Planning for Learning: Grade 2 English/Arts Education Lesson Plan

Subject/Grade: Grade 2 English/Arts Education                Lesson Title: Writing a Friendly Letter                      Teachers Nikol, Rachel, Ellie, Robin

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

CC2.4 – Write stories, poems, friendly letters, reports, and observations using appropriate and relevant details in clear and complete sentences and paragraphs of at least six sentences.

a. Employ a writing process (e.g., planning, drafting, and “fixing up”).

h. Write a friendly letter complete with date, salutation, body, closing, and signature.

I understand what it means to be friendly 

I understand what relevant information is

I understand what appropriate information is

I understand what clear writing is

I understand what complete writing is

How can we write a detailed letter?

How can I apply my observations to my letter?

Why do we write letters?

I know what a story is.           I know what a letter is.

I know the 5 parts of a letter.

I know what a sentence is.                         I know 6 sentences make a paragraph.

I know how to make an observation.

I know observations can be expressed through multiple forms. 

Able to write about observations

Able to write a friendly letter that contains all 5 parts

Able to write complete sentences

Able to write 6 sentences to form a paragraph

Stage 2: Determine Evidence for Assessing Learning

Students will receive a checkmark if they have included all 5 components of a letter and 6 sentences for the body paragraph. Students’ peer-reviewed letters can be used as a formative assessment for learning and comprehension and put into a learning portfolio. Do a thumbs up thumbs down check-in with students multiple times throughout the lesson to check for comprehension. If students are struggling, review again with students. Summative assessment will be the students’ completed letters before they are mailed.

Stage 3: Build a Learning Plan

Instructional Strategies:

• Think-Pair-Share: Students will share and help their peers make corrections to their letters.
• Class Discussion: Students will have a 5-minute class discussion about letter writing.
• Modeling: The teacher provides examples of letters that students can reference. 
• Questioning: Students will question if their letters have the correct information during the revision process. 
• Compare/Contrast: Students will be comparing the art of letter writing to modern technology, such as emailing and texting.
• Concept Teaching: Students will learn about the 5 components of a letter and how to write a letter containing those 5 components. 
• Checking in with students: As a class, the teacher will ask the students to show the teacher how they feel by either putting their thumbs up in the middle or down about how they feel after a certain part of the lesson.  

• After the Thank You Letter by Jane Cabrera has been read to students and they have returned from their walk around the community to practice documenting observations to use in their letters; students can think, pair, and then share their observations and drawings with each other. 

Development:    Length Of Time: 1 hour 30 minutes  

• Have a 5-minute class discussion: why do we write letters?- Introduce the idea that our letters will be written to seniors in our community. How has letter-writing changed? Discuss the differences between writing a letter versus sending a text message or email. Discuss what we can write about i.e. What we see, or the fun things we have done, or describing the places we have gone. See if the class can figure out other ways to express our meanings outside of writing (creating visuals) Encourage students to include some form of artistic expression that goes with their written work  This can be drawing pictures or cutting images out of a magazine and gluing them onto paper to go with the letter. Students can pair up with one other person. The teacher either selects pairs or allows students to pick. Students trade letters and check for spelling errors. They can also share their ideas of what they are writing and provide feedback to one another. Students can check the letter to ensure all 5 parts are in the letter and will provide peer feedback. This letter will serve as their first draft before sending the final letter which will be a summative assessment of writing.                                   
• Hand out pre-written letter worksheets, explain students will label the different parts of a letter as they watch the video
• Show the class the video, Parts of a Letter- For Kids
• Have students mark the important parts of a letter on their handout while watching the short YouTube video.
• After watching the video, give clear and concise instructions on letter-writing. Offer a drawing of a letter on the board. Clearly label and discuss the 5 parts of a letter.

-Heading (Date and Address)

-Greeting (Dear ___)

-The body (The actual letter, a paragraph contains 6 sentences, indent a new paragraph, proper punctuation)

-The closing (how to say goodbye)

-The signature (sincerely ___)

• Give clear instructions that students will receive a checkmark for completing their letter with all 5 components and a body paragraph of 6 sentences. You could reference if they managed to enhance the message of their letter, visually. This will be a formative assessment and can be put into a learning portfolio.
• Have the class make friendly letters they will send to seniors in their community. Make this fun. Walk around and admire the letters.                         

Closure: Time: 15 minutes

Whole-group conversation – students are invited to share what they wrote about in their letter. How were they playful and friendly with letter writing? Are they excited for their recipient to get their letter? Why? Celebrate the students’ work.   

-The video  Parts of a Letter

– A computer to play the video

– A projector for students to watch the video

– 1 piece of dotted paper for each student to write their letter

– 1 pencil for each student

– scissors

Possible Adaptations/

Differentiation:

–Students can cut out pictures in a magazine and glue pictures to their letters to help express their meaning outside of writing.

-Students may need help with writing.

-Some students may need a scribe to write their letter for them as they say their words out loud. 

-Students are welcome to communicate outside of writing (e.g., drawing). 

-For students who struggle with legibility, have a student volunteer or the teacher write the addresses on the front of the letter.

-Students who are sensitive to sensory experiences may have someone else put the stamp on their letter.

-Students are welcome to listen to their own music during work time or can move to a quiet area of the room.

Management Strategies:

–The teacher can have a timer to keep track of time of class and partner discussions

-The teacher can have all 5 parts of a letter written on the board for students to reference throughout the lesson

-The teacher can have the videos ready before class so the class is not waiting for the videos to be set up

-The teacher can have the dotted paper and pencils on the students desk prior to teaching the lesson 

-Before asking students questions, be clear and concise, you will only respond to students who are sitting quietly with their arms raised. Be clear that you will only answer three responses.

Safety Considerations:

–Ensure students are following instructions. 

-Provide safe working materials 

Professional Development Goal is…

Students are able to express observations of  their community in different forms. Students are able to understand what a friendly letter is and how to write a friendly letter that contains all 5 components. Students can write 6 sentences to form a paragraph for the body of their friendly letter that will be sent to seniors’ homes.