Haiku Hut lesson plan: imaginative writing in elementary classrooms

Haiku Poetry and Japanese Culture Storyboard Toys is absolutely delighted to display haiku poems and artwork from Linda Walters' class (Madison, WI). As this project shows, ArtHouse provides a lovely place to display short poems in an interesting and thematically appropriate context. Linda's students envisioned a Japanese garden in winter, and imagined themselves viewing its weathered trees from the perspective of the original haiku poet, Matsuo Basho. Haiku are three-line non-rhyming poems, usually based on a strict 5-7-5 syllable count. Traditional haiku poems are about nature, hint at the season in their first line, and end with a humorous or profound third line. ArtHouse is a great teaching aid for Language Arts because it helps kids develop, coordinate and present creative writing projects, plus it makes lessons more memorable.
Every picture tells a story.	Click on the images below to enlarge and learn more!

	Between the two trees, Looking up at their branches Which one should we climb? - Tyrone
	In Japan they say, Cherry blossoms mean it's spring. But it's not spring here. - Shellie
	By the pagoda, Crippled gray and leaning now, My old friend the tree. - Shawn
	Sky is cold blue-gray Clinging white against tree bark Kimonos of snow - Gopika
	Bonsai! Yelled the boy I don't like poetry, but Haiku's different. - Joey
	See this big old tree. All around it little trees, Looking up to it. - Staci
	I saw two seagulls And a red bird in the tree Waiting there for spring - Jennifer
	I blew a tree shape, From a little drop of paint. Looks like a dancer. - Kim
	Winter by the pond Ice hangs from a craggy tree Where did the frogs go? - Dean
	Pear tree in garden Seen in window's frosty fog Shivers in the wind - Kathleen
Every picture tells a story.	Click on the images above to enlarge and learn more!
Spice up your lesson! Click Here to learn about our Traditional Japanese Home ArtHouse educational decor kit. Click Here to learn about Tina's authentic Japanese miniatures. Want to make your own wind-blown Japanese tree paintings? Several people have asked for instructions for blowing "Japanese" trees with the drinking-straw technique. We've done a little testing and come up with suggestions: Diluted poster paint or tempera works great and is easier to clean up than traditional India ink. Put just a few drops of paint in a cup, and dilute with water to the consistency of whole milk. Black is elegant, but brown is nice too. Special paper isn't required, but tape down whatever paper is used so both hands can hold the straw. You don't actually have to use a drinking straw. We prefer the tubes from cheap ball-point pens because they're shorter and heavier. When all supplies are ready, put paint on a brush and make a line about two inches long from the base of the tree upward. When the paint drops are blown, they'll move along this pre-wetted line and continue from it. The line helps start and direct the flow. Put more paint on the brush, and deliver it as a big droplet at the base of the trunk. It's important not to blow too hard! Just blow slowly and "push" the paint along. The straw should be held at a low angle, back an inch or two from the flowing paint. If you like, add more paint at the base and repeat. This simple technique's surprising results build confidence and prepare students for more ambitious projects. For example, consider how Linda linked tree paintings to her creative writing lesson with fun little added decorations. Leave time to display the art in ArtHouse, and to have kids present one storyboard at a time.
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