Make writing a Family Affair!
Find out how to write a Haiku poem & get the kids writing too…
Midnight—our 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 to design a poster to go with the poem. Kids love illustrating their poems. They enjoy listening to poetry and to reading it aloud too.
Reading and writing poetry is a fantastic way to improve creativity and critical thinking skills for people of all ages. Plus, it’s an outstanding way to foster foundational learning and literacy for children. It’s so much fun to read and write poetry together! The kids will love it and I know you will too. Whether at home or in the classroom writing and sharing poetry is a perfect way to celebrate any season—for any reason!
What’s inspiring you this autumn?
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
Black cat waits, watches…
Stalking tricksters in their webs.
Spiders are her treats!© Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
Three 🎃Tricks from the Writer’s Toolbox (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—repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. This repetition often takes place in quick succession. - 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.
How to find “just the right words”
Abundant writing resources are available in print as well as online. 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 on hand, and in my opinion they are indispensable.
- The Scholastic Rhyming Dictionary by Sue Young
- Webster’s Thesaurus for Students by Merriam-Webster
Happy Writing & Reading Poetry…
🎃HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator
- Download Bette’s FREE PDF to discover even more about how to write haiku (Click this link) https://4writersandreaders.com/poetry-party-lets-haiku-lesson-1-free-pdf-from-bette/
This post is shared in loving memory of our amazing kitty, Miss Midnight. ~Bette A. Stevens
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Comments on: "Write a 🎃 Halloween Haiku & Get the Kids Writing Too!" (70)
Most welcome and thank you Bette..Stay safe!
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Wishing you the same! Have a great day!
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Your blog is amazing
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Thanks so much for your visit and sweet note, Athira! Have a lovely weekend.
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My youngest daughter and I are currently working on a book together. It’s so much fun.
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That’s wonderful, Mark! ❤ You sweet note is making my heart pit-a-pat–creating with our children and grandchildren is a gift beyond measure! xoxo
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Agreed!
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I like your haiku, Bette. It’s very short, sharp and witty. Agree illustration is a good way to get kids more into poetry and writing. Hope you had a good Halloween and thank you for the resources.
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Hi, Mabel. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your lovely note. Reading and writing poetry with children is a most wonderful thing to do any time of year and a great way to celebrate. Wishing you and awesome autumn! 🎃 xo
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That is so true. It is always wonderful to get children to read and write any time of the year and get into the spirit of any season. We’re in spring over here, heading into summer in Australia 🎃🌞 Take care, Bette 💛
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[…] tips and Anthony Renfro’s encouragement. Thanks, you two.:-)Author and poet Bette’s blog: here.Author and poet Anthony’s blog: […]
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What a wonderful cat haiku and I love your lesson on the rhetorical devices you used for your haiku. Thank you so much Bette! And here’s to the memory of your kitty Miss Midnight. 🙏 🐈
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Thanks so much, Pam. ❤ xo
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Here is my Halloween Haiku: An unfriendly ghost, said boo to all the children, scaring boys and girls.
A fun project. Thank you, Bette.
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Love it, Karen! 🎃xo
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Witches with long nails,
Hide in closeted darkness,
Waiting to scare you!
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Well done! 🎃 Happy Halloween, Joe… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHRn0a2BTvA
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What a great idea!! Happy Halloween!
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Thanks, Darlene! 🎃 Have an awesome October. xo
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Thank you for sharing a part of your world and lovely words!… Happy Halloween!!… I am not a writer so I have no plan here, just let my fingers do the walking (typing/writing) and my heart do the talking!… 🙂
Hope all is well in your part of the universe and all your tomorrows are filled with love and happiness!!.. 🙂
Until we meet again..
May the dreams you hold dearest
Be those which come true
May the kindness you spread
Keep returning to you
(Irish Saying)
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But, you are a writer! I enjoy the wonderful posts and poems on your blog. 🙂 Thanks for the lovely note, Larry! xo
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Bette, this is marvelous. Chin rubs to Midnight. Hugs on the wing.
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Thanks so much, Teagan! 🧡💛💚
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This is wonderful, Bette. Children will embrace haiku, especially at Halloween.
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Hugs & Happy Halloween, Jennie! 🧡💛🎃💛🧡
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Thank you, Bette. The same to you! 🥰🎃
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That is wonderful. Definitely catches the spirit of the holiday.
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Thanks, Jacqui! 🎃 Happy HAIKU HALLOWEEN-ing! 🧡💛💚
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That’s a fun haiku! I’ll read it to my grandkids and challenge them to come up with one of their own. Happy Halloween!
