Exploring Individual Identity
Objectives
- Students will explore their identity through creative writing.
Activity
Option One: Acrostic Name Poem
A simple type of poem, this uses the student’s name (first, middle or last) and includes an adjective (or word) that starts with each letter of the name (or for more of a challenge, the student can use a phrase instead of single words) to describe him or herself.
For example, a student named Sudha could describe herself with an acrostic poem like this:
Silly
Understanding
Dancer
Helpful
Athletic
(From the website, “Writer’s Block Help” at http://www.writers-block-help.com/acrostic-name-poems.html)
Option Two: Name Poem
Line 1 – (write your first name)
Line 2 – “It means” (write 3 adjectives that describe you)
Line 3 – “It is the number” (choose any number you want)
Line 4 – “It is like” (describe a color but don’t name it)
Line 5 – “It is ” (name something you remember experiencing with family or friends that makes you smile)
Line 6 – “It is the memory of” (name a person who is or has been significant to you)
Line 7 – “Who taught me” (write 2 abstract concepts, such as “honesty”)
Line 8 – “When ” (write about something that person did that displayed the qualities in line 7)
Line 9 – “My name is” (write your first name)
Line 10 – “It means” (state something important you believe about life in 1-2 brief sentences)
After students complete their name poems, they will share with their classmates. The teacher will distribute a class list. As students listen to their classmates’ presentation, they will write one “new” piece of information they learned about their classmates.
Assignment
Ask students to bring in clips of newspapers, magazines, photos, and other materials that they feel visually expresses their identity. These materials could convey a student’s choice in music or the arts and literature, clothing styles, brands of choice, or pop culture items, as well as items relating to family, friends, ethnic communities, values, etc. Materials could also express a student’s concerns or interests in contemporary social issues, such as religion, economics, politics and the environment. The student identity maps completed in Lesson One can act as a guide. These materials will be used for the next lesson.