Peepers
This haiku was co-written by a group of 4th grade students from Newby Elementary School in McMinnville, Oregon. Lesley Pelayo, Lesly Vera, Vanessa Verduzco and Jesus Lopez meet regularly as a reading group.
During the month of April, in observance of National Poetry month, the group decided to write haiku. First they took a walk around the school grounds to observe what was happening in nature. They began to talk with their reading group leader, Mrs. Doty, about the crazy, loud frogs that were keeping them awake at night. Someone said it was like a concert. Someone else said it was like a family reunion where everyone talks and stays up all night.
The students returned to the classroom and put together a word bank of single words and phrases. Out of that rich conversation came some great use of language. Taking the form for haiku, together they wrote "Peepers."
The other haiku included by the Newby poets have a bit of a twist on the traditional. Instead of using the kigo as a seasonal clue it is instead a color clue in these examples. The students enjoyed "bending the rules" of the form.
These students, for whom English is a second language, have shown a real playfulness with the language in addition to their understanding of it.
--B. J. Doty (Ed-Assistant)
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