Ugly Gift Thank You Letters

							                      Title: “Ugly” Gift Thank You Letters
                      Posted by: Lori Hashimoto

Grade Level(s): 2-4

Choose All That Apply:
          Traits                         Forms                          Process
x Ideas                        Recount                     x    Pre-write
x Organization                 Narrative                   x    Drafting
x Word Choice                  Procedure                        Revision
x Sentence Fluency             Report                           Editing
x Voice                      x Exposition
  Conventions                  Poetry

Learning Target(s):
    Students will write a thank you letter for an unwanted gift.
    Students will include 5 elements of a friendly letter in their writing.
       (date, greeting, body, closing, signature)
GLEs:
The student develops ideas and organizes writing.
The student writes in a variety of forms/genres (letter writing).
The student adapts writing for a variety of audiences.

Evidence of Learning:
    pre-write/final draft contain 5 components of a friendly letter

      body includes purpose for letter, description of gift, a compliment, potential use , “chit-
       chat (news/special thought).

Materials:
2 or 3 “ugly” gifts - brought in by teacher
        OR
students can bring in an “ugly” gift from home; swap with a peer

thank you pre write form
paper and pencil
document camera and/or laptop with Kidspiration program

Modeled Lesson:
1.Talk about odd or useless gifts that you or your students may have received. Talk about the
need to show appreciation for every gift no matter what and that the point of any gift is the
thought behind it. Purpose of the lesson is to practice writing a thank you for an “ugly” gift.

2. Introduce the pre-write form for a thank you letter, briefly describing each component.
3. Teacher and students write a sample letter together using the pre write form and a sample
ugly gift. Write on the pre-write form under the document camera or using an electronic form
(i.e. Kidspiration).
Guided/Independent Practice:

Students write their own “ugly Gift” thank you notes
       a) using the thank you pre-write to help them form their ideas
       b) then writing a final draft.

Students will include the 5 elements of a friendly letter in their thank you letter
1. Date 2. Greeting 3. Body (3 elements) 4. Closing 5. Signature



Closure:
Students can share their letters with the class.
Discuss if their letters sound sincere and believable, yet truthful.
Discuss if the 5 elements of a friendly letter are present.


Sources:
http://www.highlightsteachers.com/archives/resources/how_to_write_an_ugly_thank_you_note.h
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Attachments (student work, samples, etc.):
Ugly Gift Thank You Pre-write