

- Putting Your Thoughts on Paper: Drafting a Snowman Haiku
- Gathering materials: family learning journals, pencils, colored pencils, and crayons. Remind them to open their journals to the next available page and date it. Don’t forget to have them label the top of the page with today’s learning topic/skill.
- Reading and Writing Connection: Discuss the Haiku poems from the slide above.
- Drafting responses: “Today you will be drafting your own Snowman Haiku, remember that a Haiku has 3 verses: The first verse has 5 syllables (snowman=2; in=1; the=1; field=1). The second verse has 7 syllables (listening=3; to=1; the=1; raindrops=2). The third verse has 5 syllable (wishing=2; his=1; farewell=2). Allow each family member to write their own Snowman Haiku (10 min). Encourage the youngest members to draw their thoughts and assign someone to be their scribe. Those that get done early… ask them to illustrate a scene for their Snowman Haiku, after all if a poem is a work of art… shouldn’t it be given a visual beauty as a scene to be remembered.
- Finally: Discuss: Let each family member share their “Snowman Haiku.” Remind them that respectful listeners make eye contact with the person sharing without interrupting.
