Acrostic Poetry for All Seasons

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Did that look like poetry?

• What do you know about poems?

There are several poetry styles!

Acrostic poems help you explore topics you are familiar with and help you learn about new topics!

• What is an acrostic poem?

Acrostic poems can look and sound quite different from each other because there is only one rule.

Every acrostic poem is centered around a one-word theme, and this word is written vertically throughout the poem. Usually, the word's letters will start each line of the acrostic poem.

Take a look back at the example which starts this lesson.

• Do you see this element?

Yes! The word ACROSTIC is written vertically down the page, AND each letter that spells the word begins each line of the poem.

Acrostic poems include lines, phrases, or other words that describe or characterize the main theme of the poem. Unlike many poems, the lines of an acrostic poem do not usually rhyme.

Take a closer look at acrostic poetry!

First, visit Acrostic Poems and follow its links to view a few fun examples of acrostic poetry!

Next, watch the video below on how to write acrostic poems.

• What did you notice about the examples you explored?
• How were the details used in each line of the acrostic poems found?

Authors use prewriting to brainstorm or list words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and more) that detail the topic or theme of their writing.

Preparing to write an acrostic poem requires the same step: prewrite!

If the theme of your poem is something with which you are familiar, you most likely could list quite a few words and phrases about it.

If you choose an unfamiliar topic, the prewriting stage may require research to learn more facts or details about the topic before you draft your acrostic poem.

Keep it going in the Got It? section!