Materials for this lesson:
R is for Rhyme book
Cool Melons Turn to Frogs: The Life and Poems of Issa
Grass Sandals: The Travels of Basho
Poetry type: haiku
Poetry concepts: imagery
Poets: Issa, Basho
Presentation Ideas:Read It: The haiku in R is for Rhyme
Discuss It: Take a close look at the poem and tell you anything they notice about it that makes it distinct. Compare it to the poem of the facing page for further insight.
Do It: Compare the list that you have generated with the explanation of haiku in the first paragraph of sidebar text. Make a page in your poetry notebook that contains a definition of haiku. You should leave some space to add further information later. Add a border to your page that suggests the Japanese roots of haiku.
Read It: Cool Melons Turn to Frogs
Discuss It: Have each family member choose one haiku from the book that he/she liked. Take turns reading these out loud and identifying the elements of haiku you have learned about.
Do It: Make a page for your poetry notebook that includes five facts about the life of Issa. Copy your favorite haiku from the book onto the page as well.
Read It: The second paragraph of sidebar text in R is for Rhyme.
Discuss It: The definition of the literary term imagery: painting pictures with words. Pass around slips of paper with words on them. Have each family member take one and try to come up with an image that paints a picture of that word. Share these and see if others can guess what the imagery suggests. Discuss what makes imagery successful as a writer's tool.
Do It: Add the additional characteristics you have learned about haiku to the definition page you began at the beginning of the lesson. Spend some time thinking about the idea that haiku suggests a season. Divide a page in your poetry notebook into four squares, titling them with the names of the seasons. Create one example of imagery for each season, painting a picture of it with words. Write them in each square. Color in the background of each square with colors that suggest the season.
Read It: The second paragraph of sidebar text again.
Discuss It: The element of surprise that is a characteristic of haiku. Look at examples of haiku from the books you've gathered for this lesson and have the students discuss the surprising aspects of various haiku.
Do It: Create a haiku for your poetry notebook that suggests the current season and makes observations about nature that you can find in your own backyard. See how well you can capture the element of surprise. Swap your haiku with a sibling and check that each contains all the defining characteristics you have listed in your notebook.
Read It: Grass Sandals
Discuss It: The last paragraph of sidebar text in R is for Rhyme defines another poetic form, senryu. Discuss the difference between this and haiku. Add a definition of senryu to the page about haiku in your poetry notebook.
Do It: Use what you have learned about Basho's life to write a senryu about him for your poetry notebook.
There is no need to go to great lengths to provide additional extension for this lesson. Haiku is a great rabbit trail all its own. Encourage your kids to keep writing, keep playing with this format and see what they can do. Try adding haiku to your nature notebooking or senryu to your Book of Centuries or Asia notebook. Find a poetry competition to enter your haiku into, or make a seasonal book of haiku and illustrate it. Whatever you do, have fun with haiku.
