Y5 Pack 15: ‘Water Cycle Haiku’ (Poetry; Geography - the water cycle)

This Year 5 Real Writing unit uses a striking haiku by children’s author Joshua Seigal to open up a single moment in the natural world. The short poem sets the tone, sparks curiosity and gives pupils a clear model to follow.

The unit follows a carefully mapped framework matched to Year 5 writing objectives. It covers two to three weeks, and links neatly with science lessons on the water cycle and states of matter. Teachers share the poem, unpick its structure and language, then guide pupils step by step as they shape and refine their own water-cycle haikus.

Curriculum links

English

• Write for different purposes
• Develop vocabulary and figurative language
• Build understanding of poetic forms
• Use expanded noun phrases and precise vocabulary
• Apply Year 5/6 statutory spelling

Cross-curricular

• Science (water cycle, states of matter)
• Geography (physical processes)

Vocabulary

• Tier 2 words: bond, drift, droplet, release, poised
• Tier 3 words: liquid, vapour, cloud, particles, evaporation, precipitation, condensation, transpiration, solid, gas, evaporate, condense
• Common exception words: accidentally, possessions, weight, group, reminder, surprise

Resources included

• Model text: Water Cycle Haiku by Joshua Seigal (plain, illustrated and annotated PDFs)
• Annotated and non-annotated teaching slides
• Teacher notes and full teaching sequence
• Vocabulary cards and matching activities
• Water cycle image and sequencing cards
• How to Write a Haiku poster
• Margin planners for drafting
• Themed haiku writing paper
• Activity sheets for synonym work, figurative language and expanded noun phrases

Activities and teaching sequence

Revisit prior knowledge

• Discuss the water cycle using sequencing cards
• Match key scientific terms with images
• Explore evaporation, condensation and precipitation

Read and explore the model text

• Read the haiku aloud
• Identify stages of the water cycle within the poem
• Underline subject vocabulary and descriptive word choices

Develop vocabulary

• Sort Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary using cards
• Infer meanings from the poem
• Complete matching tasks to secure understanding

Build writing skills

• Revisit synonyms and examine shades of meaning
• Explore personification and identify examples in the poem
• Create expanded noun phrases linked to the water cycle
• Collect potential phrase banks for use in final poems

Investigate poetic structure

• Count syllables and explore the 5-7-5 structure
• Compare haikus and discuss the focus on nature
• Choose and perform favourite haikus or stanzas

Plan, write and edit

• Use image cards and margin planners to shape ideas
• Draft haikus using the haiku poster and writing checklist
• Edit independently and prepare final versions for display

Outcomes

By the end of the unit pupils:

• Understand the structure and purpose of haikus
• Use precise scientific and descriptive vocabulary confidently
• Apply personification and expanded noun phrases effectively
• Write original haikus that describe moments within the water cycle
• Edit and present polished final poems suitable for display