I have used this activity to encourage the individual students that I tutor to use descriptive language in their writing. The frame asks the student to write a simile for snowflakes which they can then use to create a metaphor. I found that the activity supports the student in understanding and using both similes and metaphors. Once the poem frame is completed the student selects the best similes and metaphors to create their own poem. The activity includes examples of similes and the corresponding metaphor. T his activity can be completed as an independent and group activity.

An explanation of haiku and an example given. The students then write their own haiku. Students who are confident readers will be able to complete the whole activity independently. In my experience, once students have grasped the concept, they love to write these three line, 17 syllable poems.