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McClain 1
“How to Mail a Letter”
Instructional Design Project
ILS 575-S70 Instructional Design Principles
Emily McClain
Dr. Hak Joon Kim
Fall 2005
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I. Intent Statement
How to Mail a Letter
The instructional design project, “How to Mail a Letter”, intends to introduce lower
elementary school students to the process of mailing a letter. This task will be achieved by
presenting the students with a forty-five minute lesson accompanied by visual aides and hands on
applications.
The directive will reinforce language arts and social studies standards, and will teach a
basic application of a life skill. It will be given in the classroom where students have access to a
computer with Internet connection and other instructional tools, such as, an LCD and overhead
projector which will facilitate the lesson.
The targeted audience for this lesson is third grade. It can; however, be modified for a
higher or lower learning level. Since the lesson is a verbal, visual, and practical application, it
engages the attention of different learning styles. Additionally, it is appealing simply because
the students are told they are learning a “grown-up” task.
While instructional materials, such as, videos and hard copy text, are readily available for
scribing a letter and envelope, the actual mailing process is an assumed practice that is not often
taught. Although there are websites that briefly overview the mailing procedure, they do not
provide the tactile experience included in this lesson. Students will be introduced to the
formatting of an envelope along with all the necessary materials and supplies, and the steps
needed to complete the directive. Essentially, they learn the task by doing the task.
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II. Analysis of Needs and Goals
Problem Identification
The third grade participated in a “Pen Pal Program”. After extensive instruction in
writing letters, the students drafted a letter to their perspective pen pals. They proceeded to
address their envelopes and mail them without any formal instruction. Several weeks later,
twelve out of fifteen of the correspondences were returned as undeliverable to the school.
When the third grade teacher, Mrs. Burke, examined the envelopes, she noticed many had
incomplete recipient and return addresses. Some did not have the proper ZIP code, and others
were formatted incorrectly.
Mrs. Burke discussed her findings with the students, and made further inquiries as to
why this happened. Several students advised her they had never mailed a letter before and did
not know how to do it. Few indicated they had seen their parents mail a letter and were vaguely
familiar with the process but had never done it on their own.
To determine how much the students knew about mailing a letter, Mrs. Burke conducted
an informal quiz. She asked the students basic questions about addressing an envelope,
placement of the recipient and return address and the stamp. She also asked where letters are put
to be mailed, and how much it cost to mail a letter, postcard, or package. While a few students
answered some questions correctly, the majority answered them incorrectly.
Problem Analysis
Although students may know items to be mailed are placed into the “big blue box”, or
mailed directly through the post office, they do not understand all of the correct procedures for
completing this basic task. They are unaware of the variances in postal rates depending on
different sized and weighted parcels, the correct positioning and placement of postage on an
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envelope, how to accurately prepare an envelope with mailing and return addresses, and the
importance of the inclusion of a ZIP code. Additionally, teaching simple life skills can often be
overlooked throughout a child’s academic career.
Problem Solution
The following options for solving this problem are as follows:
The Pen Pal Program is cancelled; therefore, eliminating the need for students to
address the envelopes.
The teacher addresses all of the envelopes for the students.
A parent addresses the envelope for their child.
An instructional worksheet is drafted and given to the students as a “how-to” guide.
The parents teach their child how to address and mail a letter.
An instructional design is developed to instruct each student to properly address
and mail a letter.
Since Mrs. Burke does not want to eliminate the Pen Pal Program, and she can not
address each envelope for all of her students, another option must be executed. She did ask the
parents what they thought. They indicated they too did not want to have to address each
envelope. They also voiced concern that the envelopes would get lost or misplaced in transit
from school to home and vice versa. Mrs. Burke did consider the “how-to” guide, but was
concerned it would be too difficult for some of her students. She decided the best way to resolve
this problem would be developing an instructional design that would effectively and efficiently
teach the students how to properly address and mail an envelope.
Addressing the deficiency is achieved by allocating a class period to teach the method.
Language arts or social studies are suitable class settings for this lesson. Having the necessary
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supplies, along with grade appropriate instruction is essential and easy enough to accomplish.
Taking the time and effort to create a lesson plan to address the various shortcomings is
obviously helpful to the individual student and can easily be incorporated into the daily
curriculum. Because this lesson is visual and tactile, as well as, aural, it proves to be fun,
enjoyable, and interesting to the students who feel they are learning a “grown-up” skill.
Articulated and Prioritized Goals
The targeted third grade will acquire the aptitude to suitably prepare an envelope for
mailing. Students should come away from the class with a strong sense of accomplishment and
success.
