Write a Halloween Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!
Midnight—my fabulous furry feline—inspired me to write BLACK CAT, a Halloween haiku (Haiku: a Japanese-inspired three-line: 5-7-5 syllable poetry form) and design a poster to go with the poem. Kids love illustrating their poetry.
What’s inspiring you this Halloween?
Brainstorm your list and get writing.
Have fun—don’t forget to get the kids writing too!
Here are some writer’s tricks (literary devices found in every writer’s toolbox) I used to create BLACK CAT. These tools can set a mood— they make writing and reading memorable and fun. Check them out and see if you can discover where I used them in my poem.
Read on to find out more about these literary devices.
Black cat waits, watches…
Stalking tricksters in their web.
Spiders are her treats!
Three Writer’s Tricks (Literary devices) used in writing poetry and prose
Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.
Consonance
Another literary device used by writers and poets is consonance. It is the repetition of the final consonant sounds, usually in the more important words or in the accented syllables.
Alliteration
You put your alliteration tool to work when words that start with the same sound are used close together in a phrase or sentence. The sound is usually a consonant and the words don’t have to always be right next to one another.
Finding “just the right words”
Abundant resources are available in print as well as through online searches. Listed below are the two resources I had readily available in the classroom for my students (Grades 4-8). Paperbacks are inexpensive enough to have multiple copies available, and in my opinion, they are indispensable.
- The Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary by Sue Young
- Webster’s Thesaurus for Students by Merriam-Webster
Happy Writing and Reading Haiku
& Happy Halloween!
~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator
[Explore Bette’s Blog]
Comments on: "Have Fun Writing Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!" (65)
[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] More writing tips for children and adults https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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If I knew that, I didn’t remember! Thank you, Bette.
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Thanks so much for stopping by to chat, Cynthia! ❤ Have a beautiful weekend. xo
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[…] Tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] Tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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Thanks for linking up at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com this week!
Tina
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Thanks so much for the visit, Tina. 🙂 Have a beautiful week! xo
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I love your Haiku and your poster Bette. Brilliant. We had a great headmaster in primary school who inspired us all to write poetry. We never looked at haiku but he was such a positive influence on my education.
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Hi, Brigid. Thanks so much for the visit and the share! ❤ xo
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This is a fun haiku to start of the bewitching month🎃 of October.
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Thanks, Bernadette. May your October be awesome! ❤ xo
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Loved this, Bette. Your review of the “tools” brought back memories of my own middle school days and how much I enjoyed working them into my creative endeavors. I always loved English class, because that’s where the reading and writing fun happened. Had I not been so smitten with the theatre, I might well have ended up an academic. So glad I hopped over from this week’s Senior Salon. Thanks for sharing.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to educate a world!”
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Hi, Madelyn. Thanks so much for hop-in and for sharing your Lit experiences. In my classrooms (grades 4-8) Reading/Writing/”Theatre” went hand-in-hand and the kids performing their masterpieces as much as the audience enjoyed watching. HUGS! ❤ xo
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You sound like a model teacher. I wish ALL kids had one just like you.
xx,
mgh
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[…] Source: Have Fun Writing Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too! […]
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[…] More tips for children and adults from Bette A. Stevens on writing poetry https://4writersandreaders.com/2016/10/19/have-fun-writing-haiku-get-the-kids-writing-too/ […]
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Hi Bette,
This is great information with the literary devices, but also fun for kids-a good, constructive method of teaching poetry. I just recently posted a fun haiku for Halloween, too. Special holidays and celebrations always inspire. Have a wonderful weekend, Lauren 🙂
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Hi Lauren. Thanks so much for checking out the post and joining in on the conversation and challenge. 🙂 Must hop over to your place to check out your Halloween Haiku! 🙂 xo ~Bette
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I just realized this is from last year because I didn’t remember posting a haiku recently. Thanks, Bette! 🍁🍂❤️🎃
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Wonderful post and thanks so much for providing information concerning poetic devices!…. sending all my best wishes. Aquileana 😀
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Thanks, Aquuileana. 🙂 Have an awesome October, my friend! xo
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Bette, your post rocks
Getting kids involved is great
Happy Halloween!
See what I did there? 😉
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Thanks for the awesome haiku shout-out, Amy. Have a fabulous weekend! 🙂
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Reblogged this on BOOK CHAT and commented:
Getting children to write a Haiku and illustrating it is a great way to involve children, both at home and at school, in a fun activity while they learn.
