Message from iramos

[Anonymous]

Awesome project! I just taught a quick haiku lesson since April is poetry month, but I didn't have enough time to spend more than a few minutes on haikus due to Open House today. I focused mainly on connecting words with nature, which most students were able to capture. Some were able to truly connect with experiences they've had in nature, hiking in the Sequoias, skateboarding outside, enjoying the sand on a beach, and so on.

I had students simply write the haiku with a picture to accompany it, but they were able to easily grasp the idea of what a haiku is, structurally, and were challenged by how limited their syntax needed to be in order to have it classified as a "haiku." All students were able to enjoy the lesson. Those who normally struggle with writing appreciated how simple the poem could be and those who normally excel in their writing had fun with the challenges writing in the 5-7-5 format had to offer.

The next time I teach a lesson on haikus, I will definitely use the lesson ideas provided in this thread. I think students will be able to feel more comfortable with the haiku style and write with more ease. It will also be interesting to learn about renkus and open the door for more collaboration in the classroom, which the students are always enthusiastic to participate in. Thanks for the lesson ideas!