Creating a Peace Poem   back to lesson plans

Objective To express or represent a feeling or value in a poem Materials Pens, pencils and paper Activities 1) Share an example of a haiku, rhyming poem, and of free verse. Examples:

2) Explain the structure of

• a haiku: 5-7-5 syllables, reference to seasons, nature
• a rhyming poem: line ends rhyme
• free verse: no rhyme, rhythm required, but thoughts should seek to be personal.

3) Brainstorm words or phrases as a class that are associated with "peace".  Write words on a large chart for class to see result of collective brainstorming.

4) Create a class poem using the words from the list. Model the process of arranging the words in a sentence or phrases until it "feels good". Emphasize ideas, concepts, and phrases. Sometimes, the creative process is encouraged more when the teacher does not allow complete sentences.

5) Each student personally selects poetic form to record Peace Poem and writes poem down.

6) optional: Teacher makes editing changes to each student's poem - spelling, word usage, etc.

7) Student writes in own handwriting his/her final piece.  A lesson from writing a haiku or poem in general is: It's not so much how many words one writes; it's the feeling conveyed to the readers and listeners. If a child is unable to write in his/her own handwriting, he/she may dictate his/her poem and sign it. We have had a 3-year-old child dictate her lines to her 6-year-old sister.

8) optional: You may repeat this process using other poetic forms, such as cinquain (2-4-6-8-2 syllables), tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables).

9) optional: submit peace poem to the World's Biggest Hug for Peace (email us)

Evaluation/Assessment

• Each individual can evaluate the process of participating in the activity and view other poems on the website.

Extension Activity

• Write 'peace' with synonyms and antonyms on paper and draw what the related or opposite theme looks like with pen, pencil, pastels or paints. Ask students to provide their own synonyms and antonyms and write them on the board.

Brief histories, observances

Aug. 6 - Hiroshima Day. Observance of the devastation caused by the H-bomb.

Oct. 2 - Birthday of Mohandas Ghandi (Born Oct. 2, 1869, India. Died Jan 30, 1948). Leader of Indian Nationalist movement who espoused a doctrine of non-violence to achieve social and political change. Led civil disobedience demonstration in S. Africa against anti-Hindu discrimination in 1893.  Threatened to die by fasting to achieve social reforms. Assassinated.

Jan. 15 - Birthday of Martin Luther King (Born Jan. 15, 1929, USA.Died April 4, 1968) U.S. civil rights leader, reverend. Led black boycott in Montgomery, Alabama against segregated bus lines in 1955.  Supported non-violent resistance and organized massive march on Washington, D.C. in 1963. Author, "Stride Toward Freedom," 1958. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.  Assassinated.

References and Samples of Work

• worldpeace.org.au/poems.asp
• http://www.heartwoodethics.org/kids/poems.html
• sample children's haiku with drawings
• the UN peace poem

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