Letter Writing, for Marlie Loomis, 1st Grade

W1.1a Write a complete sentence

Alaska Standard: W1.3a Edit for ending punctuation, capital letters, spelling, and legibility; relate phonics to spelling
W1.3b Uses capital letters for names, the work "I", and first word in sentences
W1.5 Begin to use sources for key information

Goal: To teach children basic letter writing skills

Topic: Friendly Letter Writing

Methodology: Dramatic Play, Instructional

Objective(s): Student Assessment:

1.Students will learn that a friendly letter has 4
parts: salutation, body, closing, and
signature.(Knowledge)
2. Students will write a friendly letter with all four
parts: salutation, body, closing, and
signature.(Application)
1. Initial:
KWL (Know, Want to Know, Learn): Assess what the
students already know about letter writing.
2. Informal:
The student will be able to orally display the
understanding of the concept during the lesson.
3. Formal:
The student will create a letter containing the 4 parts
of a friendly letter.

Materials:
Grease Pen
White Board
Paper
Pencil
Parts of a letter work sheet and drop chart
Activities:
Introduction
1. Ask students what they know about writing a letter or a note, (what do you know, how is it used, why
do we do it, look for prior learning)

Learning Activities
1. Start with basic letter format
A. Ask students why they might want to write a letter to another person. Write the ideas on chart
paper or a white board. Tell students that letters have some parts that are different from other
types of writing. Have you ever written a letter before? (letter to Jacquie)
B. The teacher will introduce the components of a letter. ( use attached graphics to show
arrangement, Attachment A ) – The teacher will demonstrate an example of each component
during this level of instruction. At this point the teacher will hand out to each student the
graphic of the little boy. The little boy is pre-labeled:
Head =Greeting (saying someons name to greet them)
Body = Body
Foot = Closing (like you're going out the door)
Toe = Signature ( toe print)
 C. The teacher will use head, body, foot organizer on the board and brainstorm some ideas about
who the class should write to and some ideas of what the body should contain.
D. The teacher will draw an outline on the board and walk the class through a friendly letter with all
of the components. ( see attachment)
E. Explain that it is essential to proofread before sending a letter, and go through a checklist of
what should be checked.( attached)
F. Assign students to write a letter to anyone (family, friend, character) using the 4 components of
a friendly letter. Show students idea board so they can decide what they would like to talk about
in the letter.

Closure
1. Students will re-iterate what the parts of a letter are, they will turn in letter samples to instructor.
2. Collect all white boards and grease pencils
3. Put paper and pencils away

Differentiation for special learners:

The instructor will use charts, graphic organizers and other ELL appropriate materials during instructions. If
needed, a buddy system may be used – pairing students with others of their native language to translate.
Instructor will speak clearly and slowly for all ELL students based on their level of need. Students that need a
reminder will be allowed to have a model of the body (Attachment B).

How is this lesson sensitive to cultural and language issues?:

When writing a letter, it does not matter the language spoken, as long as the message is conveyed.
There is no set standard for language spoken or written, a letter can be written in any language, so long
as it is pleasant, no abuse is conveyed, and no hate is shown.
For discussion with host teacher or supervisor:
Examples of questions for prior to the lesson:
 What is the objective of the lesson? How will you know if the students have met the objective?
 What provisions are you making for faster and slower learners?
 How does this lesson fit into the overall curriculum?
 Have you changed the lesson plan at all?

Examples of questions for reflection after the lesson:

 How did the lesson go?
The lesson went great. The students were excited and a lot of them had prior knowledge of letter
writing. I think this dramatic play will be great, and it will influence them going forward to write more
to their friends. The one issue I had was I am a big man, and the room at the front of the group area
is small. When I wrote on the board, I blocked the view of the students. The host teacher and I both
are working on a solution to gain more room up front for me and the portable board so all the students
can see what I am writing when I write it.
 Did the students meet the objective? How do you know?
Yes, every one was able to write a basic letter, use correct punctuation, and sign it with their name.
The letters were collected and viewed for errors. The few that existed, were corrected on the spot,
and were explained to again why it is important to have commas, capitol letters, and periods.
 Were there any unexpected events? How effectively did you respond?
There were no unexpected events, everyone was attentive to what was happening, participated in the
conversation, and was able to write a letter that met the criteria in the objectives.
 Comment on one student who did particularly well and one who did not meet your expectations.
Why did this happen? What can you do to follow up with the student who did not do well?
One student that did great was Sam, who had everything correct on his letter. Mark had capitol
errors, and punctuation errors, but nailed his salutation and closing.
 Are there any changes you would make in this lesson if you could do it again? Why?
I would like to have more room up front while I am teaching the students, the area is small, but the
host teacher is a small woman and it is set up perfect for her. I know that when I have a classroom of
my own, it will be important to remember these things, and make the necessary adjustments.
Attachment A
Attachment B

Greeting Hi,
Hello,
Dear,
Mr., Mrs.,

Body of
the letter

Closing
Thank you, From, Love you,
Sincerely

Signature

Head = Greeting (Saying hello greet them)

Body = Body
Foot = Closing (like you're going out the door)
Toe = Signature ( toe print)