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Ever thanks, Michelle. Have a beautiful weekend! 🙂 ❤
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Enjoy the autumn colors, Bette! You know what comes next. 😀
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Thanks for linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays! Hey, I have a quick question for you: how do you get the Look Inside feature to show up on Kindle Books? I published a picture eBook in February and have no idea how to add this feature. I will be publishing another as soon and would love to know how to do this. Thanks!
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Hi, Brandi. Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. With every link-up I find some great posts to share and so appreciate the opportunity to meet new friends. As for the Look Inside feature, it’s been a while. My books are published in paperback via CreateSpace and through KDP for eBooks. My suggestion is to contact either with your query once you log into you account. I find them to be extremely helpful. Send me a link to your Amazon Page and I’ll give you a shout-out on my media sites. Here’s a link to mine http://www.amazon.com/author/betteastevens Have a great day and happy reading and writing! 🙂
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Wonderful! I love the idea of making poetry fun for kids 🙂
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Thanks, Christy. Have a FUN-tastic day! 🙂
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I love how you have written this fun poem with some serious literary devices by your side, they are indeed the most important part of rhythmical poetry. Happy Halloween dear Bette. 🙂
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Thank you, Balroop. Making reading and writing fun for kids is so rewarding. Like them, I find it hard not to fall in love with language that makes me smile. Happy Halloween and happy writing too! 🙂
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Thank you, Teagan. Happy Halloween hugs right back to you! 🙂
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Oh that was marvelous! Happy Halloween hugs!
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Haiku is such a fun way to get kids writing. Your toolbox has useful tools too. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Norah. Thanks so much for encouraging young readers and writers. Thanks for encouraging this older one too! 🙂
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My pleasure, Bette. It’s a passion of mine to encourage readers, writers, and learners of every age. 🙂
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This is really a fun haiku, Bette with lovely atmosphere. Did you do the drawing too? I’ve never heard of any school here studying haikus although I’m sure the students would enjoy such lessons. Oh well…
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Thank you, Annika. I used Adobe Illustrator to create the poster. So glad you enjoyed it. Kids love poetry and writing haiku is still one of my favorite ways to tell a story in “nutshell.” Have a wonderful weekend, dear friend! 🙂 ❤
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This looks like great fun! Shared across my pages 🙂
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Thanks so much, Tina! Appreciate your support and wishing you much success in your writing. Blessings and love… ❤
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reblooged this on mallie1025.wordpress.com. I love all your haiku poems and this is especially nice for Halloween. I should really practice more haiku myself.
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Thanks again, Micki. Your support and encouraging words always brighten my day. Haiku is so much fun. I just love the challenge of telling a story in 17 syllables and kids enjoy doing that too. Hugs! ❤
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Reblogged this on mallie1025 and commented:
Another great Haiku poem from Bette Stevens
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Thanks so much, Micki! Have an awesome day, dear friend. 🙂 ❤
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Awesome! And kids LOVE to be creative. ❤
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They sure do, Annette! Thanks for stopping by for a visit. 🙂 ❤
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
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Ever thanks to The Story Reading Ape, once again! 🙂
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Welcome Bette ❤️
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What a fun idea for kids (and adults) to explore. Writing a haiku is a great way to inspire creativity, and I like the idea of creating a “poster” to go with them!
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Thanks, Mae. Fun is what it’s all about! Kids love creating and sharing and I do too. 🙂 Have an awesome autumn! 🙂
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You too, Bette. I positively love the month of October. I’m in my element right now 🙂
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A really informative and enjoyable post, Bette – many thanks:)
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Thank you, Sarah. It was fun to write and I hope a lot of little readers will have fun writing and illustrating their own Halloween Haiku too. Happy Halloween to you and yours… 🙂 xo
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Cute poem, Bette. I remember writing haiku in school as a kid and loved it. A great idea 🙂
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Thanks, Diana. It was fun writing Black Cat and I’m so glad you stopped by to enjoy it. October is a month that inspires. Midnight and I are always excited to greet our little visitors at month’s end. I usually dress up as a witch or a black cat. Oh what fun that is too! 🙂
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We never get little visitors, Bette. 😦 We live too far away from civilization. But I do go into town for the parade. Now that is adorable! Happy Halloween.
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This is great, Bette. I am tutoring middle school students on Tuesday and I come in at the end of a creative writing class – love to see what they are doing!
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Oh how exciting, Noelle! I just love middle schoolers. I often look through the “Class Poetry” books created with my students over the years (grades 4-8). One year we even made a “Poets on Parade” video for parents night and that was a big hit. Kids are awesome and they love having fun with language. Have a wonderful day at school next week. It’s sure to be an awesome adventure for everyone! 🙂 ❤
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