Activity
Slow Down with The Slowdown
Students use poetry as a spark for reflection and discussion about what’s happening in their lives and the world.
At a Glance
Language
English — USSubject
- Advisory
- Civics & Citizenship
- English & Language Arts
- History
- Social Studies
Grade
6–12- Culture & Identity
- Equity & Inclusion
Overview
About This Activity
This routine uses poetry to spark personal reflection and to open doors for discussions about what’s happening in students’ lives and the world. We recommend The Slowdown podcast for this routine. In each five-minute episode, poet and host Ada Limón explains what the poem she’s chosen means to her and then reads it out loud.
Other sources for poems, many of which have audio recordings, include the websites Split This Rock, Poets.org, Poetry 180, and Poetry Foundation.
Preparing to Teach
Procedure
Steps for Implementation
Variations
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Unlimited Access to Learning. More Added Every Month.
Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.
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Listen to #DisruptTexts founder Julia Torres about taking a critical lens to text selection in ELA classrooms.
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Explore approaches to centering student voice, building authentic relationships and cultivating community with Molly Josephs, the creator of This Teenage Life, a youth-driven, story-sharing podcast that started as a school club.
Using the strategies from Facing History is almost like an awakening.
—
Claudia Bautista, Santa Monica, Calif
