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Poetry Playground: Writing Creative Poetry Self-Paced | Write From the Heart

Completed by 2 learners
Ages 13-18
Self-Paced Course
Not a poet? No problem! Love it already? Even better. This creative writing class helps students explore structure, sound, and word choice with fun, guided activities and examples. Build skills while expressing yourself through poetry.
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(2 reviews)

6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content

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Go at your own pace
Your learner can start learning when they want and progress at the speed that works best for them.
Start when you want.
Learn at your own pace
Access course material for a full year.
Get hands-on support from teacher.

What’s included

6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content
Assignments
Feedback is given Monday for any work completed the previous week, excluding weekends.
Letter Grade
Given upon request as percentage.

Class Experience

US Grade 7 - 10
Beginner Level
Embark on a creative journey to uncover your unique voice in this self-paced poetry class. Each week, you’ll step into the world of words, sounds, and structures, exploring techniques that transform thoughts into art. Guided by professional and student examples, you’ll experiment with different poetry styles, capturing how you see the world in ways only you can.

At š–š«š¢š­šž šŸš«šØš¦ š­š”šž š‡šžššš«š­, we believe writing isn’t about following rules—it’s about mastering the tools to share who you are and what you believe with clarity and confidence. Start your journey today, and let your words shape your story.

Through video, written lessons, interactive assignments, and personalized feedback on your poems, this class empowers you to take ownership of your writing. 

Our feedback is encouraging with suggestions for growth framed to help build the student's skills and self-confidence.

Elements Covered in Class: 
> Lines & Stanzas
> Word Choice 
> Sound quality 
> Structure

Learning Goals

Students will write in various styles of poetic structure
Students will understand the importance of sound quality and how it functions in poetry

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
6 Lessons
over 6 Weeks
Lesson 1:
The Tools of Poetry
 This lesson gives an overview of the four main tools we will explore in the course: structure, sound quality, word choice, and imagery, and we will start writing poems! 
3 assignments
13 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
Structure: Line Breaks & Stanzas
 Why does poetry look so weird?  How do I know when to go to the next line?  Should I capitalize or punctuate certain words?  How do I know the rules?  All your burning questions are answered in this lesson! 
3 assignments
Lesson 3:
Sound Quality
 This lesson focuses on sound: the way words sound, and how to use that to create rhythm and meter in poetry.  We will practice with sound poems. 
4 assignments
Lesson 4:
Word Choice
 This lesson looks at words and how slightly different words can create slightly different meanings.  We will play with words with our poems! 
4 assignments

Other Details

Learning Needs
Please communicate with the instructor if accommodations or modifications are needed. Write from the Heart teachers are trained and educated on how to meet unique learning needs and classes can be adjusted as needed.
Parental Guidance
Poetry examples are given for students to refer to as they write. These are written by other students or by professionals. They are all poems that would be appropriate for a standard high school class, but some do have reference to religion, love, mortality, and the human experience. The focus of the class is that poetry is a personal expression, so all examples are presented neutrally as the opinion of the writer. Poets used include: Emily Dickinson, Percy Shelly, William Blake, William Shakespeare, TS Eliot, William Carlos Williams, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Edgar Allen Poe, Dylan Thomas, Kashinath Karmakar, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Robert Frost, Gwendolyn Brooks, Theodore Roethke, Lucille Clifton, and Mary Oliver.
Pre-Requisites
No poetry experience necessary! A curiosity and willingness to try new ways of writing are helpful, but not required. Activities are step-by-step and flexible for both novices and experts.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Offered by

Joined November, 2024
5.0
2reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Master’s Degree in Film/Cinema/Video Studies from University of Pittsburgh
Veldorah Rice
Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Grove City College
Jodi Tahsler
Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature from Grove City College
Veldorah Rice
At Write from the Heart, our goal is to help students find their voices and grow in writing and critical thinking skills. Above all, we believe that education is a personal journey of discovery. It is shaped by the personality of the child, the beliefs and values of the child’s family, and the experiences that the child encounters. It should never be undervalued. We desire to come alongside parents in helping each child through that personal journey.

Veldorah Rice, who is the director of Write from the Heart, as a BA in English, History, and Communication and a MA in English and Film Studies.  She oversees the classes and enjoys creating new curriculum and tools for student writers. She has worked at both the high school and collegiate level. Additionally, Veldorah enjoys speaking at homeschool and teacher conferences about writing and helping students find their voices. In her free time, she loves knitting, watching bad movies with her husband and three children, and blogging for the Write from the Heart community.

Veldorah has been a teacher for over 25 years, focusing on cultivating critical thinking skills within the act of writing.  She has worked at both the high school and collegiate level. 

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