This teaching guide packet is designed to accompany a 3-part television series, "Poetry Heaven," which captures many of the brightest and most memorable moments of the 1996 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. The series presented in the packet features 18 poets whose personalities, voices, and points of view reflect the power and diversity of contemporary poetry. While the guide in the packet is intended to be used with the series, it can also serve teachers as a free-standing resource for the study of contemporary poetry. Included are: classroom cards, including 13 poet cards and 1 panel/conversation card (featuring poems, poet's statements, biographical notes, photographs, discussion questions, and suggested activities); an outline of each program which identifies featured poets and events; a time grid which provides timed locations for poems and panel/conversations in the TV series; advice to young poets; a selected bibliography; and suggestions for building a core high school poetry collection. Each program in the series is 60 minutes long and readings of individual poems are continuous. Recommendations for the teacher are: preview the program selected for discussion; have students watch the whole program on air or show segments in class; hand out photocopies of the classroom cards; discuss what has been watched; and have students do the activities. (NKA)