Haikus

Haikus by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki are used as models for a brief lecture on the importance of poetry in Japan's history and the structure of this poetic form. Students then go on a nature walk, record impressions, and return to the...

After examining winning entries to the Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition, young poets try their hand at this fixed form.

The haiku, one of the most popular fixed forms, is the subject of this writing activity, the seventh in a series of ten poetry exercises.

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...

A cross-disciplinary lesson plan that incorporates language arts, social studies, and art into a creative project, this lesson plan would be a great fit for any middle school humanities classroom. After briefly learning about the...

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...

A haiku is the focus of an activity that challenges scholars to draft an original poem. Authors discover the origin and components of a haiku, read three example poems, then follow six steps to compose their own. 

Inspired by magazine photos, your young writers hone word choices to create a meaningful haiku. Charged with brainstorming 100 words associated with a photo of their choosing, they whittle their list to the top 10%, make three sentences...

Middle schoolers complete a study of Japanese culture through haiku. They read and interpret haiku poetry and write haiku of their own.