How to Write a Haiku

Our lesson in history today was about the Yamato Dynasty in Japan.  Did you know that it is the longest running dynasty and is still in rule today?!  Here are some beautiful Haiku's... Summer by Luke

Sun is shinning bright In summer plants and flowers bloom The grass is so wet

Spring by Isabel

Trees are full of leaves Butterflies are colorful Birds are graceful

Swimming by Sylvia

Swimming, jumping, splashing Daddy is a cannonball Falling cool water

Teaching your children to create a Haiku is a great activity.   They love to count the syllables and create a beautiful scene with words.  The rules are simple...

Haiku Rules

1.  A Haiku is three lines -first line is five syllables. -second line is seven syllables. -third line is five syllables.

2.  The subject of a Haiku is nature.

3.  The purpose of a Haiku is to paint a picture in your mind, NOT to tell a story.

Profound Poetry

So as I was saying last entry, Isabel likes to say, "I'm tired" when really she wants to quit. This morning I was helping her clean her room when surprise, she was tired. I told her to get in bed and take a nap and that I sure hope that she is able to finish cleaning her room and doing her schoolwork today so that she can go to her P.E. class tomorrow morning. Yeah I'm a cruel task master. About forty five minutes later Isabel came out of her room and told me that she finished cleaning her room. Wow, it worked. Today we wrote poems. I first read a few poems out of the book, Shape Me a Rhyme by Jane Yolen. We then brainstormed. You know, subject bubble in the middle with the descriptions and ideas shooting out. Rough draft and then final drafts. Here are our profound deep poetic thoughts...

LOVE by Isabel Love makes me happy, Love makes me think of my family, There's love in my home, Love is love I say it looks like hearts.

ROCKS ARE LIKE DIRT by Luke Rocks are like blocks, They are hard and are soft, They are round and are heavy, They really taste like dirt! How do you know?

RAISINS by Sabrina A sweet and sticky treat, Little brown rat poo, So soft and wrinkly, Yum.