Do you struggle teaching Haiku Poetry Writing? Picture books are an excellent way to introduce Haiku Poetry Writing to your students. This post will bring you four picture books that are written in haiku form that are high interest for students.
Read one or more of the books to your students. Then use the Roll A Haiku Freebie to have your students write their own. Be sure not to miss the ideas after each book to learn more ways to incorporate haiku writing in your classroom.
Book One- Won Ton
Won Ton by Lee Hardlaw is a story told about a cat that gets adopted from a shelter and all the things that happen along the way.
At the end of the book the boy decides to name the cat Won Ton and then the cat’s real name is announced which is Haiku.
Idea One- Reading and Clapping Out Syllables
The first idea for teaching haiku with pictures books is reading the book aloud and then clapping out the syllables on some of the pages.
Start clapping out three or four pages at the beginning of the book then a page here and there throughout the rest of the book.
Book Two- Dogku
Dogku by Andrew Clements is a great book to read along with the book Won Ton because it is about a stray dog that shows up to a family and they are trying to decide if they will keep the dog or take him to the shelter.
The family ends up keeping the dog at the end. You can also do a little predicting along the way to decide if they will keep or give away the dog.
Idea Two- Partner Haiku Writing
The second idea for using picture books when teaching haiku is write a haiku with a partner. Turn the partner haikus into a class book.
Make it digital book with the Book Creator app. Check out the step by step writing process here on this blog post.
Book Three- Guyku
Guyku by Bob Raczka is a book especially for boys. From spring to summer then fall and winter the haikus in this story are all written about things boys love to do. From worms to leaf piles, camping, and icicle sword fights this book is jam packed with fun.
Idea Three- Use the Haiku App
The third idea for haiku writing using picture books is use the Read Write Think Free Haiku app to make your own Haiku on an iPad. The app counts the syllables and even let’s you add your own photo background.
Book Four: Boo! Haiku
This Halloween themed haiku book called Boo! Haiku by Deanna Caswell is full of haiku Halloween riddles. Students love to figure them out from the clues in the text and the pictures.
Idea Four- Write Haiku Riddles
The fourth idea for writing haikus using picture books is writing haiku riddles. The student sample riddle in the photo above was added to app Pic Collage EDU where pictures were added with the doodle pen.
Check out Boo! Haiku at this You Tube link. Watch the book video and solve the riddles. Then write your own Halloween or Fall Riddles.
Check out other posts from the Reading Crew here.
(Note: Book links are to Amazon Affiliate links.)
