Ode to Spring

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Subjects Arts & Humanities Language Arts, Visual Arts Educational Technology

Grades Pre-K, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, Advanced

Brief Description

Students use nature photos as inspiration to write poems about the season of spring.

Objectives

Students

• examine spring photos.
• select a photo for the project and identify why it was chosen.
• create original poems.
• read original poems to the class.

Keywords

haiku, Japan, poem, poetry, spring

Materials Needed

Internet access or photos of spring-like images of animals, plants, etc.

Lesson Plan

There is a poet inside every student, and there could not be a better time to coax that poet out than spring. As warmer weather sets in, trees sprout buds, and flowers pop up through frosty snow, there is a moment, an ideal moment, for each of us to immortalize through writing. Poetry makes it possible!

One of the greatest obstacles for student poets is finding inspiration, and spring provides an abundance of it. To begin this activity with young children, talk about the signs of spring. What do your students most like about spring? What different activities will they do when the season arrives? With older students, discuss the Hawaiian proverb "Don't ignore the small things -- the kite flies because of its tail." How does this statement relate to the season of spring and how students approach it?

Choose one or more appropriate poems from the page Spring Poems and share them with the class. Discuss what the students like about each poem and the images the poems create in their minds.

Now explain that today the students will write poetry about a spring topic of their choice. (Beginning writers can create a poem with the teacher as a group.) The inspiration for their work will be photos of spring images.

For young students, you may

• select a type of poem that relates to your current curriculum
• use the Spring Poem work sheet
• allow students to experiment with haiku.

Haiku tips:
Younger students will find many simple examples of haiku at Haiku Poetry from Poetry Pals. Older students should read the Haiku Writing Worksheet or another set of instructions for writing poetry chosen by you before they begin; this resource has some wonderful advice for would-be haiku poets.

Refer students to an online resource or your selected photos to find an image on which to base their springtime poetry. At The Amazing Picture Machine, students may search safely on topics of their choice to locate images from a variety of excellent resources. Spring Pictures is a site that features photos of Wyoming's flora and fauna in spring, and Florida Wildflower Showcase offers beautiful photos of flowers from Florida.

When they complete their writing, have the students share their selected photos, why the photos appealed to them, and their poems with other class members.

Assessment

Each student should submit and read aloud a poem that relates to the topic of spring and is appropriate for the classroom.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Cara Bafile

National Standards

FINE ARTS: Visual Arts

• GRADES K - 4
  NA-VA.K-4.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

• GRADES 5 - 8
  NA-VA.5-8.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

• GRADES 9 - 12
  NA-VA.9-12.6 Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines

LANGUAGE ARTS: English

• GRADES K - 12
  NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
  NL-ENG.K-12.6 Applying Knowledge
  NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

TECHNOLOGY

• GRADES K - 12
  NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools

See more spring lessons on Education World's Spring Has Sprung theme page.

Return to Signs of Spring -- Lessons to Welcome a New Season!.