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Friendly Letters ~ Lesson Ideas

Here are some lesson ideas to support your creativity as a teacher. You, of course, know your own class's learning styles, needs and interests better than anyone, so please use what is helpful and modify or disregard the rest. Depending on your teaching style and your students' pace of learning, each lesson step could last one or several days. In "Download Options" you can find a downloadable version of this unit and sample student handouts.

Part I: Interactive Writing Project

In the younger grades focused on friendly letters as a writing standards, I encourage modeling each skill via an Interactive Writing (IAW) project. The excitement of the Hidden Villa field trip will provide the enthusiasm needed to keep students focused and engaged in this class project. For background information about Interactive Writing see "Best Practices" under the intro to this section on HV Classroom Curriculum.

IAW

(Topic)

 Because your students spend their day at Hidden Villa with different guides, for your IAW class letter project you will need to choose someone to thank, who in some way helped all of your students. This could be the Hidden Villa Board, the Environmental Education Program staff, or scholarship donors (if your class received financial assistance). I also recommend a class thank you letter to the Duveneck family. Josephine and Frank Duveneck started the innovative programs at Hidden Villa and left their land and legacy in trust to the community so that children could continue to enjoy Hidden Villa. I believe that it is beneficial for these children to learn about the lives of these visionaries and appreciate their generosity. At the end of the IAW project, your class could send the letter, via the Hidden Villa Board, to the Duveneck siblings (now in their 80s and 90s themselves) and extended family.

IAW

(Suggestions)

 Work on your class letter together at te beginning of each writing period, as a way to introduce the writing step you expect your students to accomplish that day. When your class has finished its Interactive Writing thank-you letter, guide them in identifying and labeling each component of a friendly letter. Hand the letter up in your classroom. This will help your students remember each writing step. Type up a final copy of the letter and send it to Hidden Villa with a picture of your class' work.

 

Part II: Students' Individual Letters

If you think your students may need a little extra support during this writing project, you may want to buddy up students who were in the same field trip group at Hidden Villa. In this way they can help each other remember exactly what they did with their guide.

Step#1

(Preparation)

Model: Model the following steps through your IAW project. Then students can work individually or in pairs to make their own webs.

  1. Write the name of your field trip guide in the middle of your web.
  2. Think of several things your guide taught you that you found interesting.
  3. Think of something you did with your guide that was really fun.
  4. Think about how your guide helped you have a good time at Hidden Villa.
  5. Write all of these ideas on your web.

Step#2

(Organization)

Model: Think out-loud as you model how to decide what idea should go first in your class's IAW thank-you letter. Then invite students to work together to make these decisions. In short letters, students could organize their ideas according to the time at which they happened during the field trip. Or, they could organize them by the order of their importance. Older students should also remember to put ideas that go together or support each other in the same place in their letter. Student Instructions:

  1. Re-read all the ideas on your web.
  2. Decide which idea should come first in your letter.
  3. Put a little number 1 by this idea on your web.
  4. Now decide on the order of all your other ideas.
  5. Write the number for each idea on your web.
  6. Cross out any ideas you decide not to use in your letter.

Step#3

(Writing)

Model: Over the next several days during your IAW project model how to use the ordered web to write their letter. Also, take this opportunity to teach your students the correct format for a friendly letter. If you like, you could provide each student with the following student instructions so that they can check off each step as they go. Student Instructions:

  1. Write the date at the top right corner of your paper.
  2. Write a friendly greeting with the person's name. After their name, write a comma.
  3. Indent on the next line and start your letter.
  4. Use your web to write your letter.
  5. Remember to explain all your ideas with good details.
  6. At the end write the complimentary closing.
  7. Under this complimentary closing, sign your name.
  8. With a partner, revise your letter. Can you add any more details?
  9. Check your spelling.
  10. Make a final copy.
  11. Illustrate your letter with a drawing of a favorite activity during the field trip.
  12. Send your letter!