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Thanks, Grammy–you’re awesome! 🎃Let me know if you’d like to be featured with your Grands and their creation(s)… HAVE FUN & HAPPY HAIKU HALLOWEEN TO ALL! xoxoxo
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I did get the kids to write Halloween Haiku! The funniest one was by my 5 year old grandson:
“It is Halloween
I have a sticky eyeball
I love scary ghosts”
I have no clue about the “sticky eyeball”!! 🙂
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The “sticky eyeball” –great imagery! 👀 Happy Halloween to you and your awesome Grands! xo
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How lovely this creation is, especially including the kids❤️ Happy Halloween, love Barbara x
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Thanks so much, Barbara! 🎃XO
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Happy Halloween 🎃🎃🎃🎃 Bette. Inspiring and motivating post.
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Thank you, Kamal! 🎃xo
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You are welcome Bette 💕💕💕
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Long ago before college teaching, I taught 4 graders, and I remember how they enjoyed creating haiku. We put them on a bulletin board decorated with a Japanese theme, perhaps cherry blossoms. I don’t remember . . .
I’ll post this on Facebook, Bette, and tweet this. Wonderful idea! 🙂
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Thanks so much for helping shout out the challenge, Marian! 🎃 I have books, photos and memories galore. Poetry was a foundational touchstone for literacy in my classrooms… Appreciate your passion for passing that along. In our Covid-time when families have become more involved in the education of their children, poetry provides a perfect way to build relationships and promote a love of reading. I read with my great-grand Olivia (age 6) on Facetime and we’re having so much fun! 🧡💛💚
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Great inspiration for kids writing Halloween haiku, Bette. When my daughter was 6, she wrote a Halloween poem and we submitted it to an anthology. We bought the anthology and showed her poem to her. She was so excited and made her own poetry book with at least 20 poems. Kids like to be inspired.
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How wonderful for you and Mercy to have experienced this together–making memories with our children is such a blessing! It is sure to inspire both of you to make more of those wonderful memories with your beautiful grands. Thanks so much for sharing! 🎃xo
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I love, love your blog, Bette. This is a fun prompt I might take part in. Thank you so much for the follow. 🙂
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You’re so welcome! 🧡 Glad you enjoyed the visit here. Cheers to writing and reading your own Halloween Haiku too! 🎃💛💚🧡
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I don’t think I have ever written a haiku, I find it a challenge to say much with just a few words. 🙂
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This is a fabulous haiku! Thanks for the inspiration Bette, I too am trying to write a Halloween haiku now. 🙂
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Awesome! 🎃 Happy Halloween Haiku-ing! 🧡💛💚
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What a great post, Bette, and I love your haiku. 🧡🤡👻👽😻
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Hi, Lauren! 🎃 Thanks for your visit and note–wishing you and yours a Happy Halloween and an awesome autumn! 🧡💛💚
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Thanks, Bette, and wishing you the same! 🎃😊👻🧡
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What a fun idea, Bette. Kids love Halloween and it’s a great source of inspiration. Your haiku made me laugh. My cats love those tasty spiders too. 🙂
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Fur babies keep us laughing all the time… Middy’s love of spiders always reminded me of my own love for lobsters! No one will ever take her place, but we are currently fur-sitting for two of our Grand-kitties and their antics keep us going! 🎃
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My husband and I just finished taming some feral kittens, readying them for their new homes. I loved “fur-sitting.” Lol. Enjoy those Maine Lobsters! Yum.
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That haiku is a winner- what fun! Wish I had time now to do anything but pack and pack!
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Hugs! 🎃 Take good care of you and enjoy many magic moments with your precious little grand! One of these days the two of you can write and read together!
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Lovely Haiku Bette… ❤
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Reblogged this on Eugi's Causerie I and commented:
Sharing from Bette Stevens blog – Make Writing a Family Affair-
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Hugs & Happy Halloween, dear Eugenia! 💛🎃🧡
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Happy Halloween, Bette! 🎃
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What fun! Sharing! ❤️
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Thanks so much! 🧡💛💚 xo
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Most welcome, Bette! 💝
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What fun! Thanks for sharing, Bette.
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Thanks, Jill! 🧡💛💚
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A great Halloween haiku, Bette.
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Great post and information, Bette:) fun children’s Haiku, sound line my cat.
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Thanks, Denise! 🎃 Our fur-babies inspire us every day of the year. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
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Excellent suggestion, Bette! Wendy Scott has a book of Halloween prompts that would come in handy for this. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks, Jan! 🎃 I highly recommend all of Wendy’s Writing Prompt books… xo
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I’m inspired. I’m going to write some Halloween haikus! RIP Miss Midnight.
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Awesome! 🎃 Happy Halloween, Priscilla! 🧡 Miss Midnight loved Halloween… Miss her so, but so blessed that she found us! xo
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