Beginning writing 1 part 9

68
Beginning Writing 1
• Saddleback Publishing, Inc. © 2001 • Three Watson, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (888) 735-2225 • Fax: (888) 734-4010 • www.sdlback.com
NAME DATE
 
CREATIVE WRITING: H
AIKU
The ancient Japanese invented a short form of poetry called
haiku
(hi KOO).
These poems describe life’s brief but meaningful moments. The following haiku
was written more than 300 years ago. Read the haiku aloud. Notice that the
syllables
have been marked off to help you recognize the simple verse pattern.
A
/
fal
/
ling flow
/
er,
/
thought
/
I,
Flut
/
ter
/
ing
/

back
/
to
/
the
/
branch—
Was
/
a
/
but
/
ter
/
fly.
....
Moritake
A.
Read aloud the following haiku by the Japanese
poet Issa. Then mark off the syllables with
slashes as in the poem above.
The dew drops falling
By ones and twos, rapidly,—
It is a good world.
B.
The following statements describe the haiku by Issa. Circle the word
that best completes each sentence.
1. The subject of haiku is
often ( love / nature ).

2. The haiku has ( two / three )
lines.
3. The first line has ( five / ten )
syllables.
4. The second line has ( ten / seven )
syllables.
5. The third line has the same
number of syllables as the
( first / second ) line.
6. The poem ( does / does not ) rhyme.
C.
One line is missing from each haiku below. Circle a letter to identify the
missing line. (You will have to count syllables to recognize it.)
1. Ducks beside the pond
Heads tucked under
feathered wings
a. Settled in for a winter’s nap.
b. Quacking beaks silenced.
c. I wish I were a duck.
2. Summer night fireflies
a. Flitter like gold strands of straw
b. Dance like miniature globes of
white light
c. Remind me that I was once a child
And bring back old dreams.
CHALLENGE:
On the back of this sheet, list five images in nature that would
make good subjects for haiku. Then write a haiku about one of the subjects.
Saddleback Publishing, Inc. © 2001 • Three Watson, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (888) 735-2225 • Fax: (888) 734-4010 • www.sdlback.com •
Beginning Writing 1

69
NAME DATE
 
CREATIVE WRITING: W
RITING
A
BOUT
P
ICTURES
A photograph freezes a moment in time. It captures details of a scene in the
present and saves it for the viewer. A writer’s words can also freeze a
moment to share with the reader.
A.
Study the picture below. Then write two or three detail sentences to
make the experience clearer. Ask yourself who, what, when, where, and
why as you try to put a story to the picture.
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
B.
Study the pair of pictures. 1. 2.
Look for ways they are
similar. Look for ways they
are different.
1. Write a sentence or two
describing picture #1.
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
2. Find words in your description of picture #1 that could also apply
to picture #2. Write those words on the lines below.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
3. Find words in your description of picture #1 that do not apply to
picture #2. Write those words on the lines below.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
CHALLENGE:
Find two pictures in a magazine or newspaper that have
something in common. Tape the pictures to the back of this sheet.
Below the pictures, list words that apply to both scenes.
70
Beginning Writing 1
• Saddleback Publishing, Inc. © 2001 • Three Watson, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (888) 735-2225 • Fax: (888) 734-4010 • www.sdlback.com
NAME DATE
 
CREATIVE WRITING: W
RITING
A
BOUT
P
EOPLE
Use specific details and vivid words to “bring

characters to life” for your readers.
A.
Read each sentence. Circle the word that creates a mental picture
of a self-confident, carefree, handsome young man.

1. Ruben ( swaggered / stumbled ) into the party room.
2. He ( folded / tossed ) his leather jacket on the nearest chair.
3. Ruben stared at me with his ( piercing / watery ) blue eyes.
4. His ( smile / smirk ) made me shiver.
5. Ruben moved like a ( cat / dog ) across the dance floor.
6. “My name is Ruben,” he ( whimpered / whispered ).
B.
Think of an interesting or unusual person you know.
1. Write the person’s name on the line.
Then circle the adjectives that best
describe him or her. ___________________________________
stylish clever serious energetic lazy wild lighthearted
mellow intense cautious attractive shy funny sensitive
serious lonely artistic cheerful plain bold outgoing
2. Write five adjectives of your own that describe the person.
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
3. Write five verbs that describe the way the person does things. For
example, if you were describing a talkative person, you might write
the verb chattered.
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
4. Describe the person in a sentence that appeals to a sense other
than sight. For example, you might write: I had to lean close to hear
Clara’s soft whisper. or Pedro’s wool coat smelled like a wet dog.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
CHALLENGE:
On the back of this sheet, write a paragraph describing the
person you named in Part B.
Saddleback Publishing, Inc. © 2001 • Three Watson, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (888) 735-2225 • Fax: (888) 734-4010 • www.sdlback.com •
Beginning Writing 1

71
NAME DATE
 
LAUGH OUT LOUD! W
HAT
’
S

IN

A
N
AME
?
What’s in a name? Sometimes a name can say a lot about a character.
It can also make a reader chuckle!
A.
Write a letter to match each name with an appropriate occupation.
1. _____ Hersinkis D. Ripping
2. _____ Minnie Stroney
3. _____ Matt M. Matix
4. _____ B. S. Ting
5. _____ Erin D. Runner
6. _____ Moe Larpane
7. _____ Mei Siu Hiu
8. _____ Xavier Cash
9. _____ Justin Case
10. _____ Harry Cutter
11. _____ Hans R. Dirty
12. _____ C. U. Sunday

a. barber
b. dentist
c. savings bank teller
d. plumber
e. Italian chef
f. insurance agent
g. preacher
h. math teacher
i. attorney
j. garbage collector
k. bee keeper
l. delivery truck driver
B.
Make up a first and last name for a person who does each kind of work.
Try to think of a name that in some way suggests the occupation.
1. basketball player ________________________________
2. rock star ________________________________
3. politician ________________________________
4. race car driver ________________________________
5. weather forecaster ________________________________
CHALLENGE:
Different names suggest different images. What do the people
with the following names look like? On the back of this sheet, write
sentences describing three of them.
Ray Exclamato Egbert Mumford Brad Washington Sidney Clodfelter
72
Beginning Writing 1
• Saddleback Publishing, Inc. © 2001 • Three Watson, Irvine, CA 92618 • Phone: (888) 735-2225 • Fax: (888) 734-4010 • www.sdlback.com
NAME DATE
 

CREATIVE WRITING: R
EVIEW
A.
To complete the puzzle, match the clues with the answer words in the box.
character haiku senses smell taste
hearing sight touch image vivid
ACROSS
1. an imaginary person an
author writes about
4. word meaning clear
or distinct
5. the sense you use
when describing
something as soft
7. with five of these, we
experience the world
around us
9. a mental picture
DOWN
2. a three-line poem developed in Japan
3. the sense you use when describing
something as sweet
6. the sense you use when describing
something as loud
7. the sense you use when describing something as fragrant
8. the sense you use when describing something as yellow
B.
Practice your poetry by completing each haiku.
1. The full yellow moon 3. Twilight, quiet hour
_______________________________ _______________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________
2. Spider spins his web 4. Summer sun rises
_______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________
C.
On the back of this sheet, draw a picture illustrating one haiku from Part B.
Then use your creative writing skills to write another descriptive piece
about the picture. It might be a few sentences, a whole paragraph, or
another poem.
CH T
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THSS
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