Lesson Plan - EDUC 321 M Pettus

Lesson Title:

Letter Writing in Literature

Lesson Overview:

Students will use technology tools and literature to examine, discuss and follow the steps involved in letter writing.

Curriculum Subject(s) and subject area(s)/topic(s):

Estimated duration:

Grade Level:

Language Arts

8 – 30 minute

sessions

3rd Grade

Curriculum Goal(s):

PRIMARY:

RLA.O.3.2.9          Students will compose in a variety of forms and genres for different audiences (e.g. diaries,

                                journals, letters, reports, stories).

SECONDARY: 21C.O.3-4.2.TT4    Student uses technology tools (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for

                                  problem solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities.

21C.O.3-4.1.TT1   Student uses keyboard, mouse and other common input and output devices (including

                                  adaptive devices when necessary) efficiently and effectively; student handles diskettes,

                                  CD/DVDs, USB drives,microphones, and headphones with care; student opens files

                                  independently, saves documents, and sends documents to the printer.

21C.O.3-4.1.TT5     Student uses word processing software to create and format a document (e.g., paragraphs, tabs, page paste,

                                  justification, margins, spell check, grammar check, word count, insert page breaks, page numbers), uses Edit

                                 menu to cut, copy,change font type, size and color, select and highlight text, and other common editing

                                 features.

RLA.O.3.3.1          Students will listen and respond to familiar stories and poems (e.g. summarize and paraphrase

                                to confirm comprehension, recount personal experiences, imagine beyond literacy form.)

RLA.O.3.1.13       Students will use graphic organizers and visualization techniques to interpret information (e.g.

                                charts, graphs, diagrams).

RLA.O.3.2.03         compose a written composition using the five-step writing process:

•       pre-write

•       draft

•       revise

•       edit

•       publish

RLA.O.3.2.04        develop proper paragraph form in written composition:

•       beginning, middle, end

•       main ideas with relevant details

•       sentence variety such as declarative, interrogative and exclamatory and imperative

•       descriptive and transitional words

•       indentations

RLA.O.3.2.02         identify and produce a grammatically correct sentence (e.g.,

                                correct subject/verb agreement with singular and plural nouns and verbs, correct use of

                                 regular and irregular verbs, avoiding run-on sentences and fragments).

RLA.O.3.2.05         identify and apply conventions of spelling in written composition (e.g., spell high frequency

                                 words from appropriate grade level list, use letter/sound relationships to spell independently,

                                 make structural changes to spell words correctly, spell irregular verbs and irregular plural

                                 nouns).

RLA.O.3.2.06        identify and apply conventions of capitalization in written composition (e.g., greeting, heading,

                                 closing of a letter, first word of a direct quotation).

RLA.O.3.2.07         identify and apply conventions of punctuation in written composition (e.g., commas in dates,

                                 addresses and greeting/closing of a letter, quotation marks around titles and direct

                                 quotations, apostrophes for contractions and possessive nouns).

RLA.O.3.2.08         produce appropriate grammar in written composition.

Lesson Objective(s):

Students will:

Discuss the different reasons for writing. (Comprehension Level)

Examine a variety of literature that shows examples of letter writing. (Analysis Level)

Identify the five parts of a letter. (Knowledge Level)

Apply technology tools for self directed learning about letter writing. (Application Level)

Listen and respond tofamiliar stories by writing explanationsof personal opinions. (Comprehension Level)

Compose a letter by applying the five-step writing process and appropriate grammar, including:

Letter includes all five parts.
Sentences contain a subject and a verb.
Subject and verb agree.
Sentences do not run together.
Paragraphs are indented.
Paragraphs include a variety of sentence types.
Correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
(Synthesis & Application Levels)

Create and format a letter using word processing tools online in an effective and efficient manner including:

Keyboard
Mouse
Printer

Plan, edit, and revise letters using charts, check lists, and cooperative learning. (Synthesis & Evaluation Levels)

Prerequisites:

Prior to lesson, students should be familiar with using the writing process, keyboard, mouse, printer, and the rules of punctuation and capitalization.

Lesson Procedure:

Motivational – Preparatory activities:

(30 minutes)

As a class, students will view and discuss Many Reasons to Write Animoto:

http://educ321mpettus.weebly.com/animoto.html

As a class, students will view and discuss Many Reasons to Write power point:

http://educ321mpettus.weebly.com/power-point-writing-genres.html

As a class, students will examine and discuss the following books as examples of letter writing:

Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type By Doreen Cronin
I Wanna Iguana By Karen Kaufman Orloff
Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters from Obedience School By Mark Teague

Information presentation and information processing (analysis/synthesis) activities:

(30 minutes)

As a class, students will view and discuss the How to Write Friendly Letters, E-mails, and Greeting Cards video:

http://educ321mpettus.weebly.com/video.html

In small groups, students will use the Letter Writing Checklist found at:http://readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson85/LetterChecklist.pdf

to evaluate letters found in the following books for the 5 parts of a letter:

Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type By Doreen Cronin
I Wanna Iguana By Karen Kaufman Orloff
Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters from Obedience School By Mark Teague

(30 minutes)

Students will practice letter writing at the interactive pbs website:

http://pbskids.org/arthur/games/lettersto/

(30 minutes)

Students will choose a character and topic from one of the following books to write a letter to:

Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type By Doreen Cronin

Write a letter to the farmer, explaining three reasons why you think the farm animals should have electric blankets.
Write a letter to the farm animals, explaining three reasons why you think they do NOT need electric blankets.

I Wanna Iguana By Karen Kaufman Orloff

Write a letter to Alex’s mom, explaining three reasons why you think Alex should get to have an iguana as a pet.
Write a letter to Alex, explaining three reasons why you think an iguanas would not make a good pet.

Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters from Obedience School By Mark Teague

Write a letter to Mrs. Larue, explaining three reasons why Ike does NOT need to go to obedience school.
Write a letter Ike, explaining three reasons why Ike needs to go to obedience school.

As a class, students will review the following chart to review the steps of the writing process:

http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson217/writing.pdf

In small groups, students will discuss and brainstorm letter topics.

Application activities:

(2-30 minute sessions: prewrite & write)

Students will use the steps of the writing process to plan and write their letters.
Students will use the following interactive, online tool to write and print their letters: