Description: Today, students will begin by discussing last night's haiku selections, as well as their extended memories and response haiku. We will also work on writing a rengay - first by attempting to cap some examples as a class, and then in pairs. As homework, students will finish writing their rengay and look over the haiku handouts from the last 3 days for haiku that seem to "go together" in preparation for tomorrow's work on haiku pairs.

Standards
IL.1.C.4e: Analyze how authors and illustrators use text and art to express and emphasize their ideas (e.g., imagery, multiple points of view).
IL.1.C.5e: Evaluate how authors and illustrators use text and art across materials to express their ideas (e.g., complex dialogue, persuasive techniques).
IL.2.A.4a: Analyze and evaluate the effective use of literary techniques (e.g., figurative language, allusion, dialogue, description, symbolism, word choice, dialect) in classic and contemporary literature representing a variety of forms and media.
IL.2.A.4d: Describe the influence of the author's language structure and word choice to convey the author's viewpoint.
IL.4: GOAL: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.
IL.4.A.4a: Apply listening skills as individuals and members of a group in a variety of settings (e.g., lectures, discussions, conversations, team projects, presentations, interviews).
IL.4.A.4b: Apply listening skills in practical settings (e.g., classroom note taking, interpersonal conflict situations, giving and receiving directions, evaluating persuasive messages).

Objectives
Students will respectfully discuss last night's reading assignment.
Students will share their original haiku responses.
Students will listen respectfully to the haiku of their peers.
Students will learn how to write a rengay, and attempt to do so with a partner in class.
Students will re-read the selections from the last 3 days to look for haiku that they think "go together" and could be paired.

Materials
Teacher: extra copies of reading selections from the last 3 days for those who have been absent, "How to Rengay" handout
Students: homework assignments, reading selections, handout provided by teacher, utensils for note taking

Instructional Procedure
We will begin as usual by discussing last night's homework. Students should volunteer their favorite haiku, a bit of their extended memory, and perhaps even the response haiku they wrote. Again, I would prefer this to be voluntary, but if need be, I can start the discussion myself and then call on students at random to share their memories and haiku.

For instance, if students are having problems starting discussion (though this should not be an issue, since they all should have completed their homework), I will offer this haiku:

Undressed-
today's role dangles
from a metal hanger

Alexis Rotella

I like this haiku because it's a great, but at the same time ambiguous image. You could read it as an actress, who has finished her last show of the night and is finally allowed to strip herself of costume and stage makeup and be just herself. You could read more into it and see someone who feels as though he/she is always wearing a false costume, or that s/he has more than one face. There are many ways to read this haiku. It reminds me of when I was in high school and I used to be in plays and those rows and rows of costumes hanging up after each show. Sometimes they were bright and colorful, sometimes they were all varying shades of earth tones, but each one was always unique and seemed to have a personality of its own.

I will also ask students to share some of their original haiku, written in response to these haiku and extended memories. Hopefully they will want to share their writing, but if not, I have no qualms about sharing a few of my own haiku.

After we have discussed last night's reading, we will move on to today's project: How to Write a Rengay. Students will receive a handout with instructions that we will go over as a class. They will then form into groups of two (or three) and work to write their own rengay. I would prefer that students work in groups, as community is one of the most important elements of haiku.

A rengay is a six-link poem, generally alternating two line links and three line links. The writers switch back and forth, contributing a link, but both are allowed to discuss and edit each link before agreeing that it is suitable for the rengay. In the case of three person groups, the process is more circular: person A, person B, person C, repeat. In this case, each person would obviously only write two links as opposed to three. Some groups like to start with a unifying element, or simply let the element come out on its own as they go along. The choice is up to you!

Though haiku do not have titles (titles are too limiting to a genre that is supposed to be about the reader's interpretation), you should pick a title for your rengay upon completion. Make sure that your title does not give away the unifying element of your rengay, but still invites the reader into your world.

Students will have the rest of the period to start working on write a rengay poem. I will spend the rest of the time circulating and offering help and advice where needed (if students get stuck on a link, or are unable to think of a proper word, sort of like a human thesaurus).

At the end of the period, students will receive their assignment for tomorrow. There is no new reading, instead they will look over their previous handouts to see which haiku seem to "go together." This is in preparation for our work with haiku pairs tomorrow.

Students should also continue thinking about a theme for the kukai. The theme will be finalized by the end of tomorrow's class. If need me, we can take a democratic vote on a few popular ideas. Of course, the kukai does not have to have one specific subject, but a unifying element would be helpful.

Assessment
Tonight's assessment is more informal (as are the majority of the assessments in this unit). Students will simply read through their previous assignments and determine if they can pair any of the haiku they have read. Tomorrow they will receive more instruction on haiku pairs, but the purpose of this assignment is to get them thinking about it ahead of time.
Students will also continue thinking about the kukai theme, which we will finalize in class on Monday.