Acrostic Poems: All About Me and My Favorite Things

Acrostic Poems: All About Me and My Favorite Things
*Ideas and lessons taken from readwritethink.org*

Author(s):

Katie Myers and Nikki DeBona

Grade Level:

2nd
Timeframe:
Class periods? 7-8 sessions (feel free to extend/shorten based on needs)
Number of hours? Minutes? 30-40min.
Lesson Description or Explanation

Students write free-verse acrostic poems about themselves using the letters of their names to begin each line. They then write an additional poem about something that is important to them, also using the letters of that word for the beginning of each line. After proofreading, both poems are recopied or typed and illustrated and then mounted on construction paper for display. The activity addresses personal reflection and creative writing along with spelling and phonemic awareness.

Indiana Curricular Standards


4 - Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.5 - Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. 6 - Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts. 8 - Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

ISTE Standards

1.
Creativity and Innovation


Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a.
apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b.
create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

2.
Technology Operations and Concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:

a.
understand and use technology systems.
b.
select and use applications effectively and productively.

Assessments
Formative/Summative

Formative: When everyone is finished, celebrate the writing by having all students display their poems around the room. Student will be free to circulate the room and read the poem. Next to each poem will be a piece of paper for students to right one good quality in the poem. Encourage students to read a poem aloud to the whole group. Simply join the celebration and observe poems of students.

Summative: Look for creativity and willingness to join in process of writing throughout sessions as well.

Prior Knowledge

Curricular Knowledge or Skills: Ability to search through dictionaries. Ability to write a complete sentence. Ability to use correct punctuation and spacing.
Technology Knowledge: Ability to search the web for specific websites suggested by teacher.

Technology


Internet Resources: (please list URLs)

Hardware: Acrostic Poems for Children. http://www.holycross.edu/departments/socant/dhummon/acrostics/acrostics.html
Acrostic Poem interactive,
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/acrostic/
Software: Little Explorers Picture Dictionary. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Dictionary.html

