Teach writing haiku as an attainable introduction to poetry. Begin the lesson by explaining the format of a haiku. Read multiple examples of haiku that include two separate statements or a combination of realization and reflection. Guide children in a class-wide brainstorming session of everyday events that could inspire a haiku. Write the suggestions down on small slips of paper and allow students to pull one or two prompts randomly from a hat.
Develop a lesson on descriptive writing through leading students in discussing fine art. Begin the lesson by sharing images of classical artwork on a projector screen. Encourage the students to contribute short descriptors of aspects of the art. Assign children to groups and a piece of art that had not been previously shown. Allot time to developing a piece of descriptive writing. Allow creative freedom in formatting the description, encouraging first-person narratives, dialogues or poetry.
Lead the class in analyzing genres by developing a definition of fairy tales that transcends time and location. With the help of the students, develop a list of fairy tales popular in the United States. Read several additional fairy tales from around the world, striving to include geographically diverse and unfamiliar stories. Ask for comparisons between themes in the unfamiliar fairy tales and the familiar examples. Guide the discussion to defining fairy tales, and ask each student to write out a definition.
Design an exercise that combines the art of correspondence with practice in tenses and developing an extended narrative. Assign children to writing letters to extended family members, mentors or other role models. The letter should begin with a recollection of a memory shared with the intended recipient. Require a discussion of the student's current daily routine and dreams for a future career. Assist children in dedicating a full paragraph to each section and mailing the letters.