You Too Can Haiku
By Eva Morris
P.S. 164
This thematic unit incorporates Social
Studies, Math, Computer Science, Art, and
English Language Arts.
• Lesson one: Length 2 lessons
Subject: Social Studies, Computer Science and E.L.A.
• Goal: Students will be able to explain information on the Japanese
history, culture and Haiku poetry.
• Students will use the Internet to explore the country of Japan in
order to determine its location, resources, population and culture.
• F.Q.R. worksheet is to help students focus their thinking as they
read. It is similar to the K.W.L.
• Teacher will display several photographs of a geisha girl, Japanese
scenery and a map of the world. The students will respond to what
they see and the teacher will put the responses on chart paper.
• Model note taking and Visual Thinking Strategy.
• The information will be placed on the chart paper
• Using the overhead projector
• Students work in groups viewing designated Internet web pages that
display information on Japan. The students use an F.Q.R. sheet and
in groups they complete the sheet documenting the facts that they
found, the questions that they might have about the topic and their
responses to the facts and questions that they have listed.
• Students use their notes and worksheets in order to complete a
graphic organizer that will be displayed as an anchor chart for future
lessons.
• The students write a summary of their findings for homework and
Haiku poem to read
• Japan is a country where many customs, ways of living, sounds,
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smells, and tastes are different than they are in our country.
Hundreds of years ago, the Japanese created an art form - in the
shape of a small verse. The verse is haiku (HIGH-koo). In haiku,
we share the thoughts, the moods, and the feelings of the
Japanese poets.
Haiku grew from an early writing game in which the first three
lines of a poem were written by one person. A second person
wrote the closing two lines. The great Japanese writer, Basho
(1644-94) grew tired of this game. He felt that the first three lines
could stand alone. In that way, haiku was born.
There are no rhyming words in haiku, and each 3-line verse has
only 17 syllables or less! The three lines are often arranged so that
the first line has five (5) syllables, the second line has seven (7)
syllables, and the third line has five (5) syllables. This is called the
5-7-5 rule. Haiku does not always follow the 5-7-5 rule. But to be
haiku, the verse must express a thought, feeling or mood. The
verse cannot be composed of more than 17 syllables; it cannot
have more than 3 lines; and it cannot rhyme.
Japan Quiz
• 1. What is the capital of Japan?
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___________________________
2. What ocean borders Japan to the east?
___________________________
3. What body of water separates Japan from South Korea?
___________________________
4. What is the name of the sea that separates Japan from
mainland Asia (southern Russian and North Korea)?
___________________________
5. What is the name of the sea that borders Japan to the
south? ___________________________
6. Sapporo is on the northernmost of the four major islands
of Japan. What is the name of this island?
___________________________
7. What is the name of the largest of the Japanese island?
___________________________
• Japan
Japan
FACTS
QUESTIONS
RESPONSES
Lesson 2 :
Subject : Poetry and Math
• Goal: Explore imagery
• Students will use their listening skills to hear distinct
syllables and gain the ability to discriminate between
them.
• Understand imagery, locate descriptive language and
words that pertain to nature, for use in their writing.
• The class does a picture walk of the book. This
establishes the motivation for listening. The students
and teacher list the words of feelings, time, colors,
nature and descriptive verbs found in the book as
well as the descriptive language from thier
homework.
Teacher will read selections from the book while
modeling descriptive words of imagery on to chart paper
to create a word bank.
The words are written under the proper category,
example feelings, colors, verbs, shapes etc. The
students will use kinesthetic movement, by placing their
hands on their chins, to determine the syllables in each
of the words that are on the chart.
The students work in pairs to complete the haiku sheet
and using the internet haiku sites.
The teacher begins to read selections from the book
description on to the chart.
Discussion / share of the words and the picture in their
minds.
• ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
• What is the Haiku written about?
• List the descriptive words
• How many syllables are there in each line?
• What picture does the poem make in your
mind?
• Topic Name
• Adjectives/ Syllables
• Verbs/ syllables
• Feelings/syllables
Picture in my mind/ imagery
HOMEWORK HAIKU
This snowy morning
That black crow I
hate so much ....
But he's beautiful!
—Basho
We could hear the trees ...
As we went through the
forest
Play with the wind
—Roger, age 10
• http://homepage2.nifty.com/haiku-eg/
Lesson Three:
Subject E.L.A., Poetry Math
Goal: Students will compose an original Haiku poem.
• Mathematical problem solving by determining the correct number
of syllables per line.
• Students will discover that all poetry does not rhyme.
• Think Aloud as a Haiku poem is modeled on the overhead. By
using the senses , and the lists
• Students review the words located on the chart and personal list,
from the prior lessons and compute the number of syllables in
each word in order, while keeping in mind the 5,7,5 rule to
compose the Haiku.
