In this text based, 5 session English planning, various examples of Haiku are explored and written. The focus is on experimenting with poetic forms and using effective and precise language. Images are used to inspire close-up ‘snapshots’ of nature and a structured model leads gradually to a polished piece of work.

All aspects of poetry from the national curriculum in reading, spoken language and writing composition will be covered across the full set Au1-Su2.

National curriculum skills for this unit:

Spoken language:

• Listen and respond
• Ask relevant questions
• Build vocabulary
• Articulate and justify answers
• Use spoken language: speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas

Reading comprehension:

• Use dictionaries to check the meaning of words
• Recognise different forms of poetry
• Discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
• Identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning

Writing composition:

• Plan writing by discussing the structure, vocabulary and grammar of similar writing
• Discuss and record ideas
• Compose and rehearse sentences orally
• Assess the effectiveness of own and others’ writing
• Proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors
• Read aloud own writing to a group or the class, using appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that the meaning is clear

For schools that use Pathways to Write, this unit aligns with the Su2 set 1 unit.

Poems for this unit can be found in:

I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year selected by Fiona Waters