Lesson Overview:
This lesson will introduce students to the Japanese poetic form of haiku. (Note: haiku is most effectively taught after students have an understanding of syllables.) As an introductory activity, students will be briefly introduced to the geography of Japan, as well as Japanese culture, through examples of Asian art and music. After learning about and listening to some examples of haiku, they will write their own haiku. Then, students will illustrate and "publish" their finished poems in the style of a Japanese scroll using rice paper, ink, and watercolor.
Length of Lesson:
Four 45-minute class periods
Notes:
This lesson is particularly suitable for grades 3-4.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- count the number of syllables in each line in haiku.
- listen to examples of haiku.
- describe the Japanese poetic form of haiku.
- write an original haiku.
- illustrate an original haiku.
- listen to Japanese music.
- discuss Asian art.
- discuss Japan's geographic features and location.
Supplies:
- Rice paper (can substitute onion-skin paper)
- Chart paper
- Black permanent markers
- Watercolors
- Paint brushes
- Thin cord
- 12" dowels (two per student)
- Dictionary
- Thesaurus
- Map of Japan
- World map
- Examples of haiku
- Reproductions/slides/transparencies of Japanese art
- Recordings of Japanese music
- A finished scroll to use as a model (created by teacher, following procedures outlined in the Instructional Plan)
- Notebook paper
- Pencils
- Glue
Instructional Plan:
Note: Although this lesson has been planned to be taught over a four-day period, you may find that you need to adjust the time allotted for your class.
Introduction
Introduce or review the following vocabulary at the beginning of the lesson:
- island
- archipelago
- hemisphere
- latitude
- longitude
Distribute maps to the students. If possible, use a large class map as a visual aid at the front of the room.
Explain to the students that Japan is made up of four large islands and thousands of smaller islands. Note that it is an example of an archipelago.
Ask students the following questions, using the Map of Japan as a visual reference:
- What bodies of water surround Japan?
- In what hemisphere is it located?
- What is its latitude and longitude?
Help students to make the connection that Japan is located in the Eastern hemisphere. Explain that this area of the world is sometimes simply referred to as the "East." Ask students if they have heard of the term "Middle East." Explain that this region is also found in the Eastern hemisphere.
Japanese Painting and Music
Ask students to share some examples of landscape painting that they might have seen. Some students may remember paintings they have seen at museums, in books, or in their own homes. Show students some examples of landscape paintings created by western artists. Landscape Painting: Artists Who Love the Land from the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, introduces students to four artists (George Catlin, Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, and Winslow Homer) who attempted to capture the the great size and splendor of the American landscape. Basic principles of landscape painting are introduced, as well as the history and geography of the western United States. Discuss the commonalities among the artists and paintings.
Next, show the students some examples of Japanese landscape paintings. The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery site offers an extensive collection of Japanese Art. Search the collection using the keyword "landscape" to find many excellent examples of Japanese landscape painting. Ask students to consider how this style of painting compares to landscapes they might have seen in the United States. Have students name some of the characteristics of Japanese landscape painting. They should be as specific as possible when they are describing pieces of art, noting, for example, whether the Japanese paintings set a particular mood.
Next, listen to examples of classical music. Students should share how they would describe the genre of music (i.e., instrumentation, mood, etc.) Have the students listen to some traditional Japanese instrumental music. (See the Sources section for examples.) Ask them to discuss the types of sounds they hear, and whether they think these sounds are being made by musical instruments of which they are familiar.
Writing Haiku
Before proceeding, review the following concepts, if necessary:
- lesson vocabulary
- comparisons made by students between "Eastern" and "Western" art and music
- the definition and concept of a syllable
Explain to students that a unique form of poetry called haiku was created in Japan. Many of the types of landscapes one can see in the Japanese paintings viewed earlier are referred to in traditional haiku, such as in haiku by Basho (click on "3. Basho, Matuso" from the home page), in which the poet mentions cherry blossoms, the kiri tree, and particular bridges. Haiku began in Japan in approximately 1200 A.D. Haiku has a special poetic rhythm: it consists of seventeen syllables written in three lines. The first line contains five syllables, the second line contains seven syllables, and the third line contains five syllables.
Explain that haiku is usually written about something in nature. Animals are frequent subjects of haikus.
A well-written haiku should also include a kigo. A kigo is a word that hints at a particular season of the year without actually naming the season. For example, squirrels might indicate autumn.
