Expressing Personality

• Materials, colored pencils, or crayons 

• Letter stencils, stickers or letter shapes

• Magazines or other image sources

• Chart paper

1. As a class, create a two-column anchor chart for the lesson by brainstorming words and phrases that represent each letter of the alphabet 

   1. • 1. • • A:  athletic, amazing, active

2. Explain to students that they will be creating an acrostic poem to visually represent themselves to the class

3. Create an example for students using the teacher's name.  For instance, a teacher named Mike may create the acrostic below:

   1. • 1. • • Muscular

             • Intelligent

             • Kind

             • Educated 

4. Provide each student with a blank piece of paper.  Ask each student to create a template with the letters from their name appearing vertically down the left side of the paper.  The letters should appear large and bold.  

5. Students can write the letters of their name, use stencils, cut and glue letters, use stickers, etc.

6. Using the letters in their name, along with the anchor chart as needed, students select words that best describe them to create their own acrostic poems

7. Choose a collaborative structure that will support students in sharing their poems

8. Close the activity with a debrief, either verbal or written

To increase rigor:

• 1. • Replace the whole-group brainstorm with the following steps:  

     • Post the alphabet letters around the room on walls or on tables

     • Have students form groups of three to four

     • Have each group rotate around the room to collaboratively add adjectivies to each letter of the alphabet

     • Have students work in partners to create acrostic poems for each other

To Integrate technology:

• 1. • Allow students to use accessible technology to do research on words, as well as to create their final projects