What is an ‘I Am’ Poem?

Have you ever heard of an “I Am” poem? It’s a personal poem where writers describe themselves using various prompts. Students love them because they are a great way to express themselves and feel understood. Teachers love them because they help them gain insights into who their students really are. Writing these types of poems can help students become more self-aware and encourage emotional growth in those who write them.

Get Started With An ‘I Am’ Poem Template

Students can use the included ‘I Am’ Poem template to create their own “I Am” Poems. They work well as a beginning-of-year activity in which they read their poems together as a group activity. They could even write them independently and share them anonymously in a class book or slide deck. 

This printable template gives students the structure and prompts needed to easily create memorable ‘I Am’ Poems.

Download and Start Writing ‘I Am’ Poems Today!

This resource is available as an easy-to-use Google Slides or Printable PDF Resource file. To get your copy, click the dropdown arrow on the download button to select your preferred file format. Make your copies, pass them out to your students, and you’re ready to begin!

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator.

Even More Ideas for Writing Poetry for Kids!

Don’t stop there! Make sure you check out these fantastic poems and poetry activities for kids before you go!

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Back to School Today! Poem for Kids

Ease back-to-school jitters and launch your students into a love of poetry with a short poem for kids written just for the first day of school!

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Types of Poetry Anchor Charts with Annotations

Introduce structured forms of poetry to your students with this set of 9 annotated poetry posters.

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Writing a Simile Poem - Worksheet

Experiment with similes by writing a simile poem about a special person.