Share an example of a haiku with the class. Have the haiku written out on chart paper so the students can see it written. First, read the haiku aloud to students. Then, have them clap out and count the syllables. The following is a sample haiku by the poet Issa, suitable for use in the classroom:
The least of breezes
Blows and the dry sky is filled
With the voice of pines
As a class, discuss the following questions:
- Does this haiku have the correct number of syllables in each line?
- Does it follow the 5-7-5 pattern?
- Does this haiku make you think of a particular season?
- Does it have a kigo?
- Is an animal mentioned in this haiku?
- What elements of nature are mentioned?
- What does this haiku make you think about?
- Is the tone of the haiku happy or sad?
- What do you think the poet was thinking about when he wrote this? (Remember, there are no right or wrong answers to this one, just ideas!)
Read two or three more examples of haiku to the class. (See the Sources section for examples of haiku.) Display the haiku on chart paper so that all of the students can read along as you read aloud. Have students clap and count the syllables. Continue with the same discussion questions as outlined above.
Next, tell students that they will each write an original haiku. Review the format for writing a correct haiku. Have a brief brainstorming session to generate a list of possible "nature" topics. Write these topics on chart paper.
Allow students sufficient time to write an original haiku. You may wish to play some of the recordings of traditional Japanese music to inspire students as they are writing.
When they have completed their poems, have students work in pairs, reading the haiku to one another, and counting and clapping out the syllables to make sure they are correct. Students can further discuss their poems using the questions listed above.
Allow students to share their haiku with the class.
Creating a Scroll
Tell students that they will transfer their poems onto a scroll.
Display for students a completed scroll (prepared prior to teaching the lesson), and explain the following process for creating a scroll.
Before beginning their scrolls, students should plan their watercolor design and lettering by completing a practice sketch. (Note: You may wish to ask the art teacher at your school to assist with this part of the lesson.)
Have students practice using the watercolors. It is important for them to understand that watercolors are thinner than tempera paint. There are two methods for applying the color to the paper. They can wet the paper with plain water first, and then add the color. Or, they can apply the water and color at the same time. The students might want to experiment with this process for a few minutes before applying the watercolor to their final scroll.
Students should apply the watercolor to their scroll before adding the lettering. Using the watercolors, students should paint a scene in the style of the Japanese paintings they have viewed and discussed (paintings should use muted colors, broad brush strokes, etc.).
Have students neatly copy the haiku onto the rice paper. Students may wish to copy their poems by using a pencil and/or placing a lined piece of paper underneath the rice paper so their writing will stay straight. Students should trace over the pencil lines with a permanent black marker. (Note: Be sure to use permanent markers; a water-soluble marker could smear.)
When the pictures have dried, the students should glue thin dowels to the top and bottom of the paper so that they can be rolled up like a scroll. Dowels should extend beyond the edges of the paper on each side. Thin cord can be tied to either side of the dowel at the top to create a hanger for the poem.
Display the completed scrolls in the classroom.
Assessment:
Use the Assessment Rubric to evaluate students' work.
Students will be assessed based on their completed projects. Is the haiku correctly formatted? How well does the painted scroll depict the mood of the poem?
Extensions:
The lesson can be enhanced by providing more information about Japanese music. You may wish to work with the music teacher to teach the students about "Sakura," a traditional Japanese tune.
Sources:
Print:
- Gollub, Matthew. Cool Melons—Turn to Frogs! The Life and Poems of Issa. Illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1998.
- Hamill, Sam, trans. The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets Illustrated by Kaji Aso. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2000.
- Myers, Tim. Basho and the Fox. Illustrated by Oshi S. Han. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corp, 2000.
- Malm, William P. Traditional Japanese Music and Musical Instruments. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 2001.
- Shimada, Aiko, et al. Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies. Koto World. Audio CD.
- Various artists. Festival of Japanese Music in Hawaii. Smithsonian Folkways. Audio CD 08885.
Media:
- Lyons, Nancy Hague, and Sarah Ridley. Japan: Images and Words: An Interdisciplinary Unit for Sixth-Grade Art and Language Arts Classes. Washington, D.C.: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1994.
- Various artists. Lullaby for the Moon: Japanese Music for Koto and Shakuhachi. Blue Note Records. Audio CD 59271.
Authors:
-
Karen Smith, Teacher
Saint John Regional Catholic School
Frederick, Maryland US
