How to Compose a Quatrain
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It's time to talk about poetry! Do you know how to compose a quatrain? We invite you to join us as we talk about meter, rhyming patterns, and more in this week's Two-Minute Tip.
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Welcome to the Shurley English Blog! For the past thirty-five years, our mission at Shurley Instructional Materials has been simple. We do all we can to help teachers and students experience grammar and writing success. With that goal in mind, we wanted to create a space where our team of educators could share tips, tricks, and techniques to ignite learning. It’s all about educators helping educators on the Shurley English Blog. We invite you to join the conversation!
Poetry: Exploring sound devices with couplets
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Poetry is a special form of writing that allows a student to express ideas, emotions, or experiences directly through words in verse. It is probably the most artistic of all genres of writing because of the delicate juggling act of
Read MoreHaiku Review: the Valentine's Day Edition
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Need a new idea to get the creative juices flowing in your classroom?
The Haiku offers that opportunity to your students by channeling their creativity into this unique form of Japanese poetry.
Here is a great lesson plan to get you started. (By the way, you can find this lesson, along with many others, in the Unit Studies Section of your Shurley English book!)
EXPAND THE LESSON: VALENTINE'S DAY
You can adapt the directions by creating an example with your students that focuses on the desired holiday or season. For this example, I focused on creating a haiku to include in a valentine for a mother or grandmother in the life of the student.
Loving me each day
Never giving up on me
My Valentine Mom.
Missing you today
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom
Hugs up to heaven.
She wakes me each day
With a smile and a big hug -
Now filled, love others!
No other mother
Can fix my crushed, broken heart
She’s just right for me!
Just Grandma and me
Baking her special cookies
Making memories!
Of course, the students can use whatever craft supplies you provide to design a special valentine card, which includes their haiku to bring a smile to someone. Just think, you can help to create lifelong treasures in the families represented in your classroom! I saved many of the special creations of my own son, most of them prompted by his wonderful teachers throughout his elementary school years. What a privilege you have to be a part of making memories to last a lifetime!
