What Is an Autobiographical Poem?

Autobiographical poems are poems in which the writer reflects on their own identity and personal characteristics. They are a form of self-expression that helps students articulate who they are and what is important to them. Due to the familiar subject matter (themselves!), autobiographical poems are a great choice when it comes to introducing structured poetry to students.

Here’s what you need to know about autobiographical poems:

• Purpose – The purpose of an autobiographical poem is to describe yourself.
• Structure – Each line provides specific information about the subject of the poem.
• Rhythm – Autobiographical poems have no distinct rhythm.
• Rhyme – Autobiographical poems do not usually rhyme.

Easily Teach How to Write an Autobiographical Poem

This set of templates has been created by the Teach Starter team to support your students in writing an autobiographical poem. Here’s what you will discover inside this autobiographical poem template pack:

1. Autobiographical Poem Overview – This page explains everything your students need to know about autobiographical poems. It also includes an example poem.
2. Autobiographical Poem Graphic Organizer – This page supports students in brainstorming aspects of their personal identity such as things they love, need, give and fear.
3. Autobiographical Poem Scaffolding Sheet – This page supports students in writing their autobiographical poem by providing a labeled scaffold.
4. Autobiographical Poem Writing Sheet – This page has been included for students to produce a polished final copy of their autobiographical poem.

Autobiographical poems help students explore and articulate their own identities. This can be empowering and help build confidence in their writing. By engaging this resource, students will be guided through the process of writing a personal autobiographical poem by reflecting on what makes them unique.

Download This Autobiographical Poem Template

This resource downloads as an easy-print PDF or an editable Google Slides file. Use the Download button to access your preferred version of this resource. Please note that you will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides file before accessing it.

Brittany Collins, a teacher in Indiana and a Teach Starter collaborator, contributed to this resource.

Grab More Poetry Writing Prompts

Teach Starter has a wide variety of resources to use when teaching poetry writing to your students. Click below to check out a selection from our range.

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