Hi,
I wanted to teach my students how to write a friendly letter.
What fun activity could I do with my students before teaching them how to write a friendly letter? An activity that is a fun introduction to the friendly letter writing lesson...
Thanks for your help!!
A "fun" activity would vary by the grade-level of your students. Obviously third graders have different needs and interests than ninth graders.
MISS FITCH IS BACK
One fun and interactive activity you can do with your students before teaching them how to write a friendly letter is called "Pen Pal Match-up." Here's how you can set it up:
1. Prepare materials: Create index cards or small slips of paper with different character names written on them. Use a variety of names that might appeal to your students, such as famous people, fictional characters, or interesting occupations.
2. Divide the class: Split your students into pairs or small groups, depending on your class size.
3. Distribute the cards: Give each student a card with a character name on it, making sure each pair or group receives two different character names.
4. Research time: Instruct the students to research about their assigned character. They can use the internet, books, or other available resources to gather information.
5. Engage in discussion: Have the students come together and take turns sharing the information they found about their character. Encourage them to ask questions to gain more details.
6. Role-play letter writing: Explain to the students that they will now write a friendly letter to their assigned character from the perspective of another character. For example, if one student has the character "Harry Potter," they can write a letter as "Hermione Granger" to "Harry Potter."
7. Share and exchange letters: Give the students enough time to write their letters, and then have them share their letters within their pairs or groups. Encourage them to read the letters aloud or exchange letters to read them independently.
8. Class discussion: After the activity, facilitate a class discussion about the experience. Ask questions such as: What did you enjoy about this activity? What challenges did you face while writing the letter? Did anyone learn something new about their character that they didn't know before?
By engaging your students in this activity, they will have the opportunity to research and explore different characters while also practicing their letter writing skills in a fun and interactive way. This introduction will set the stage for them to understand the purpose and format of a friendly letter before diving into the lesson.