Literature and poetry

ESL Bits is an incredible collection of narrated materials including fully copyrighted and current fiction. Users will need a good internet connection to read and listen online.

Levels - Wide range

Mix of copyrighted texts (direct students to the site) and texts in the public domain.

LoudLit is a collection of literature in the public domain, curated from Project Gutenberg. The audio was added by the site developers. Both the texts and audio can be downloaded.

Level - Fiction for children and adults

Public domain texts. Audio is licensed using a CC BY-NC-ND 2.5  

NowComment is a  discussion, annotation, and curation site of literary and non-fiction texts. The Now Comment Literature Collection contains books from Audible that can be read and listed to! Titles include Born a Crime, Tuesdays with Morrie, Dear Martin and The Hate you Give. 

Level - Young adult and adult fiction

Copyrighted. Icons for downloading audio and text files available.

Global Oneness Project is a free multimedia platform for educators and students. "Through our immersive storytelling and curricula, we explore the deeper issues facing humanity." Explore Stories, Lesson Plans and More and thought-provoking lessons such as Learning and Teaching from the Heart in Troubled Times, The Social and Emotional Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic or Unheard Voices: Black Lives Matter and Activism.

Level - Lessons available at three grade levels: Grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Most content can readily be used with adults.

Copyrighted. Files available for downloading.

Invitation to World Literature from Annenberg Learner is a collection of multimedia resources focused on 13 classic novels from different cultures.  The resources provide background information and enhancements to extend knowledge and support understandings of the 13 novels. Access to the novels is not provided on the site. 

Level - Secondary and college

An older Creative Commons license has been applied to the teaching resources; details are not apparent.

We have featured two of several Poet Laureate Projects from the US Library of Congress. The projects are designed to promote poetry.

1. Poetry 180 is program designed to introduce poetry to secondary students. Guidance on reading poetry is also provided. 

2. Favorite Poem Project is a collection of video recordings of Americans celebrating and reading the poems they love. It’s designed to break down barriers and misconceptions about the inaccessibility of poetry. The project also includes classroom resources for teachers. This project has its own website.

Level - All

All poetry is copyrighted. Instructional materials are also copyrighted but can be downloaded.

This is an open source collection of Poetry Templates.  All files can be saved, modified and shared. A Poetry Analysis activity is also available.

Level - All

CC BY 4.0