Master Basho's Spirit

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.

As you introduce your scholars to haiku and cinquain poetry, give them plenty of opportunity to practice. This brief worksheet gives an example of each, then scaffolds the syllable breakdowns for writers to create two poems of their own...

Exposing learners to the power of words in poetry is a stimulating way to learn languages. Songs, haikus, rhyming words, and narrative works are all employed in a resource for teaching English as a Second Language.

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 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...

Everyone loves haikus! They're short, quick, and fun to write! Analyze the rules and conventions of haiku. Readers interpret examples of haiku and develop a vocabulary for writing haiku. Then they compose a haiku based on a personal...

Even though this is technically an art lesson, haiku poetry is actually the main focus! Learners view photographs of Japanese tea caddies. They list five descriptive words for the caddies, then write haiku poems using the caddies as...

Young scholars engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of Haiku Poetry. They read a variety of samples of text to create the context for practicing the composition of new poetry. The lesson contains questions for the...