Teaching "Paul Revere's Ride"

Guide your students through the poem "Paul Revere's Ride."

POETRY

"Paul Revere's Ride" is a well-known American poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This poem is a partly fictionalized account of Paul Revere's ride on April 18, 1775 where lanterns were used to signal how the British troops would move- "One if by land/Two if by sea." Here are a few resources I use to teach the poem. 

First, I build background with this informational article about Paul Revere and Longfellow's poem. 

Paul Revere Background

Follow the background article with this crossword puzzle using the information from the article.

Crossword Puzzle

Crossword Puzzle Key

Now read the poem aloud. I usually ask students to volunteer to read, and I use this Choral Reading script with parts for twenty readers. As we read, I use the Guided Reading Questions and the Image slides to help students visualize some of the vocabulary in the text.

Student Copy Paul Revere Choral Reading

Guided Reading Questions

Paul Revere Images

After we read together, I share the book again using Ted Rand's picture book version.

We also view this view this musical narrative from Woodmere Art Museum. It is a wonderful blend of music, art, and poetry.