Grasslands Lesson Plan: Write a Haiku

Lesson Procedure:

1. Display images of grasslands—both tropical and temperate. Write “grasslands” on a whiteboard or other display. Ask students to share what they know or think they know about grasslands, such as what they are, where they are, what animals live there, etc. Jot down all of their ideas.
2. Explain that today they will learn all about the grassland habitats. Then they will write haiku poems about grasslands. Read aloud the Grasslands Background page to the class.
3. Now watch the BrainPOP Jr. movie Grasslands on the whiteboard as a whole class. Pause as needed to explain concepts and vocabulary.
4. Next, display some examples of haikus (see: https://www.kidzone.ws/poetry/haiku.htm, http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_famous_haiku_examples.html, https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/types-haiku-poem. Point out that they have three lines and are usually inspired by nature. Read one sample haiku aloud. Explain that the first line always has five syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the third has five. Re-read the poem, this time having students tap out the syllables for each line.   
5. Now have students watch the movie again, this time from within Make-a-Map. As they watch, have them pause to jot down descriptive words, images, ideas, etc. on a spider map. Examples, might be dry, fires, camouflage, grass, roots, predators, Great Plains, etc.
6. Once they’ve collected their ideas, students can write their haikus.Circulate as students write their poems, helping as needed. Encourage them to draw a picture to go with their haikus.
7. Finally, have students share their haikus with each other. You can put their poems together in a book or display them on your classroom bulletin board.