A Letter Home

Monday 30th September

Learning goal Writing non-fiction textsPrior knowledge/skills

Understanding what non-fiction and fiction texts are; experience of non-fiction texts in everyday life.

Application Understanding and applying the features of informal letters.

PROUD Open-minded to others’ views. Determined to master new writing skills.

ARTICLE 13: the right to express ourselves freely

Starter: What will you miss most while you are in quarantine?

Stretch: Who would you write a letter to, and why?

Challenge: When was the last time you wrote a letter? Do you think letter-writing has changed over time? Why?

Letter-writing

• When and why?• Change over time? Why?• Formal vs informal?

Letter-writing

• When and why?• Change over time? Why?• Formal vs informal?

These three letters are examples of correspondence between children and adults. In pairs, discuss the questions below.

Are they:• formal or informal?• facts or opinion?• giving information or persuading?• what is the relationship between the reader and the writer?• what makes them interesting?

• Roald Dahl letter: the writer, Amy, had sent him one of her own dreams in a bottle (using oil, water and glitter), after reading the BFG

• Jessica Morley letter: in 2011 The Economist, a news magazine, published an article which was not entirely serious but suggested that there should be ‘child-free’ zones in public places, and a tax on children. For children, just like cigarettes or mobile phones, clearly impose a negative externality on people who are near them. Anybody who has suffered a 12-hour flight with a bawling baby in the row immediately ahead or a bored youngster viciously kicking their seat from behind, will grasp this as quickly as they would love to grasp the youngster’s neck.

Jessica wrote back to the magazine, and they published her letter.

Billy Geerhart is not actually an 8-year-old boy, but a bored screenwriter, who has written hundreds of letters to famous and important people, posing as an 8-year-old asking questions about what they do or asking advice.A surprising number of those people wrote back, taking his questions seriously. This one is a firm of lawyers, giving him ‘serious’ legal advice about his question.

• What do you think his original question was?• Can you summarise the advice he has been given?

Short writing task:Choose one of the letters and write down which one you are answering these questions about.1. Is the letter formal or informal? How do you know?

The letter is …. The quotation “…” shows this because the writer uses words like “…” which are …

2. Describe what the relationship between the writer and the reader is like, using adjectives and quotations.

The writer’s attitude towards the reader is …. The quotation “…” shows this because the writer uses words like “…” which are …

3. What does a good personal letter include? Write down three things that you should do in an informal letter.

Task: For each of the letters, complete one of the tasks below.Starting: Is the letter formal or informal? How do you know?

The letter is …. The quotation “…” shows this because the writer uses words like “…” which are …

Practising: what is the purpose of each letter? What is the writer trying to achieve?Confident: Describe what the relationship between the writer and the reader is like, using adjectives and quotations.

The writer’s attitude towards the reader is …. The quotation “…” shows this because the writer uses words like “…” which are …

Extension: What does a good personal letter include? Write down three things that you should do in an informal letter.

Writing our own letters home.What could you not live without?

Write a list of 10 things you would want from home that you wouldn’t be without.

A tannoy goes out:

Students will be allowed

3 items only from home delivered to school.

You are going to write a letter home

• What style is your letter going to be?

– Formal?

– Informal?

• Decide who you are going to write to.

• Plan and first draft today• Next lesson: revise and re-draft. • So… make your writing as developed and

detailed as possible!

Dear ..................,

At least three paragraphs

Love from

Address of the person sending the

letter

Date

Layout: how is the layout of a personal letter different from the layout of a formal, business letter?

Ideas: what could we include to make our letters as interesting and detailed as possible?

PlanningPlan the order of your paragraphs. For example:

• Paragraph 1: reassure your family that you are OK, but explain how you are feeling. Use emotive language.

• Paragraph 2: describe it is like being in quarantine. Use ambitious adjectives and sensory language. Maybe include a funny / shocking story or two (anecdotes).

• Paragraph 3: ask for the items you want from home. Explain what you need and why. Tell them what you miss most.

• Paragraph 4: what are your hopes and fears for the next week or two? What do you think will happen?

Dear ..................,I am writing to tell you..................................

..........................................................................................I am worried about ......................................................................................................................................................But I am excited about .................................................................................................................................................Please can you send ....................................................................................................................................................

Yours

...................................

...................................

...................................

..........................................................................

SUPPORT

Success Criteria

Address in the top right-hand corner

Date written underneath the address

Letter begins with Dear.....

Paragraphs with developed ideas, and connectives

Written in standard English but an informal style

Clear purpose to the letter

Letter signed off at the bottom

Writing and Editing

Date

Learning goal Writing non-fiction textsPrior knowledge/skills

Understanding what non-fiction and fiction texts are; experience of non-fiction texts in everyday life.

Application Understanding and applying the features of informal letters.

PROUD Open-minded to others’ views. Determined to master new writing skills.

ARTICLE 13: the right to express ourselves freely

Starter: Spend 15 minutes completing your first draft of your letter from yesterday’s lesson.

In this piece of work I have made it clear I am writing a letter by including ……………………………………………….

I have shown that the purpose of this letter is to ………………………………………………………………………………………,

by including phrases such as ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I have created a ………………….. tone in this letter, by using language such as …………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………

Using the criteria, self-assess your letter. Write in red pen for your self-assessment.

Address in the top right-hand cornerDate written underneath the address Letter begins with Dear.....

Paragraphs with developed ideas, and connectivesWritten in standard English but an informal styleLetter signed off at the bottom

Choose one criteria that you are going to improve in your second draft.

Redraft• Label your work ‘Second Draft’• Redraft your letter, focusing on improving one

criteria of excellent letter-writing (e.g. paragraphing, connectives, clear purpose).

• As you write, underline your changes in red.• Also correct spelling, punctuation and grammar as

you write – look up words that you commonly misspell or are unsure about, and use your dictionary to improve your vocabulary choices.

• Make sure that you complete your second draft by the end of the lesson.