Ready, Set, Spark!
Spark Reading Newsletter | March 2025
Hello Spark Teachers, Welcome to Our Poetry Issue!
March is here—let's celebrate,
A month of poetry, bold and great!
With rhythm and rhyme, let voices soar,
Spark brings verse to life like never before.
Spark Reading + World Poetry Day = Building Skills in a Fun Way!
World Poetry Day is March 21, but you can celebrate all month long with poetry books from Spark Reading. Find some of our favourites listed below.
Don't forget to visit Pearson's Special Days Calendar for quick and easy-to-use poetry activities for K-8 classrooms.
Space Ace
(Reading Level P)
Blast off for a poetry-fueled trip through space!!
Game Changers: Kwame Alexander
(Reading Level X)
Kwame Alexander hated to read, but he loved poetry – and basketball. Today he's an award-winning author.
Not Guilty
(Reading Level Y)
For a new Canadian boy, Iraq seems far away and life is hard. But news of terrorist attacks makes it harder.
Flabbergaster
(Reading Level N)
Here are poems about machines that will flabbergast you!
6 Simple Classroom Activities to Make Poetry Fun and Engaging
Whether you're new to teaching poetry or a seasoned pro, here are some fresh ideas for various grade levels.
- Use Engaging Read-Alouds (Spark Reading Has Plenty!)
Bring poetry to life by reading aloud with expression. Try Around the World in Twenty-Eight Pages, We Can Bead! or Footprints on the Moon (all in Spark Reading) to introduce poetry in a fun way. - For Lower Grades: Build Phonemic Awareness with Rhythm and Rhyme
Poems with strong rhythm and rhyme boost reading fluency. To reinforce meaning, have students clap syllables or act out poems. - For Higher Grades: Explore Spoken Word and Slam Poetry
Introduce spoken word poetry from Canadian poets like Rupi Kaur or Shane Koyczan. Have students write and perform their own pieces in a classroom "poetry slam." - Connect Poetry to Students' Lives
Encourage students to write about their own experiences, emotions, and interests. For example, prompt them to write a poem about a favorite memory, hobby, or even video game. - Make it Visual with Blackout Poetry
Have students create poems by blacking out words in printed articles. This activity is a great way to engage reluctant writers. - Incorporate Cross-Curricular Poetry
Tie poetry to subjects like science, history, or math. Have students write haikus about ecosystems or shape poems about geometric figures.
Feature Highlight: Listen to Myself Reading
Help your students practice reading skills and fluency using Spark’s Listen to Myself Reading feature.
- Send your students a book with the yellow Listen to Myself Reading banner on the cover. You can find these books using the Comprehension/Fluency filter.
- Students can record themselves reading the book and answer reflective questions for class discussion or review.
Visit the Spark Reading help site to learn more and have students watch this short how-to video to get started!
Contest Alert!
Share Your Spark Stories (Or Questions) and Win!
Share a story or ask a question about using Spark in your classroom to win four bean bag chairs for your class. Use these comfy chairs to create cozy reading spaces in your classroom, motivate students to read, and encourage small group work.
Entering is easy. Just complete our super-short survey.
Watch for us to share your questions and ideas in future newsletters so others can learn from them.
Share a Free Trial With Your Friends
Know a teacher who would love Spark Reading? Tell them to sign up for a free 30-day trial!
Happy teaching and reading!