What is Poetry?  A poem can be a brief, shining moment in which you capture a kernel of something beautiful for the first time.

What is Poetry?  It can be a way for you to explore your deepest, private thoughts and make language come alive.

What is Poetry?  Writing poetry can be a great pleasure and a great challenge.

What is Poetry?  Poets choose words carefully and arrange them in the best order: they make every word count.  Poets choose words carefully and arrange them in the best order: they make every word count.

What is Poetry?  Poets use rhyme and rhythm, alliteration and assonance, similes and metaphors, and other poetic techniques to capture the essence of what they mean.  Poets use rhyme and rhythm, alliteration and assonance, similes and metaphors, and other poetic techniques to capture the essence of what they mean.

What is Poetry?  There are different kinds of poems, each governed by its own set of rules for composition.  Different kinds of poems.  Different kinds of poems. Different kinds of poems. Different kinds of poems.

Characteristics of Poetry  Uses word pictures to create images.  Uses the sound of language to create ideas.  Is usually intended to be read aloud.  Uses a few words to tell about an idea.  Tell about ordinary events.

What is Poetry?  The best way to begin thinking about writing poetry is to read the poetry of others.  Let’s listen to a poem.  Lee Samuel reads a poem for us. Lee Samuel reads a poem for us. Lee Samuel reads a poem for us.  Now, let’s listen to some more poetry.

Be yourself. Don't imitate other poets. You are as important as they are. -Gwendolyn Brooks

Haiku Haiku are poems about nature and humanity, written in a syllable pattern. Haiku is an honored form of poetry of Japanese origin. Its unrhymed three lines contain usually 5, 7 and 5 syllables.

Haiku The master Masaoka Shiki told his disciples that they had only to look carefully at one scene in nature to be able to produce over 20 HAIKU. Shiki wrote tens of thousands over his short lifetime of 36 years.

Haiku When you write a haiku, rely on your five senses to convey your ideas. Make the reader hear, see, smell, taste, touch your ideas; don't tell, show, demonstrate, illustrate, be sensory.

Haiku Follow the standard rules of HAIKU. Write three short lines. Edit all extra words. Question whether the adjectives and adverbs are necessary. Do you need every word?

Haiku Keep them short. Line one and two should be different images. Use line 3 to bring the 2 images together.

Haiku  Examples of Haiku. Examples of Haiku. Examples of Haiku.

Haiku Finish this poem. Who has words for the next line? Snowflake on dark hair

Writing a haiku.  Think about everything we have learned.  Watch the images on the video and listen to the music. Think about what words you would use to describe what you see.  Choose one to write about. Create you own haiku poem.  Share if you want.  Create your haiku and illustrate in Paint in the computer lab, if you want.

Watch the video to get ideas for your haiku poem. Ask for help if you need it.

Now you are experts at writing haiku! But what about other kinds of poetry?

Today, we will try writing two different kinds of poems. You can choose one, or write one of each.

The first kind of poem is a concrete poem.

Concrete poems are in the shape of what you are writing about.

Think about what you want to write about.

Then, list the words you want to use. Don’t try to make the shape until you have your words.

Now, put your words into the shape of your poem.

The other kind of poem you can try today is an acrostic poem.

Acrostic poems are easy! You just line up the letters of a word and then think of words that start with each letter.

Color Acrostics Animal Acrostics Friends Acrostics

OK, get to work! Let me know if you need help.