Japanese Poetry: Tanka? You're Welcome!

Examine William Blake's "The Echoing Green" and its message about youth. Learners read the poem and then respond to text-dependent questions as well as discussion-style questions.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the United States' most iconic monuments. Learners examine the poem "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, which is engraved on the Statue of Liberty's pedestal. They then respond to a series of text-based...

Use this resource as a quick and easy way to discuss the characteristics of haikus. Learners identify the number of syllables required for each line, and talk about the subject matter. The one thing missing from this presentation is an...

Students analyze Japanese tanka poetry. In this Japanese poetry lesson, students identify analyze the structure of tanka poetry. Students complete the activities at the given links for the lesson and compose two tanka poems.

Young scholars explore the structure and content of the Tanka form and to arrive at a definition of the structure in English. They analyze a tanka to determine its structure and intent and compose two Tanka; one in traditional form and...

If your class doesn't know what a haiku is, show them two examples from the Japanese poet Issa (both included here), and have them make some observations. How long are they? What is the structure? A video and a list of questions help...

Start a lesson on poetic voice with a peer to peer discussion on what characterizes the strength in the voice with which a writer chooses to express himself/herself. In pairs, readers are tasked with reading and creating T-charts for...

Here is a poetry lesson that begins with a free-association activity focused on the word voice. Learners each sit alone for a moment and make sounds that express how they are currently feeling, and then turn to their partners to share...

Find inspiration for writing poetry by studying Ben Harper's music. Using this Six Traits of Writing activity, learners develop their ideas and focus on the voice trait of writing. A video activity is included in the highly engaging...

Comparing two different artistic mediums can be a welcome challenge. Learners compare Monet's The Water Lily Pond to three nature-inspired poems. They consider how each art form is interrelated, descriptive, and expressive. They then...