Hi, Koo! A Year of Seasons by Jon J Muth

Recommended Grades: 4-6

Using an adorable panda, Koo, Jon J. Muth challenges readers to stretch their minds and imaginations with twenty-six haiku about the four seasons. In the author’s note, Muth explains that haiku has evolved over time and now poets no longer adhere to the rigid structure of 5-7-5 syllables. Instead, Muth uses sensory images to capture a moment of emotion in words.

Lesson Idea:

Mentor Text: Author’s Craft/Word Choice: Read aloud Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons and discuss how haiku has evolved over time. Look at several of the haiku and talk about Muth’s use of sensory details instead of the typical 5-7-5 syllable structure. Using  Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons as a mentor text for author’s craft, encourage students to write haiku that develops through sensory images, instead of the traditional, rigid 5-7-5 syllable structure.

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Filed under: author's craft, Hi Koo! A Year of Seasons, mentor texts, Poetry, teaching with picture books, word choice Tagged: author's craft, haiku, Hi Koo! A Year of Seasons, Jon J Muth, mentor texts, Poetry, teaching with picture books, word choice