In preparation for the Poetry Postcard Project, fourth and fifth graders have been in the lab to compose haiku or other poetry at the computer. Admittedly it goes against writing from the three H’s as my friend Carmen Grand Bernier recommends. We had a tight timeline. But I have discovered the following.
Students can compose at the computer. Some are better than others. Some who struggle with pen on paper are freed by the experience.
Students have been figuring out syllable by listening for the vowel sounds and when they ask if “fish” has two syllables, I ask them “how many vowel sounds do you hear?”
it works to tell students to just write three sentences about something you know. From there we can shape it into a haiku.
I am better able to show tips of the computer one by one when students are engaged in their writng.
Students are able to practice real authentic keyboarding and take a break from keyboarding lessons.
We have a lot of poetry postcards share. Do you want one? Sign up HERE.
Jone Rush MacCulloch 
Haiku is one of my favorite forms to do and to have students do. For poetry month, my students will be posting “Secret Poetry” around the school. Sh, don’t tell anyone.