III. Task Analysis
Instructional Design Project
The instructional design project, “How to Mail a Letter” will introduce lower elementary
school students to the process of mailing a letter. This task will be achieved by presenting the
students with a forty-five minute lesson accompanied by visual aides and hands on applications.
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
While all of the faculty and staff at Hop Brook Intermediate School could be considered
veteran mailers, I consulted a third grade parent, Mary Delaney, and one of the third grade
teachers, Heather Burke, as my subject matter experts (SME).
Mrs. Delaney has been an employee of the United States Postal Service for eighteen
years. Because of her expertise, she is extremely knowledgeable with all aspects of the mailing
process. Besides her familiarity with successful mail delivery, Mrs. Delaney also has first hand
experience involving situations where letters were incorrectly prepared for mailing; and thus,
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returned to sender or deemed undeliverable. Therefore, she can aptly provide professional
cognizance to my instructional design on how to properly prepare a parcel for mailing.
Heather Burke has been a third grade teacher for seven years and has worked at Salem
Elementary School for four years. She is very familiar with the learners and can provide first
hand knowledge of the students’ abilities and learning styles. Mrs. Burke will serve as the
instructor for this instructional design project.
Task Inventory
In order to successfully prepare envelopes for mailing, third graders must become
accomplished in the following steps:
1. Secure pen or pencil, paper, envelope, and stamp.
2. Fold the letter and place it in an envelope.
3. Moisten, if necessary, and seal the envelope.
4. Write the name and address of the letter's recipient on the front of the envelope at the
center.
5. Write their name and address in the upper left corner of the envelope.
6. Affix one thirty-seven cent stamp to the envelope.
7. Place the envelope in their mailbox or a US Postal mailbox.
8. Raise the red flag on their mailbox, if there is one, to indicate you have outgoing mail.
Task Selection
After careful consideration, the following steps were deemed necessary to the
instructional objective of mailing a letter.
1. Write the name and address of the letter's recipient on the front of the envelope at the
center.
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2. Write their name and address in the upper left corner of the envelope.
3. Affix one thirty-seven cent stamp to envelope.
4. Place the envelope in their mailbox or a US Postal mailbox.
While the eliminated tasks were important, both SME’s felt they were not essential for classroom
instruction because of time constraints, adult assistance, and prior instruction given to third grade
students.
Task Decomposition and Description
The tasks have been delineated into the subsequent steps:
1. Write the name and address of the letter's recipient on the front of the envelope at the center.
1.1. Students will write first and last name of the letter’s recipient.
1.2. Students will write the street address, including apartment or suite number if appropriate,
on the next line below the name.
1.3. Students will write the city, state, and ZIP code.
2. Write their name and address in the upper left corner of the envelope.
2.1. Students will write their first and last name in the upper left corner of the envelope.
2.2. Students will write their street address, including apartment or suite number if
appropriate, on the next line below the name.
2.3. Students will write their city, state, and ZIP code.
3. Affix one thirty-seven cent stamp to envelope.
3.1. Students will affix stamp in the upper right corner of a standard sized envelope.
4. Place the envelope in their mailbox or a US Postal mailbox.
4.1. Students will be taken to the US Postal mailbox located in front of the school building.
4.2. Students will open the mailbox and insert their envelopes.
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Task Sequence
Pursuant to tutelage, the class has learned the fundamental applications for writing a friendly
letter. The groundwork has consequently been established for the following procedures:
1. Write the name and address of the letter's recipient on the front of the envelope at the
center.
2. Write their name and address in the upper left corner of the envelope.
3. Affix one thirty-seven cent stamp to envelope.
4. Place the envelope in their mailbox or a US Postal mailbox.
Flowchart
The attached is a flowchart designed to illustrate the sequence of the instructional
development.
Classification of Learning Outcomes
The goal of instructing students on the accurate method for mailing a letter was satisfied
by employing the cognitive and motor skill domains of learning outcomes. Students were
required to think through and execute the obligatory steps in order to perform the skill.
IV. Analysis of Learners and Context
Introduction
To effectively and proficiently engage the attention of my intended target audience, it
was essential for me to collect and analyze data to determine what the learning characteristics of
said target audience were. To collect the data, I utilized the following sources:
Random interviews with ten students; five girls and five boys
Interview with Heather Burke, third grade classroom teacher and SME
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Observation of the learners during a language arts and social studies class
Review of student folders which contained pertinent demographic information
Input from Mary Delaney, SME
Once all data was collected, I analyzed it and determined the following.
