Learning About Friendly Letters in the Elementary Classroom

Learning Goal: Students will learn how to compose a "friendly"/informal letter. They will also learn how to draw comparisons between their own lives and lives that are different from theirs.

Rationale: This lesson plan fits Massachussetts State Curriculum Learning Standard 19.7,  "Write or dictate letters, directions, or short accounts of personal experiences that follow a logical order", and 20.2, "Use appropriate language for different audiences (other students, parents) and purposes (letter to a friend, thank you note, invitation)".

Age/Grade: 1st-3rd

Materials: Any book or series of books can be used, depending on what area of study the class is currently pursuing. When I taught this lesson, my students were studying the continents, and tracing their families' histories to their continent and country of origin. If the topic is nonfiction, it's best to find books that are about people (for instance, I found several series of books that were specifically about people in various countries and continents, not books about topography).

Activity:
1.) Over several days, read the books aloud to the class. Have all of the books available for children to look at during their independent reading time.

2.) After each book, take a piece of chart paper and have students list aspects of the book that they noticed were different from their own lives. Post the chart paper around the room - the brainstorm lists will be used as inspiration when the students compose their friendly letters.