Most people I know were stunned — in a good way — by the inaugural poet, Amanda Gorman. Her poise was astonishing for someone so young, and her words were stirring in just the way we needed in that moment.
Her poem is a great way to talk with kids about poetry, since she’s not much older than they are. PBS has released a lesson plan for kids from sixth to 12th grades using “The Hill We Climb” as a launching point for freewriting, connecting to other Black female inaugural poets, hunting for allusions in her work and writing memorials for people lost of covid, among other options.
This poem ties into English, history and social studies and is a great way to bring current events into the classroom.Or if your kids are at home you can watch the video together (if you didn’t see it live or want to watch it again it’s embedded in the PBS post) and talk about what it says to you as they share their reactions as well.
