Hop on over to My Juicy Little Universe for more Poetry Friday delights.
My students are participating in the Classroom Slice of Life Challenge at Two Writing Teachers. They are writing like crazy. It makes this writing teacher so happy.
For 6 years, I have been teaching gifted elementary students. To be able to teach them all in a day, I have to mix grade levels. I have always enjoyed the richness this adds to my class. Sometimes I feel like a juggler when I have 3 different spelling tests to give, but, for the most part, the students mix well and learn a lot from each other. The class is fluid, too, because as the year goes on, I may get new students as they are identified. This year, Vannisa joined one of my groups. She is in third grade and had never written a haiku. What better time to try than in the SOLC. This week she wrote her first haiku. A few weeks ago my students did name research, and Vannisa discovered her name means “flighty.” I told her that was perfect because she flits like a butterfly all over the classroom. Not surprising her haiku is a butterfly haiku.
I have also included a group of questions Mrs. Heinisch’s class asked her in a comment on her blog. I especially love her response. Notice she mentions I Haiku You, a book I learned about on Two Writing Teachers.
Little Butterfly
Fluttering past a flower
Too small to be seen
–Vannisa
Thoughts from Mrs. Heinisch’s 6th grade class:
Why did you pick to write about butterflies?
Why did you chose to write it as a Haiku?
Do you think the word butterfly comes from flies sitting on butter?
How big was the butterfly?
Who made up the word butterfly?
Thank you for posting your Haiku today! We all enjoyed it!
Vannisa’s response:
Well it is nice to know that sixth graders are reading one of my post because I’m only in third grade.
First and second question:
I read a book called “I Haiku You” by Betsy Snyder and I decided to write a haiku. I thought it was going to be hard because a haiku is five syllables and then seven then five. It turns out it wasn’t that hard because my gifted teacher said haikus usually are making the reader put a picture in their head and that they’re usually about nature.
question three:
Actually sometimes, but my name means flighty. Like I’ll do something and then another thing.
question four:
I would say… as big an average human palm.
number five:
I don’t know, and like I said I’m only in third grade.
Slice of Life Challenge Day 8
So cool that Vannisa wrote her first haiku – a what a dandy one indeed. I, too, need to check out this book, “I Haiku You”. Thank you for sharing today, Margaret. =)
This is so wonderful . Vannisa has written a beautiful haiku. I loved the questions that were asked of her.
What a precious haiku. I loved the line “too small to be seen”.
The haiku was lovely…and the q&a was just a wonderful insight into our students and their creative process.
How fun! Please let Vannisa know I loved her haiku.
I haven’t heard of I HAIKU YOU, but I’ll look for it! Thanks for sharing such a sweet haiku. Your students are lucky to have such a caring teacher.
Beautiful Haiku!
It is so interesting to read the posts by teachers with students participating in the classroom challenge. I’m fascinated by this. I’m curious to hear how students feel they have changed as writers after the 31 days. Thanks for sharing the Haiku. Nice.
I think they are already changing. I’ve never seen my students so excited about writing. It is so exciting!
I’m a teacher, too, Margaret, and while Vannisa’s haiku is a fine start on the art, it’s the exchange between her and her readers that I really found fascinating. I’ll go and check out the SOLC now, too!
That is a gorgeous little poem! The responses are priceless too. Haikus rock — the most accessible poetic form going for all writers of any age or ability.
I love this set of activities from your students – absolutely beautiful. And I haven’t heard of I Haiku You as well. Great post!
“I don’t know, and like I said I’m only in third grade.” Love the implication that, given more time, she’d have a great answer to that question!
I love Vannisa’s haiku, but yes her response is also a gem. Her voice shines here. How fun. I would like to share this with my fourth graders. They are participating with notebook entries that I will sometimes share at my blog. We are learning about commenting with compliments, questions, & connections on sticky notes. ~Theresa
Lovely haiku and wonderful exchange! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.