Read haiku poems to the kids so they get a feel for the form. There are many variations in theme, so start with traditional Japanese haiku that have nature themes.
Explain to the kids how many syllables each line of a haiku should have, and clap out the syllables of different words to help them understand. Try "tree," "flow-er" and "ba-na-na."
Ask the children questions about their favorite season, animal or type of weather to choose a subject for the haiku.
Ask the children to write descriptive phrases, such as "cold rain" or "tickling grass," that they might use in the poem.
Write a line that introduces a picture of the subject the kids have chosen. This line should have five syllables.
Create a second line that either continues describing the image from the first line or adds another image to the picture. This line should have seven syllables.
Conclude the poem with a line that completes the picture. This line should have five syllables.