Nature’s Classroom Poetry Unit

Couplet

A poem that consists of two pairs of lines. It can rhyme, but does not have to.

Mrs. Mears asked the girls for some advice to see how the boys would think twice.

Haiku

A Japanese poem with three lines, each beginning with a capital letter.

Lines 1 and 3 have 5 syllablesLine 2 has 7 syllablesHaiku is usually about nature and does not

rhyme.

Example of a Haiku

“Winter”A winter’s day is

Bleak, blustery, and barren.

The earth awaits spring.

Haiku Cont.

Two footprints, white sand

We laughed here so long ago-

The sun falls alone.

Double Haiku

I hear cracklingCrunch, of today’s new found dayAnd know it won’t last.So I will leave itAt bay; and hope for the bestThis bitter new day.

Haiku Cont.

Silence around usOur watchful eyes hear the world

Hands do the talking.

What is a Tanka?

A Japanese poem that dates back to the 5th century.

It follows the following patternLine 1- 5 syllablesLine 2- 7 syllablesLine 3- 5 syllablesLine 4- 7 syllablesLine 5- 7 syllables

Tanka Poem

Thunderclouds buildingGathering strength as they growReleasing themselvesPouring life-giving torrentsCleansing the world in shower  

Example of a Tanka

Light, airy snowflakesFall frostily on your noseFascinating funFrolicking in dainty flakesGathering crystals gala!     

Acrostic

A poem or series of lines in which the first letters in each line spells out the title.

“ Snow”Soft, silent,

Nice, noiseless

Ornamentation on theWinter Wonderland

Diamente

A diamond shaped poem with the following format:“Desert” 1 word= subject noun

Hot, Sandy 2 words= adjectives

Blowing, Burning, Blustering 3 words= ‘ing’ words

Mirages, Oasis, Vines, Humidity 4 words= 1st 2 about subject, 2nd 2 about opposite sub

Raining, Sweltering, Unnerving 3 words= ‘ing’ words opposite subject Damp, Sultry 2 words= adjective (describe

opposite subject)

Jungle 1 word= opposite of subject noun

Cinquain5 line poem with the following format: “Camels” 1 word, can be

title Humped creatures 2 words describing

the title Rudging through the sand 3 image words

describing action

Watchful, wary, and desert-wise 4 words indicating a feeling

Dromedaries synonym for the title

Descriptive Block Poem

Block poems filled with descriptive adjectives that begin with the same letter or sound.

Bug Black Bug

Blundering Black Bug Bold Blundering Black Bug Beautiful Bold Blundering Black Bug