Procedure

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Extended Practice

Day 1:

Anticipatory Set

1. Introduce activity by reading various poems to students. Read poems in different forms (rhyme, free verse, acrostic, limerick, etc).

2. On overhead use T-Chart to make a list about what students like/dislike about poetry.

3. Discuss what students notice about selected poems (vocabulary, theme, word selection, relation to students' lives, appearance, etc.).

4. Show special types of poems: acronym and acrostic. Write the following examples on board. Ask students to notice similarities/differences between the two: write in T-Chart.
   
   Huron
   Ontario
   Michigan
   Erie
   Superior
   
   Energetic personality
   Motivated to learn
   Interesting girl to get to know
   Loves cheerleading competitions
   Yawns every morning

5. Ensure students see how both poems provide information: HOMES is an acronym that lists, whereas EMILY is an acrostic that explains/describes. Both poems are non-fiction and provide information for the reader. They are mnemonic devices because they help one remember information.

6. As a class, create a mnemonic (either acronym or acrostic) about something the students are studying in a content area. Possible suggestions are: weights and measures, New York State , a book the class/reading group is reading, rules for spelling, etc.

7. Pose diagnostic question for students to answer in their journal: Do you like poetry? Why or why not?

Day 2 :

1. Discuss acrostics purpose: phrases are used to help remember information that would be otherwise too lengthy/complicated to remember. Emphasize that reading acrostic poems is easier and quicker than reading paragraphs.

2. Show example of acrostic poem. (Use the title of the learning experience as a sample.)

3. Discuss assignment: you are going to make an acrostic poem about your summer topic. Discuss purposes of assignment: get to know each other, practice self-monitoring skills, develop an appreciation for poetry, and improve memory through mnemonics.

Modeling

1. Show exemplar acrostic poem about summer.

2. Review Student's & Teacher's Acrostic Poem Rubrics and components. Discuss meaning of each category and use exemplar to reveal attributes.

3. To further explain the `Voice` row on Rubric: brainstorm list of adjectives and verbs associated with the five senses. (i.e.: Touch: slimy, grainy, squish, splash).

4. Distribute Poem Prewriting and Writing Process Checklist worksheets.

5. Using think aloud teacher models prewriting steps and implementation of checklist while students follow along; however, teacher creates acrostic poem about topic of winter instead of summer (parallel task).

6. During think aloud discuss:

   • Audience - Who will be viewing our poems? (students, teachers and parents)

   • Punctuation - Why should/shouldn't we use it? When do we use punctuation? Where should it be located? (phrase vs. sentence) (Phrases share thoughts and do not have punctuation; therefore, our poem will not include punctuation because we are not using complete sentences.)

   • Phrases - Why are descriptions more effective than one-word answers? (Not descriptive enough).

   • Acrostic word - What should the acrostic word be? (Needs to relate to topic, be longer than four letters long, and be easily associated with a picture.)

   • Using resources for vocabulary - Where can we look to assist in finding words to match our acrostic word? (Peers, Teacher, dictionary, thesaurus, etc.)

7. Model the 3 Step Edit process using think aloud.

8. Use overhead or enlarged copy of winter acrostic poem to model conferencing with students.

9. Have students review work and score using a Student Rubric to gain familiarity.

Day Three:

Guided Practice

1. Allow students 10-15 minutes to brainstorm phrases about the topic of summer vacation using their Poem Prewriting.

2. Have students share ideas from brainstorm section (Step 1). Alert students to listen for sentences, and help each other think of ways to shorten thoughts.

3. Let students choose acrostic word relating to topic of summer (Step 2).

4. Students write word vertically with one letter on each line (Step 3).

5. Students create phrases using ideas from brainstorming sheet (Step 4). Correspond first letter of the first word in phrases with the letters of the vertical word.

6. Students use the 3 Step Edit process to revise their own work. Students use the Student Rubric, dictionaries, a spell checker, the teacher, and other students' to help during the editing process.

7. Each student conferences with teacher to discuss relation to theme, inclusion of title, mechanics, flow, use of phrases, punctuation, and spacing. Notations are made where students need to make corrections. Student's Acrostic Poem Rubric is used to focus conversation during conference.

8. Students correct their work individually, seeking teacher assistance if needed.

9. Each student conferences with teacher to discuss an appropriate illustration for the student's poem. Teacher needs to approve the students' ideas before they are allowed to publish poem.

