An “I Am” poem is a way for students to introduce themselves, explore poetry writing, or reflect on a unit or experience. Use this printable “I Am” poem template bundle in homeroom, English language arts class, or anywhere else you want students to engage in reflection. Download the worksheets to have on hand, and get inspiration from our ideas for using them in the classroom.
How To Use “I Am” Poem Templates in the Classroom
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Sensory Poem
Take students outside, on a field trip or just to a corner of the playground, and have them record what they feel, see, hear, and smell in that moment. Use this “I Am” Poem template to capture students’ immediate sensory experiences. Then, they can think about how their sensory experiences translate into their thoughts, wonders, and dreams.
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Before and After
Use this poem template to engage students in reflecting about what they’ve learned. Students complete the poem thinking about what they know about a topic before and after a unit. Then, they can compare their poems and discuss what they learned and will take away from a unit.
Image: Poetry Template 1
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Capture a Moment
This “I Am” Poem is great for students to use to reflect at the start and end of the school year. Save students’ beginning-of-year poems so they can compare them with their year-end poems side-by-side to see how much they’ve changed.
Image: Poetry Template 2
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Portrait Poem
This “I Am” Poem takes a different format for students to express what’s important to them in the moment. Use this template as an assignment or as a quick check-in to engage students in describing how they’re doing right now.
Image: Poetry Template 3
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Poem in a List
This “I Am” Poem uses a list format. It’s a good way to help students pare down their ideas and communicate the most important words. Use this to get students started with poetry writing, and to help students see similarities and differences between them and their classmates.