Learners’ General Characteristics
The learners, eighteen third grade students from Salem Elementary School in Naugatuck,
CT, are an ethnically diverse population of males and females. They range in ages from seven to
nine years old and vary in physical and cognitive abilities. Some students require special
services for speech, physical and occupational therapy, or have a tutor to strengthen deficiencies
in their academics. While the majority of students are from middle class families, there are a few
from the lower end of the socio-economic scale. Some of the parents or guardians are white-
collar professionals, the majority; however, are blue-collar workers. Most students have
academic reinforcement available to them outside of school, those who do not have a school
assigned mentor or tutor.
Learners’ Entry Level Skills
Most of the learners possess primary proficiency in reading and writing. They can
formulate simple paragraphs and comprehend the purpose and format of epistles. Most of the
students have the ability to follow simple directions and work collaboratively with their peers.
All of the students are familiar with first and last names and street addresses. They also
understand the concept of city, state and ZIP code. For those students lacking in aptitude a
paraprofessional is available as an aide in the classroom.
Learning Styles
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As aforementioned, the learning styles or characteristics were decided via critical
analyses of my sources, more specifically the interviews with the students and classroom teacher,
and observation of the students. (See Appendix A and B for interview questions.)
Perceptual preferences
At the third grade level, it is difficult to ascertain how students prefer to learn. While the
findings indicate there is diversity of learning styles, the majority of the instruction given to them
is achieved through step-by-step directives, which also includes the use of visual aids or props
combined with the teacher’s modeling of the lesson. At this juncture, the auditory, visual, and
kinesthetic styles are all employed to engage the learner, and it is imperative to demonstrate the
lesson in a clear and concise manner in order to ensure successful competency for the student.
Motivational factors
All of the students felt the instruction was worthwhile and would command their
attention. They thought it was a relevant life skill they would like to learn, and were confident
they could accomplish the stated goal. The learners were satisfied with the idea of the
stimulating kinesthetic task of learning by doing.
Physiological factors
The majority of the students were enthusiastic about the instruction. The practical
application appealed to them psychologically because they are learning a “grown-up” skill. They
also welcomed the opportunity to work with a guest instructor; it makes them “feel special”.
Some students voiced concerns about knowing the right mailing addresses and what ZIP code to
use.
Information processing habits
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While the students varied in learning styles, their habits are in the incipient stages. They
require repetition in their directives in order to comprehend the instruction. As a teaching is
given, the students practice the directive one step at a time. They process by doing and through
duplication of what is illustrated to them.
Learning Environment
Salem Elementary School was built in 1905. The building is well maintained; however,
it is relatively small and does have some space constraints. It also lacks some modern
technological conveniences, such as, classroom computers, LCD projectors, TV’s and VCR’s,
commonly available in many schools. Since the school does not have a classroom computer or
an LCD projector, they are being borrowed from a sister school, Hop Brook Intermediate, for the
instruction.
The instruction will primarily take place in the learners’ classroom. It is centrally
located on the second floor of the building, and is spacious enough to conduct a lecture or to
have the students work in cooperative groups. There are ample desks for the students to work, a
screen with overhead projector, and a large whiteboard to assist with visual presentations. The
room is well organized, has adequate lighting, and is conducive to learning. Since the exterior of
the building is brick and is not air-conditioned, the temperature of the room can elevate. There
are; however, several windows to counter this effect.
While the students are in the room, the classroom teacher and a paraprofessional are in
attendance. They are accommodating and available to assist with the instruction. They plan on
giving a subsequent lesson on mailing a thank you correspondence.
The final part of the lesson will be conducted outside the building at a US Postal mailbox,
which is situated in proximity to the school. There is an area of grass to the right of the box
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where students can safely stand or sit and listen to the last part of the instruction. When they
approach the mailbox to mail their letter, they will proceed in pairs to ensure safety.
Performance Environment
The learners will have the opportunity to utilize their new knowledge and skills in their
follow-up lesson when they send thank you letters. Although the students may not realize it, this
is a life-skill, which will become a commonplace occurrence for them. Whether it is a
correspondence or remittance, everyone must know how to mail a parcel.
V. Performance Objectives
Instructional Goal
Third grade students at Salem Elementary School will be able to prepare and mail an
envelope.
Terminal Objective
Given correspondence supplies, third grade students will prepare and mail an envelope
consistent with US postal guidelines.