Day Four:

• Once teacher has approved students' illustration, students may create artwork.

• Students lightly draw guidelines with ruler on which to write phrases, title, and by line.

• Words are first written in pencil. Students are encouraged to use the writing style (manuscript or cursive) requested in their classroom.

• Teacher checks over students' penciled final copy. Suggestions are made regarding spelling errors, spacing, and incorrect information. Students correct mistakes.

• Students trace over their penciled work in fine-tipped black marker to increase readability.

• Students score their own work using the Students' Acrostic Poem Rubric.

• Partners are encouraged to check over their peer's work for errors and use the Rubric to score. Suggestions are made where student can improve.

• Students are allowed to make revisions one last time.

• Students turn in packet: the illustrated acrostic poem, Poem Prewriting worksheet, Writing Process Checklist, and completed Student's Acrostic Poem Rubric.

• After students hand in work, they use computers to create an acrostic poem. Go to Acrostic Poems by Read, Write, Think on the World Wide Web. Let students follow computer prompts to create a poem about the topic of their choice. (Sample Poem)

Day Five:

Independent Assessment

1. Students create an acrostic poem about a topic from a content area using student packet materials: the Poem Prewriting worksheet, Writing Process Checklist, and completed Student's Acrostic Poem Rubric.

2. Students turn in packet: the illustrated acrostic poem, Poem Prewriting worksheet, Writing Process Checklist, and completed Student's Acrostic Poem Rubric.

Day Six:

Closure

1. Students volunteer to read one of their poems. Teacher shares his/her original poem. Sample is as follows:
   
   Motivated to always do her best
   Outgoing personality
   Reads lots of books
   Goes on vacation
   Always drinks coffee
   Needs to feel loved and appreciated

2. Pose summative and essential question for students to answer in their journal: Do you like poetry? Why or why not? And, how can poems help memory?

Extended Practice:

1. Allow students to publish an acrostic poem using technology. Students may use graphics programs and word processors to create a professional copy of their poem.

2. Additional Publishing: Present acrostics on morning announcements (read and/or show) Photograph and post on class website, and/or in class newsletter.

3. Read Untitled poem by Judy Anne to class as students listen and create images. Put on overhead/pass out and re-read?ask students to follow along.

4. Go through each stanza individually with students to create imagery and determine the message of the poem. Have students share what they are picturing. Dramatize if needed.

5. Pose questions to students: Who/what is the poem mostly about? What does rivulets mean? Why do you think the author chose this word? What is the message of the poem?

6. Read Introducing a New Me from Put Your Eyes Up Here by Kalli Dakos aloud to students. Re-read with students (use overhead).

7. Distribute and explain Poem Study worksheet.

8. Allow students to complete Think-Pair-Share and hand in work. (Poem Study ANSWER KEY is provided.)

9. Post index card messages. Allow students to openly sort their messages according to commonalities. Discuss how many messages do not use the same words, but say the same thing.

10. Pass out Post-It? notes and ask students to write down one topic/area they would like to read about in poetic form. (Notes may be posted somewhere, and then taken down as poetry for that subject has been shared. This can be a continuing activity throughout read-alouds and content areas.)

11. Read non-fiction poems. Sample poems may be about: weather, animals, people, places, activities, etc. Discuss how poems can be used as a reference to learn new information which is one reason why familiarity with poetry is important.

12. Provide books of poetry for students to read through and gather new information. (Possible books listed in Reference section)

13. Provide poster paper separated and labeled into four sections for subject areas: ELA, Science, Math, and Social Studies. Allow groups of students to work together to create a list of topics in which it would be beneficial for students to create acronyms/acrostic poems of their own to remember and/or understand information. Remind students that all subject areas can be studied this way!

14. Allow groups to share responses.

Attachments

Exemplar Poem

Poem Prewriting worksheet

Sample Poem from ReadWriteThink

Untitled by Judy Anne

Introducing A New Me poem by Kalli Dakos

Poem Study worksheet

Poem Study worksheet ANSWER KEY

Additional information:

The procedure is fluid based on daily need allowing for additional material to be integrated, omitted, or shifted to another day.

The procedure has been edited; therefore student work and assessment does not match.

Updated: June 07, 2007
© Jeff Arnold & Tony Klejna