Procedure

Student Objectives
Students will
find words that begin with the letters in their own names, using a variety of sources including word banks and online dictionaries.
create two acrostic poems.
revise poems as needed, for meaning and conventions.
share their poems with classmates.
complete a reflective self-assessment.
Instruction and ActivitiesSession One: Introduction and Modeling with Teacher Name
1. Prepare for the session by loading the Little Explorers Picture Dictionary on computers.
2. Display the letter/word matrix and blank chart paper side-by-side on a flat surface.
3. Read and show some acrostic poems to students, using the examples that you have chosen from the Web Resources or the booklist.
4. Gather students and explain that they will help you write a poem using the letters in your name, and you need them to help you think of some words.
5. On chart paper, write your own first name vertically down the left side, so that each letter can be the first letter of the first word of one line. Be sure to do this in front of the students (rather than in advance), so that the starting format can be modeled for the students.
6. Have students read the letters aloud, starting at the top.
7. Then write your name and the verb “is” on the top line, using the first letter. For instance, I would write, “Renee is.”
8. Ask students to suggest some words which begin with the next letter and which can describe you.
9. Write all appropriate suggestions on the letter/word matrix and explain that the chart is going to be a word bank the whole class can use.
10. If no one can come up with an appropriate word, refer to the online dictionary for some ideas. Show students how to find lists of words by clicking on a letter.
11. Choose at least one word from the online dictionary and have a student add it to the matrix.
12. When you have a few possible words, choose one and complete a phrase or sentence, writing it down and having students read it with you.
13. Continue the process with all the letters of your name. My example:
Renee isEnergetic,Never bored,Extremely helpfulExtra kind.
14. When the poem is complete, have students read it aloud together and then talk about it. Does it make sense? Do you get a picture of the person by reading the poem? Did we use complete sentences or just words and phrases? Is there anything we should change?
15. If changes are suggested, talk about them and change some words if desired.
16. Leave the poem displayed on the wall.
Session Two: Students Write Their Own Name Acrostic Poems
1. Before starting, review the large chart paper matrix.
2. Have students suggest more words for the matrix, and especially for any blank spaces. Try to have at least two words in each space.
3. Have students begin by writing their names in capital letters down the left side of a sheet of paper, then to begin their poem by completing their name and adding “is” to the top line.
4. Invite them to help each other find words they need that begin with the letters of their names, and to use those words in phrases.
5. Have adult helpers assist students as needed, if they are available.
6. As students work, invite them to add any particularly interesting words to the matrix for others to use, too. Keep in mind that they will be doing another acrostic poem about something they like, so including some of these images in their name poems would be particularly good.
7. As students finish their poems, have them informally share with each other. Working with pairs or small groups of students, invite them to give each other suggestions. Encourage students to rewrite their poems on clean paper if they have done a lot of erasing. When all students are finished, have volunteers read their poems aloud to the group.
8. Collect the poems and keep them for later use.
Session Three: Students Write a Second Acrostic Poem
1. Post a blank piece of chart paper to the right of your name poem.
2. Gather students and explain that they are going to write another acrostic poem, this time about something that is important to them.
3. Ask students to tell about some things that are important to them. Suggestions might be a pet, a favorite person, a favorite food, and so forth.
4. Quickly review the process with students and give directions by choosing something that is a favorite of yours and writing that word down the left side of the chart paper.
5. Then write the word and the verb “is” (or “are” if appropriate). For instance, you might write “Hedwig is” or ”Cookies are.”
6. Have a student suggest words for the second line. It isn’t necessary to complete this whole poem, since students have already been through the process.
7. Have students choose what they will write about before they get a sheet of paper to begin.
8. Ask them to write the word down the left side of the paper and show it to you before they begin writing their poem. At this point, you can check the spelling.
9. As with the first poem, invite students to help each other, use an adult helper for extra assistance, encourage students to share their finished drafts with each other, and invite students to write a clean copy if necessary.
Session Four: Preliminary Sharing and Revising
1. Tell students that they will work in groups to read each other’s poems. Explain that they will trade poems with each other, read each other’s poems, and give each other suggestions for alternate words and changes in spelling and/or capitalization.
2. Make sure they understand that they should read all the poems in their group, so that everyone will get lots of suggestions and help.
3. Point out to students that suggestions are optional, and that this is a time to try out different ideas, to get help with spelling, and to finish up their poems before they make a new, clean copy for publishing.
4. Arrange students in heterogeneous groups, with four to a group. As they work, circulate among the groups to listen in, giving advice and ideas when necessary and appropriate.
Session Five: Publish and Perform
1. Before starting, transfer your name acrostic poem and your favorite thing poem to blank white copy paper. Fold a sheet of construction paper in half and glue one poem to each side of the inside of the folded paper.
2. Gather students together. Show them your sample illustrated poems mounted on construction paper.
3. Explain to students that you are going to give them both of their poems, and that they will do three things:
a. trace over the words with a fine-tipped marker or colored pencil
b. illustrate their poems
c. mount their poems on construction paper
4. Make sure that students understand that they are to draw pictures of themselves on the name poems, and a picture of their favorite thing on that poem.
5. As students work, circulate and assist as needed. Encourage students to use lots of color on their illustrations.
6. As they finish and mount their poems, they can stand them up on a shelf for everyone to see.
7. When everyone is finished, celebrate the writing by having all students read both poems aloud to the whole group.

Differentiated Instruction

ESL
Students will be supplied with Spanish to English dictionaries and English to Spanish dictionaries. Students are all welcomed to create a poem in Spanish as well (if time allows).

Challenge/Extend

Extensions
Have students create a “mother” or “father” acrostic poem for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
Have students create holiday acrostic poems.
Use the Acrostic Poem interactive to publish your poems. The Acrostic Poem Tool allows students to type in a word, create an Acrostic Poem, and then print out their writing.
Have students pair off and write acrostic poems about each other.
If students have older classroom “buddies,” have them write an acrostic about their buddies.


Special Needs

*Adapt lesson based on need of the specific child*
Ideas:
-Picture dictionaries will be available.
-Help the student look up words in dictionary, student is still encouraged and expected to come up with words that describe him/her.
-Alter the poem to a shorter poem, allow student to come up with short lines next to each letter of their name describing that word.
-Those for hearing impaired