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Last week, Thanksgiving week, I was introduced to the “thanku,” a haiku thank you poem. Today, I introduced the idea to my students. Since I teach gifted kids, I had to give them a challenge. Since haiku originally was a style of poetry that not only used a set syllable pattern (5,7,5), but also used the theme of nature, I asked them to include a metaphorical use of nature. And, of course, I modeled with my own poem. This one I wrote for a friend.
Sunflowers open
to see the world around us
like your heart to mine.
Some of my students took on the challenge. Most of them chose to write to teachers. It was sweet watching them type up their poems, find just the right graphic, and print them out to give to their favorite teachers. At the very end of the day, Kylon slipped me this little gift of a thanku. My heart melted.
The seed of a rose
You sprout your knowledge like roots
We share our petals.
Link to Teaching Authors two weeks of thanks
I love your mentor text and enjoyed hearing about how they got into the whole idea. The idea of sharing petals is really sweet. xo
lovely poems…I mean to do this every year before Thanksgiving…and then forget. Sigh.
Sweet. Maybe I can remember for next year?
We share our petals… little wonder your heart melted!!!
[…] out also leads to memories. I found this Thanku poem written by Kylon when he was in third grade. I think he’s in 8th grade this […]