offers two poetry programs. The first, Poetry for the Primary Stage, is designed for kids in kindergarten through second grade. Consisting only of an anthology, it offers a wonderful way to introduce young children to poetry without any additional worksheets or assignments. 

The second program is Poetry for the Grammar Stage. Intended for kids in grades 3-7, this curriculum is meant to be used over a four-year period, but you can certainly work at a faster or slower pace if you choose. The poems in this program are chosen to correspond with the literature selections in Memoria Press’s literature guide series, but the program can also be used independently. 

This curriculum is nicely structured, introducing a new poem every one or two lessons. Students will complete vocabulary study, an analysis exercise, copywork, and a set of comprehension questions for each poem. Through the course of this program, students will become familiar with many of the greatest poems in the English language and also learn how to understand and critically analyze these works.

To begin Poetry for the Primary Stage, you’ll need to purchase the Poetry for the Primary Stage Anthology. For Poetry for the Grammar Stage, you’ll need to buy the Poetry for the Grammar Stage Anthology, the Poetry for the Grammar Stage Student Guide, and the Poetry for the Grammar Stage Teacher Guide. 

Moving Beyond the Page Poetry Unit Study

If you are looking for a unit-study approach to teaching poetry to an older elementary student, consider the Poetry unit study offered by Moving Beyond the Page. Combining elements of Montessori, Waldorf, Classical, Charlotte Mason, and Unschooling teaching philosophies, Moving Beyond the Page’s curricula can be used successfully with all types of learners. However, this publisher caters to kids who are curious, independent, and self-motivated. 

At the elementary level, Moving Beyond the Page offers one poetry unit study, designed for kids ages 9-11. It will take about 2-3 weeks to complete and can be used in conjunction with other Moving Beyond the Page units or independently. Themes covered include rhyme, parts of speech, haiku, and the poetry of Robert Frost. This curriculum is available in both hard copy and digital versions.

Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization, Andrew Pudewa/Institute for Excellence in Writing

Another great option for introducing kids to poetry in the homeschool setting is Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization, created by Andrew Pudewa and the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW). This curriculum focuses on memorization as a powerful, often overlooked tool in the learning process. It includes five levels of difficulty and will take multiple school years to complete, teaching kids a total of 100 famous poems and speeches. Kids will commit these to memory in a lasting way. It’s a fantastic supplement to any good language arts program.

This program is very user-friendly and nicely structured. The teacher’s manual clearly lays out the memorization process, which begins with short, simple poems and gradually builds to longer, more challenging ones. Best of all, much of the memorization is done with the assistance of the audio CD, which you can play in the car or in the background while your kids are completing other tasks. This curriculum is appropriate for all ages, so it’s a great option if you want to use the same program for both older and younger kids.

To begin Linguistic Development Through Poetry Memorization, you’ll need to purchase the Teacher’s Manual, the Student Book, and the audio CDs. These are available individually or as a set.

A Young Scholar’s Guide to Poetry, Bright Ideas Press

If you are looking for a year-long poetry course that will teach your student the fundamentals of poetry analysis while also exposing them to some of the best poems and poets of the English language, consider A Young Scholar’s Guide to Poetry by Bright Ideas Press. While this program can be used for older kids, as well, we especially love it for elementary students because of its hands-on nature. Kids will learn through timelines, games, maps, coloring pages, puzzle cards, and more. 

This program has a clean, easy-to-follow structure based on a 32-week school year. Each week, a new poet is introduced and studied. These poets include some of the best in both American and British history, such as Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Edward Lear, Dylan Thomas, and Edgar Allen Poe. Each lesson includes a biography of the poet as well as an example of his or her work, which is used to teach about a specific poetic theme or device (such as sonnet or haiku, for example). 

A Young Scholar’s Guide to Poetry may be purchased in PDF format at Christian Book.

Conclusion

Poetry is a wonderful part of a complete language arts curriculum. If you’re looking for other (non-curricula) poetry resources for elementary kids, see our list below!

Best Poetry Resources (non-curricula)