How to Write Poems with Rhythm and Rhyme

Miacademy & MiaPrep Learning Channel

This instructional video guides students through the creative process of writing structured poetry, focusing specifically on rhyme and meter. Following a previous lesson on identifying these elements, the narrator shifts the focus to application, teaching students practical strategies to generate their own rhyming lines and rhythmic patterns. The lesson uses a whimsical narrative involving dumpling chefs who need poetic inspiration to wake sleeping guardians, making the technical aspects of poetry more engaging for younger learners. The content covers two distinct approaches to rhyming: starting with an idea and finding a rhyme, versus finding a rhyme pair first to spark an idea. It also introduces the use of rhyming dictionaries as a valid tool for writers. A significant portion of the video is dedicated to meter, demonstrating how to identify syllable patterns (stressed and unstressed) in a draft line and replicate that pattern to create rhythm. It also discusses how different meters establish different moods, providing clear examples ranging from playful to serious. For the classroom, this video serves as an excellent workshop starter for a poetry unit. It breaks down the often-intimidating task of writing structured verse into manageable steps. Teachers can use the built-in pause points to have students practice brainstorming rhymes and clapping out rhythms in real-time. The video clarifies that using tools like filler words and dictionaries is part of the professional writing process, encouraging students who might struggle with vocabulary recall.