Lesson Report:
Title
Haiku Walk: Finding Metaphorical Bridges on Campus
Synopsis: This session introduced the haiku form and used a field-writing activity to sharpen observation and concision. Students analyzed a sample haiku, then explored campus to identify literal and metaphorical “bridges� and composed six haikus that captured connections between places, people, and aspects of student life.
Attendance
– Estimated 6 students mentioned absent at the start; several arrived late during the warm-up (final count not explicitly recorded).
Topics Covered (chronological)
1) Welcome and registration check-in (context-setting)
– Brief buffer while waiting for late arrivals; informal discussion of course registration logistics and anxiety.
– FYS guidance by instructor:
– Instructors mentioned: Camilla (rigorous academic reading/writing focus), Chris Baker (translated the poem read yesterday), “Sir Johnâ€� (engaging).
– Emphasis on aligning FYS choice with desired writing outcomes; “tough but fairâ€� expectations highlighted.
2) Warm-up: Complete the “Personal Archive� microfiction (carryover from prior session)
– Prompt reminder: Students had a set of images from a person’s “archiveâ€� (objects + captions). Task was to finish a 4–5 sentence story using the provided descriptive words from the panels.
– Time-boxed completion (≈3–4 minutes), then brief share-out. Applause kept low since more activities followed.
3) Mini-lesson: What is a haiku? (form, rules, and language basics)
– Definition:
– 3-line poem; strict syllable count per line: 5–7–5 (no more, no less).
– Quick review of syllables and counting: examples given—“syllableâ€� (3), “anarchyâ€� (3), “goâ€� (1).
– Model haiku on the board (paraphrase of Issa):
– “A world of dew / and within each dewdrop / a world of struggle.â€�
– Vocabulary grounding:
– Defined “dewâ€� and “dewdropâ€� (morning moisture on grass/plants; small droplets from fog/cold).
– Purpose:
– Stress the constraint-driven creativity of haiku and its capacity to evoke layered meanings with minimal language.
4) Quick interpretive write: Meaning and mood of the model haiku
– Task: 1–2 sentences (or a few words) describing emotions/thoughts evoked; emphasis on impressions over formal analysis.
– Share-out themes captured:
– Contrast between beauty and hardship: the serene image of dew vs. the “world of struggle.â€�
– Universality and individuality: dew everywhere as a metaphor for many people, each with distinct challenges.
– Significance of the small: tiny dewdrops can still contain “worlds,â€� implying small things matter.
5) Field-writing assignment: Campus “Bridges� Haiku Walk (main activity)
– Framing: Only two sessions today; this activity occupies most of class time.
– Brainstormed target areas (some unfamiliar to students):
– Library; fifth floor; second-floor sofas; kitchenette; basement.
– Concept of “bridgeâ€� (expanded):
– Not necessarily a physical bridge; any space/feature that connects:
– Different places (stairs, corridors, entries).
– Different roles/aspects of self (academic vs. social life—e.g., kitchenette or stairs as transition zones).
– Different times or experiences (movement, routine vs. novelty).
– People (encounters, hangout spots).
– Instructions (explicit and structured):
– Move around campus (inside and/or outside), “chart the land,â€� and observe connectors between spaces/people/objects/times.
– Compose a total of six haikus adhering to 5–7–5:
– Two haikus en route to the chosen location (slow down; notice transitional details and feelings of movement).
– Two haikus at the location (sit, absorb, capture the immediate environment and connections present).
– Two haikus on a different route back (avoid the same path; attend to new connections and perspectives).
– Content latitude: Focus on motion, the spaces themselves, objects (e.g., chandeliers, dry fountain), or interactions (e.g., two students in tucked-away areas).
– Time constraint and logistics: Return to the classroom by 10:40 with six completed haikus (≈35 minutes allotted).
Actionable Items
Immediate (next session)
– Collect and review the six-haiku sets; verify adherence to 5–7–5 and the “bridgesâ€� brief.
– Facilitate a structured share-out: organize by location or “bridgeâ€� type; prompt students to explain how constraints shaped choices.
– Debrief observational strategies: what details signaled a “bridge,â€� and how metaphor emerged from place.
– Provide quick feedback on the prior “Personal Archiveâ€� microfiction and yesterday’s essays.
Short-term (this week)
– Offer office hours/check-in for course registration concerns; share any institution-specific tips or contacts.
– Distribute a concise haiku reference (syllable-count tips; example haikus; common pitfalls).
– If relevant, share the source and translator of the dew haiku (context: likely Issa) and connect to prior readings (noting Baker’s translation work referenced in class).
Attendance and follow-up
– Note initial absences/late arrivals; reach out with today’s haiku brief and expectations so they can complete missed work if needed.
Enrichment/archiving (low urgency)
– Compile a class “Bridgesâ€� haiku chapbook or wall display organized by campus zones.
– Map the haikus onto a simple campus floorplan for a visual “bridgesâ€� atlas to revisit later in the term.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
All writing (six haikus) was assigned as an in-class activity with the directive “You have six total haikus and you have until 1040 to return to this room with your six haikus,� making it due during the session, not after class.