• Internet resource with drop down menu.
• http://www.insite.com.br/rodrigo/poet/haicreat
e.html
• The poem is copied onto paper to use for the next
lesson.
• The students begin to work on composing a Haiku.
Teacher reinforces mathematical computation.
• Sharing of their Haiku poems.
Special Features
• First line: Adjective/ Noun,
• Second line: Verb/Preposition/Noun
• Third line: Season or Time of
year/Descriptive word.
Lesson Four:
Subject: Computer Science, E.L.A. and Art.
• Goal: The students will type and illustrate their Haiku poem by
using the “Kid Pix” computer application.
• The students will use the following icons: Stamp pad, Paint brush,
Typewriter and Eraser.
•
Revisit the book “Cool Melons Turn To Frogs” ,while doing a
picture walk through the book, the teacher instructs the students
to pay attention to the illustrations.
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Discussing the importance of illustrations and poetry. Students
engage in accountable talk regarding the pictures, the teacher
listens in on the conversations and takes notes. When students
are done the teacher points out some of the interesting things that
her heard the students discussing.
• When the students are done with their
designs they are asked to answer these
questions.
• Why did you choose the illustrations that
you used?
• What was the image that you wanted the
reader to see in their mind?
• How did the poem make you feel?
• Japan is a country where many customs, ways of living, sounds,
•
•
smells, and tastes are different than they are in our country.
Hundreds of years ago, the Japanese created an art form - in the
shape of a small verse. The verse is haiku (HIGH-koo). In haiku,
we share the thoughts, the moods, and the feelings of the
Japanese poets.
Haiku grew from an early writing game in which the first three
lines of a poem were written by one person. A second person
wrote the closing two lines. The great Japanese writer, Basho
(1644-94) grew tired of this game. He felt that the first three lines
could stand alone. In that way, haiku was born.
There are no rhyming words in haiku, and each 3-line verse has
only 17 syllables or less! The three lines are often arranged so that
the first line has five (5) syllables, the second line has seven (7)
syllables, and the third line has five (5) syllables. This is called the
5-7-5 rule. Haiku does not always follow the 5-7-5 rule. But to be
haiku, the verse must express a thought, feeling or mood. The
verse cannot be composed of more than 17 syllables; it cannot
have more than 3 lines; and it cannot rhyme.
• As you read each verse below, put yourself in the poet's
place - try to share what he or she is feeling. Then share
the poem with someone else. You may find that others
receive a different image or feel a different mood than
you do, all while reading the same words. That is one
reason a haiku verse is often accompanied by an
illustration.
• Here is an example of haiku written by the great
Japanese writer Basho. Ask yourself, what season is it?
• This snowy morning
That black crow I hate so much ....
But he's beautiful!
—Basho
•
The Haiku’s that were composed will be used to create a
slide show presentation.
• Assessment: Students will be assessed throughout the unit.
They will be assessed in the following areas.
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1. Participation during discussions.
2. the students piece must follow the correct Haiku format.
3. The students understanding of imagery.
4. The students utilization of their listening skills.
Internet Resources:
• http://www.ahapoetry.com/haiku.htm
• http://www.big.or.jp/~loupe/links/ehisto/ehisinx.shtml
• http://www.cln.org/themes/haiku.html
• http://www.cranberrydesigns.com/poetry/haiku/history.
• Htm
• http://www.fthsonline.com/mgeib/socialsciences/haiku%20samples.htm
• http://www.gardendigest.com/poetry/haiku4.htm
• http://www.insite.com.br/rodrigo/poet/haicreate.html
• http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/index.shtml
Bibliography:
• Black Swan/White Crow. By Lewis J. Patrick, Atheneum,
1995
• The Classic Tradition of Haiku: An Anthology. Dover
Publications, Dover Third Edition, 1996.
• Cool Melons - Turn to Frogs: The Life and Poems of
Issa. Edited by Matthew Gollub,
•
illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone and Keiko Smith. Lee and
Low Books, 1998.
Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka.
By
Myra Cohn Livingston.
Illustrated by Kees De Kiefte. Margaret McElderry, 1997.
• Students Involved
The students are third-grade, special-needs, general-education, and
English-language learners. They must be familiar with the computer and the
Kid Pix program.
• Teacher Tips
The completion of the homework assignments is essential because those
poems are used to begin the lesson the following day.
• Overall Value
This unit introduces the students to Haiku poetry in an interactive fashion.
The students learn about Japanese culture and history as they investigate
the designated websites. They become better listeners and composers of
poetry while understanding that all forms of poetry do not rhyme. The Kid
Pix application assists in bringing their written forms of imagery to a visual
format. This unit empowers students with difficulty visualizing, drawing, and
writing. By using the application with the Internet, the students are eager
to learn.