Of all the different genres of literature, poetry may be the most difficult to interpret and understand. Many students struggle to make connections with poems. Poetry can be difficult because poets often write about deep themes and use all kinds of poetic devices that aren’t always easy to understand. But if students can learn to look at poetry through a different lens, it can suddenly become more appealing and more meaningful. Some poems seem pretty easy to understand...some...not so much! It’s no wonder kids tend to have difficulty with poetry! In this unit, students will learn about nine different American poets. Some of the poems they will read will be easy to interpret and understand. Others may pose a bit of a challenge. They'll learn to look at poetry through a different lens, to think deeper. They’ll look beyond the written words on the page and find the deeper meaning the author was trying to convey. They’ll even have a chance to write a few poems of their own. Who knows, perhaps they’ll even grow to enjoy poetry and become the next great American poet!