Describes how two teachers approach poetry writing with at-risk high school students over a 12-week period, structuring activities to initiate poetry as language play, selecting model poems that are developmentally appropriate, and organizing writing assignments that encourage students to draw on their individual experiences. Discusses conducting…

Ponders whether adolescents can be guided by teachers to some understanding about the relationship between war and language. Describes a three-week unit consisting of two parts: students first read a variety of materials about war, then each student assumes a character--soldier, doctor, or soldier's spouse--and writes about that character's…