Poetry: Haiku

I introduce my lesson in Poetry by showing examples and analyzing patterns and features of Haikus.  I show a Haiku Poetry tutorial that features background information on Haiku poetry.

I like to create an even playing field by giving background information regarding the structure and characteristics of Haiku poetry.  The tutorial puts everyone on the same page regardless of prior knowledge.  Students are informed that Haikus are unrhymed poems consisting of 3 lines of poetry.  The first line has five syllables; the second line has seven syllables; and the third has five syllables.  Students clap to the beat of the syllables and count syllables for each line of poetry to hear the rhythm and patterns of text. The pattern of 5,7,5  syllables is highlighted.  We analyze several examples of Haikus.  Then, we create one together, as I model the process on the Promethean Board.

We summarize and discuss the characteristics of Haikus as I present my Haiku Poetry Flipchart.

I ask students to work in pairs and collaborate on creating a Haiku.  Students view samples and create a Haiku using photos and illustrations from the previous tutorial as prompts.   Haikus are seasonal poems, so students are shown nature scenes of all seasons:  Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring to inspire poetry about different seasons.  Students use illustrations to further communicate theme to readers.  Students are given a Rubric. In addition, students can graphically map out their Haiku creation using a Haiku Template.

In my approach to teaching Common Core, I like to provide students with authentic learning experiences.  In this lesson, students immerse themselves in the poetry writing process during this lesson as they become poets. Working in pairs also encourage students to collaborate with their peers.  Shared experiences and teaming integrates multiple perspectives and results in deeper understanding of the content.

I ask students to perform the more rigorous task of "creating" their own poem.  As noted on the hierarchy of Bloom's Taxonomy, creating uses higher order thinking processes.  There is much more rigor to creating a poem than merely remembering, understanding, or applying what they learn from this type of poetry.  Creating requires students to synthesize information, generate hypotheses, and develop new ideas that is relevant to them.  Thus, students are deeply immersed in understanding how words and structure of poetry can add meaning and rhythm.

Students gather together to read their Haiku poetry to the class.  They discuss the features of Haiku poetry.  Students self-critique their work using Haiku Rubric.  Students are able to assess each other's poems for accuracy in syllabic patterns and rhythm of the classing 5-7-5 syllable Haiku pattern.  Poetic devices come into play when writing a Haiku, as shown when one team  presented their Haiku Video: Cherry Blossoms. Students become more aware of its structure such as rhyme, rhythm, syllables, etc as they read their Hiakus.