A little inspiration from a science teacher

During a conversation at lunch the other day, a science teacher mentioned using Haiku in the classroom to spice things up. The first time he brings it up, his students complain and cry: “Why are we doing language arts in science class?!?” And his answer is always the same: Why not?

It’s not like you’re hurting anything, right?

Right. And then I got to thinking…why can’t I use language arts in the language arts classroom? Today I used a little warm-up haiku to help my students remember the work they did last week, and to give them the opportunity to think again about the story “Raymond’s Run,” in a different way.

I wrote on the board the following haiku:

Haikus are easy.
But sometimes they don’t make sense.
Refrigerator.

(Totally stolen from a commenter who left this link.)

We talked about Haiku and how simple they are to put together. We counted ou the syllables and talked about the overall rule format for the general haiku:

• 5 syllables in the first line.
• 7 in the second, and
• 5 in the third.

I showed them how quickly I could put one together and wrote:

Here’s what I want you
to do: Write just one Haiku
about “Raymond’s Run.”

We counted out the syllables in that haiku, and them made a list of keywords from the story that might help us in this process:

• Squeaky = 2 syllables
• Raymond = 2 syllables
• Race, track, run = 1 syllable each
• disabled = 3 syllables
• hydrocephalus = 5 syllables

And the kids did some great work. They turned out quick summaries of the story, and I watched them counting out syllables on their fingers, clapping their hands and patting their knees. I heard them asking their neighbors to help out, and I saw them sharing their work. All without me asking them to do any of that.

In addition, they gladly shared their work. One piece that really wowed me takes the story from Raymond’s point of view and makes us think about what’s going on inside his head, just as much as it is a deep reading of the story — this author really picked up on the fact that Squeaky is the sole provider for Ray, and that Squeaky also lets Ray be who he wants to be, and doesn’t let anyone get in his way. It shows the bond the two siblings carry, and it’s simply subtle and sweet.

Horses run fast
And carry my chariot.
I love my sister.