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Activity
Poetry4kids

How to Write a Tanka Poem

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Take your haikus to the next level with tanka poems, another form of Japanese poetry that regulates the length and rhythm of each line by syllables. Young writers read the explanation, examples, and tips for tanka poems before writing...
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Writing
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Teacher's Corner

Tanka

For Students 3rd - 7th
The Tanka, another fix from of Japanese poetry, is featured in the final exercise in a 10-part series of poetry writing activities.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Write a Tanka Poem

For Students 6th
In this Tanka poem worksheet, 6th graders analyze a Tanka poem for number of syllables and content parameters, then write one about a journey, real or imagined using the 6 step writing process.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Short Poems Are Scary!

For Teachers K - 5th
What do all those chairs and pencils do in the classroom once everyone leaves? Allow imaginations to run wild with frighteningly short poems!
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Poetry: Tanka? You're Welcome!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore tanka, a form of Japanese poetry. They read and analyze tankas to determine the structure and intent, and compose a traditional and a non-traditional tanka.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Journey To Japan Through Poetry

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders gain an appreciation for writing, analyzing, reading and listening to poetry, viewing poems as a motivation for studying Japanese culture and tradition. They study and create their own haiku and tanka poems with illustrations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Tanka

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers compare and contrast the two forms of poetry. They are concerned with practicing the styles of both in order to reproduce their own creative work. Research is done to look for the backgrounds of both styles and how they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese Poetry: Tanka? You're Welcome!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the structure and content of the Tanka form and to arrive at a definition of the structure in English. They analyze a tanka to determine its structure and intent and compose two Tanka; one in traditional form and one...
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Activity
Poetry4kids

How to Write a Cinquain Poem

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
A lesson challenges scholars to create a cinquain poem. Writers begin by choosing a topic and brainstorm details, then compose their original poem making sure to count syllables. 
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Puzzling Poetry

For Students 6th - 7th
In this language arts worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle. Clues refer to types of poetry such as ballad, chant, couplet, clerihew, limerick and tanka.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Poetry of Sculpture

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders practice writing poetry while examining all types of art.  In this art analysis lesson, 4th graders participate in a field trip to a sculpture garden in which they view sculptures and create different forms of poetry about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trees as Symbols: Composing Poetry and Creating Images

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students analyze the tree as a symbol, sharing ideas in class discussion. They use art as the basis for a creative writing assignment in poetry or represent a selected poem with an original student drawing.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Haiku

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students discuss haiku poems and how they are written with a certain number of syllables in each line. They look at examples and then write their own haiku poems and publish them on the computer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Korean Sijo

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of Sijo as a form of poetry. They compare it to other forms of poetry in the interest of pointing out unique characteristics of Sijo. They use the research information in order to compose their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Encounter with a Skull" by Koda Rohan

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners, in pairs, develop two poems--one must be a haiku, the other must be a tanka. They recite their poems to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Narrow Road to the Interior

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the life and work of the Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho as the Japanese poetic forms are studied. Nature, symbolism, and history are probed as the lesson is developed.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Japanese Poetry Tanka? You're Welcome

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A poem "which expresses a personal response to nature," the tanka is a form of Japanese writing very similar to the haiku. This lesson plan is a great extension to any study or exploration of Japanese art, culture, and writing. Included...
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Japanese Poetry Haikus, Tankas, and Lanturnes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart explains the differences between Haiku, Tanka, and Lanturne poetry. Students will be able to create their own poems by using the steps given to write each poem. Students will also review...
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Website
Columbia University

Asia for Educators: What Is a Waka?

For Students 9th - 10th
This large, wonderful site includes so much information on Asia that it is hard to showcase each element. It is easiest to enter Waka into the keyword box in order to access all the provided information. You will find an essay that...
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Handout
Other

Bob's Byway: Glossary of Poetic Terms

For Students 9th - 10th
Calling itself "unique," Bob's is easy to use, with cross-links throughout, phonetic pronunciation guides when necessary, and many examples and quotations. Click on the letter and scroll for the word.