Effigy Acrostics

Strand: Writing
Grade Level: 4 - 6
Duration: 1 45 minute class period
Location: post-visit classroom activity
Objective: Students will write an acrostics poem about the Effigy Mounds National Monument that relates to its people, their culture, and/or environment.
Materials: paper
pencil
Vocabulary: acrostic
Procedure:
  1. Give the students an example of an acrostic verse

    Born in an egg
    In a nest until hatched
    Relies on his mother for food
    Develops own survival skills
  2. Point out that the first letter of each line makes a word and each of the lines in the poem is related to that word
  3. Have the students do one together using the word RAIN.  Beginning words of the sentence should start with R, A, I, and N.  Brainstorm these words with the students.   Some examples are listed below:

    R
    relaxing, rumbling, residue, real, really wet, retreat, rubber boots, rainbow

    A
    always, anger, a little, a lot, awake, above, although, acoustics, all, able
    I
    interesting, interfering, inside, indoors, inclement, ill-timed, increasing, island
    N
    never ending, nasty, nourishes, noisily, natural, need, nearly, north

    Be sure that all sentences are about the topic RAIN.

  4. Students may now do one on their own about the Effigy Mounds National Monument.   Some examples:

    Eastern Woodland
    Felt for Mother Earth
    Feared waste of natural resources
    In mounds buried treasures and
    Gifts along with remains
    Young is left to carry on traditions

    Enclosed in mounds
    Fifteen marching bears
    Facing the Yellow River
    In the South Unit
    Going Southwest
    Yearning for sunlight
 

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Effigy Mounds National Monument