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Celebrate Poetry Month with Poet Amanda Gorman

Classroom and community resources to help make poetry accessible to all.
Amanda Gorman at the 2021 Biden Inauguration Rob Carr/Getty Images
Published: March 28, 2022

Poetry has the power to evoke emotions and build relationships. It can provide solace, strength, and joy. When read or shared, poetry creates a sense of community.

To help students discover the role of poetry in their lives and to inspire them to write and perform their own words in the service of positive change, award-winning writer and inaugural poet Amanda Gorman shares her thoughts, recommendations, and resources to help educators make both performance and written poetry more accessible to all.

Resources for sharing Amanda Gorman’s poetry

Amanda Gorman

10 Questions with Amanda Gorman

Catch up with the wordsmith, change-maker, and inaugural poet.
young boy writing at his desk at home

Poetry Writing Tips

Amanda Gorman shares five ideas for inspiring the poet within.
high school students sitting in a circle discussion classwork

Teach this Poem

This Academy of American Poets’ resource features “In This Place (An American Lyric)” by Amanda Gorman, a primary source from the Library of Congress, a lesson plan, and related resources.
girl reading poetry out load in the community

Amanda Gorman Community Read Discussion Guide

Explore the vision of Change Sings, The Hill We Climb, and Call Us What We Carry with these discussion questions and community activity ideas.
artwork from Amanda Gorman's book Change Sings

Educator’s Guides

Resources for sharing and teaching Amanda Gorman’s poetry.
Amanda Gorman delivering her poem at the Biden inauguration

Learning for Justice

Use the inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb,” to talk with students about creative expression as a commentary on democracy.

Recommend Poetry

Amanda Gorman’s Picks

  • Change Sings by Amanda Gorman & Illustrated by Loren Long
  • Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson 
  • The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
  • Love by Matt de la Peña & illustrated by Loren Long
  • Life Doesn’t Frighten Me by Maya Angelou; edited by Sara Jane Boyers; and illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat
  • The Day you Begin by Jacqueline Woodson & illustrated by Rafael Lopez
  • Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
  • Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye

NEA’s Read Across America Selections 

These titles and resources can help students use poetry to explore how people and places shape their identity, their feelings about where they live, and how they connect with the world around them.

More Resources for Poetry Month

More from NEA

illustration of a girl with a guitar from Amanda Gorman's book Change Sings

Poet Amanda Gorman Is Teaching Students to be Change-Makers

An award-winning illustrator pairs his inspirational art with Gorman's verses in a new children's book.
open book lying on stone table outside

The Calming Effect of Poetry in Uncertain Times

April is National Poetry Month - a perfect time to rediscover how poems can help adults and children alike manage stress.
cover image of Tan to Tamarind: poems about the color brown

Great Poetry to Read Aloud

The list includes poems and collections of poetry from different cultures, introductions to a variety of poetic forms, and playful language for lots of read aloud fun.

Social Justice Poets from NEA Ed Justice

Now is a good time to listen to young people as they speak out on what they want the future to hold.

Are you an affiliate?

Jump to updates, opportunities, and resources for NEA state and local affiliates.
educators at conference workshop

Advance in Your Career

NEA provides cutting-edge resources from our experts—our staff, affiliates, and members—on the skills and topics educators need to join, stay in, and advance our profession.
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Great public schools for every student

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.