E. E. Cummings' "Spring is like a perhaps hand" offers young scholars an opportunity to try their hands at analyzing a simile. After a warm-up activity and a close reading of the poem, class members discuss what they think the poem is saying about Spring. They also consider Cummings' structural choices.

Concepts

poetry, poets, poetry analysis, critical thinking, spring, similes, metaphors

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Instructional Ideas

• Use during April's Poetry Month
• Assign groups other poems by E.E. Cummings and have them use the same noticing approach to launch their discussions
• Ask class members to write a short paragraph or craft a poem that begins "Spring is like..."

Classroom Considerations

• Part of the Academy of American Poets "Teach This Poem" series
• To learn more about the pedagogy behind the noticing method used in the series, instructors should read the linked teacher resource found in the Included Materials section below
• Younger learners may need additional scaffolding to recognize the simile
• Prep includes gathering 25-30 small items for the warm-up activity

Pros

• The lesson includes a warm-up activity, step-by-step directions, and discussion questions

Cons

• None