Acrostic Poem Pals

1. Explain to students how to write an acrostic poem. Each letter in a word starts a new line of poetry. The text always describes the word. For example, the word SUN might have an acrostic poem lines that reads Shining, Ultraviolet, Not seen at night.
2. Have students break into small groups. Each group selects a word as the acrostic poem theme word. Have students write the word with Crayola Dry-Erase Markers vertically along the left side of a dry-erase board. If they want to make a change--no problem! Simply use a facial tissue to erase and then rewrite.
3. Students work together to come up with words or short phrases, related to the theme word, that begin with each letter of that word. Have students brainstorm a variety of ideas to decide which ones best fit the poem. Write each word or phrase next to the theme word letter.
4. Each group takes turns presenting their poetry to the other groups in the class. Each student in the group could read one line in turn or in unison, for example.

LA: Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

LA: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.

LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

LA: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

LA: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

VA: Use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.

VA: Select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.

Students can add simple drawings to the poem to assist with conveying ideas and emotions associated with the writing.

Use the same theme word for the entire class. Student groups will review the creative differences between each person's/group's interpretation of the same word.

Use the acrostic poem format to study new vocabulary words associated with a unit of study. This can extension can also be used for new words from a foreign language that students are studying.

Students in the upper elementary grades can use the acrostic poem format to visually illustrate key phrases from units of study. These can be made into a bulletin board in the classroom or acted out by members of the group and saved on video/classroom file for future viewing.

If an electronic painting program is available on classroom computers, students can transfer their acrostic poems to this program and save it to a classroom file for future viewing.