Hi fellow teachers! This fun, top-down and bottom-up acrostic poem is all about Spring in Canada, and can be used to tie into spring activities, including spring animals, nesting, habitats, migration, or animals in different provinces. For more advanced students, you can also use it as an example of an acrostic poem before asking students to write their own acrostics.
Alternatively, let the video of the poem, read aloud by me, the poet, play after recess or before moving to a new activity as a creative time filler or moment of calm and focus.
See the teaching ideas below and grab the PPT version or print-ready PDF to use in your classroom. You have full permission to use the poem for teaching purposes within any educational setting, including online learning and homeschool.
Let me know if you use the poem – I’d love to hear how it goes.
Watch a video of the “Spring from Coast to Coast” poem below.
SPRING from Coast to Coast
Squirrels sniff the melting snow
Pups and kits get ready to go
Robins sing their cheery song
Insects hatch, growing strong
Newborn lambs skip and play
Grazing goats jump in the hay
Goslings follow mom and bond
Newts and toads find a pond
Inchworms creep, looping on trees
Rabbits nibble, enjoying the breeze
Puffins gather on ocean rocks
Sparrows nest and fly in flocks
SPRING is here from coast to coast
Which part of spring do you love the most?
Original poem by Kim T. Harrison. Video created in Canva.
Download a PDF, black & white, printable version of the poem – includes a page with a simple explanation and example of an acrostic poem:
Download a PPT slide version of the poem – includes a slide with a simple explanation and example of an acrostic poem:
Teaching Ideas
- Introduce acrostic poems, then ask students to write their own acrostics using simple SPINE words
- Complement classes on spring animals – use inquiry questions to discover what the animals in the poem do during spring
- Complement classes on different Canadian provinces – use inquiry questions or research to discover which animals live in which Canadian provinces
- Fine arts activities – students draw a scene from the poem or draw a picture of an animal of their choosing in spring
- Animals featured in the poem: squirrels, foxes, robins, insects, lambs, goats, goslings, newts, toads, inchworms, rabbits, puffins, sparrows
Happy Teaching! Kim x
Kim T. Harrison 