Mindfulness and Poetry

Liles Puleo

This unit was originally created for my second-grade students, although the unit content can be adapted for any elementary setting. The goal of this unit is to encourage elementary students to learn mindfulness to enhance their learning, improve social relationships, and improve classroom community. Once the mindful practice is taught mindful experiences with art can be used to write poetry. Activities are structured to practice mindfulness, then experience art, followed by composing a poem. Mindfulness techniques, seven different styles of poetry, and suggestions for publishing and shared poetry are included in this unit. By experiencing art mindfully students enrich their experience and produce high quality writing. Mindful experiences and student created poetry can be shared with the class to build community and encourage students to write more frequently.