In recent years, haiku has become a widely adopted part of the language arts curriculum, particularly at the elementary level. Educators appreciate the simplicity and brevity of haiku as a poetic form that young students can grasp fairly easily and therefore express themselves readily. However, this focus on form has often been to the exclusion of a deeper understanding of the artistic themes and cultural values found in Japanese literature that are an equally central part of the rich tradition of haiku poetry. This secondary level unit seeks to remedy this disparity. For the Japanese, haiku has been a very personal, meaningful form of self-expression, at the same time one which is molded according to certain conventions inherited from the past. By helping students understand how haiku developed within Japanese culture, students may appreciate more fully this unique poetic form. The specific goal of the unit is to stimulate the creative energies of secondary level students by instilling awareness of natural environment through haiku poetry. Contains six lessons: (1) "Haiku Structure and Themes"; (2) "Japanese Aesthetic Principles"; (3) ""Haiku and Nature"; (4) "Creative Writing"; (5) "Translating Haiku"; and (6) "Optional Activities." Appendices contain additional haiku, background information for teachers, a pronunciation guide, and 19 references. (EH)