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Original Post Common Sense Media
Description: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the difference and similarity in writing emails and letters.
Grade: Primary Cycle 1
Time: 45 minutes
Materials:
Read about two short letters you have received from students. Pass letter out for students to see
Draw a Venn diagram on chart paper. Label one EMAIL and the other Letters. Ask how are emails and letter similar? How are emails and letter different?
EXPLAIN that email is a popular way to send messages to one another digitally. If a person has an email account, that person can send and receive emails through the Internet. Tell students that, as a class, they are going to explore how writing emails and writing letters are similar, as well as different.
Students to unscramble huge letter tiles to spell the words email and letter. Record answers on whiteboard.
Distribute the You’ve got Mail Student Handout. Both students and teacher will read and explain what each term means.
On the board, draw an outline of a body.
Tell the students that before they begin writing a letter, there are some things they need to know—namely, the parts that make up the letter.
The first part is the greeting. Next to the head, write “greeting” and explain that a letter begins with a greeting. It’s how we say hello.
Move down to the body. Tell students that a letter must also have a body. The body is where the actual content of the letter is located.
Move down to the feet. Tell students that a letter must have a closing, and the feet are the closing of the letter. It’s how we say goodbye.
POINT OUT similarities between the parts of the letter and the email on page 1 of the You’ve Got Mail Student Handout by comparing how both examples have a header, greeting, body, closing, and signature.
Review what each section means
View sample email outline on smart board. https://www.teachervision.com/educational-technology/parts-email-message
In pairs, students will read the instructions for You’ve Got Mail Student Handout and complete the same.
Discussion ensues.
Remind students that they should always proofread their emails by double-checking their work. They should consider the following five guidelines.
Does the email have …
1. a clear and specific subject line?
2. a greeting, closing and signature?
3. proper capitalization?
4. proper punctuation?
5. correct spelling?
Students will watch PBS Kids’ “Arthur’s Letter Writer Helper: Email” (www.pbskids.org/arthur/ games/letterwriter/email.html) to highlight the different parts of an email.
Remind students to proofread before checking for correct spelling, proper grammar and to ensure that all the part for the email are properly labelled.
Students will compose an email using graphic organizer.
Have each student write to a friend.
In the body of the letter, have each student tell one thing he/she likes about their new school.
Check each students’ sample email for the different parts.
Use this time to assess students’ understanding of how a letter is different from an email.
Allow the students to read their email.