Enabling Objective 1
Given an envelope and recipient’s mailing address, third grade students will write the
address on the front of an envelope at the center using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 1A
Given the recipient’s name, third grade students will write it on the first line of the
mailing address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 1B
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Given the recipient’s street address, third grade students will write it on the
second line of the mailing address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 1C
Given the recipient’s city, state and ZIP code, third grade students will write it on
the third line of the mailing address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 2
Given their return address, third grade students will write their address in the upper left
hand corner of the envelope using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 2A
Given the student’s name, third grade students will write it on the first line of the
return address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 2B
Given the student’s street address, third grade students will write it on the second
line of the return address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 2C
Given the student’s city, state and ZIP code, third grade students will write it on
the third line of the return address using standard letter format.
Enabling Objective 3
Given a stamp third grade students will affix it to the upper right hand corner of the
envelope according to US Postal regulations.
Enabling Objective 4
Given a mailbox, third grade students will insert finished envelopes with 100% accuracy.
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VI. Performance Measurement
Introduction
To evaluate the learners’ progress and the instructional quality of “How to Mail a Letter”
instructional design project, the following performance assessments will be utilized: a pretest,
embedded test, posttest, and an assessment questionnaire. The pretest, embedded test, and the
posttest are criterion-referenced tests (CRTs).
Pretest
A pretest will be used to determine prerequisite skills and to provide a base line to
compare with posttest results. The Appendix A- Learners Analysis questionnaire equally serves
as the pretest and provides the information necessary for determining the third grade students’
entry skills for the lesson. It will also serve as a basis of comparison for the overall assessment of
mastery of the design project.
Embedded Test
An embedded test (CRT) based on performance will be used to determine if the enabling
objectives have been accomplished and to prevent progression from one objective to another
before mastery. Because the instruction is designed as a visual and tactile lesson, the learners are
assessed as the class proceeds. Each step of the instruction is viewed and corrected by the teacher
and aide for each student before they can proceed to the next step, thus ensuring task mastery. As
each task is performed the teacher is able to ascertain task achievement, consequently each task
proves to be a valid and reliable testing criterion. For example, correct positioning of the
recipient’s name and address (Enabling Objective1) is successfully accomplished before the
return address (Enabling Objective2) is attempted.
Posttest
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A posttest will be used to determine students’ progress and to verify that the terminal
objective has been achieved. The learners will have prepared and physically inserted a parcel in a
nearby US Postal mailbox. The learners will utilize their new knowledge and skills in a follow-
up lesson when they send thank you letters. The following is a rubric assessing learners’ mastery
of the follow-up lesson:
How to Mail a Letter Rubric
Use the descriptions in each of the columns to determine how successful a student was in
completing the assigned task. As indicated, the assessment is based on a four point scale;
four the highest and one the lowest. Write the achieved score for each category in the last
box of each row. Then tally each individual score to get the total score achieved.
Score Recipient’s Return Stamp Insertion
Address Address Placement of letter
into US
Postal Box
4 Excellent Name, Name, Stamp Successful
address, address, positioned insertion
and ZIP and ZIP in upper into
code; 3 out code; 3 out left corner mailbox
of 3 correct of 3 correct of
all correct all correct envelope
3 Good Name, Name, Stamp near Success
address, address, upper left with little
and ZIP and ZIP corner difficulty
code; 2 of code; 2 of
the 3 are the 3 are
correct correct
2 Fair Name, Name, Stamp in Success
address, address, the middle with
and ZIP and ZIP of moderate
code; 1 out code; 1 out envelope difficulty
of 3 correct of 3 correct
1 Poor Name, Name, Stamp Not
address, address, incorrectly successful
and ZIP and ZIP placed on
code; 0 out code; 0 out the
of 3 correct of 3 correct envelope
Score*
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*To get a total score, please add the score for each of the completed objectives. To compute
the grades divide the total score by 16.
Instructional Project Assessment Questionnaire
An overall instructional assessment will be used as feedback for the instructor and to
ascertain if any modifications or revisions need to be made. The following questionnaire will be
given to the students upon completion of the instruction. The survey is based on a one through
five grading scale; one being the best and five the worst, and is intended for the third grade
learner. There will also be space for student comments.
Student Questionnaire
Please answer the following questions about the “How to Mail a Letter” project. Please be
honest and answer the questions the best you can.
1. How did you like the project, “How to Mail a Letter”?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
2. Did you think it was important to learn how to mail a letter?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
3. Did you like how the materials were presented?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
4. Were the directions clear and easy to understand?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
5. Did you have enough time to complete each step?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
6. Was the teacher helpful in answering your questions?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
7. Do you feel confident you can mail a letter on your own?
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Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
Please provide any comments or things you would like to add about the lesson here.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
VII. Instructional Strategy
Introduction
The instructional strategy component of an instructional design details how instruction
will be given and how the instruction will engage the learners.(Dick, Cary, and Carey, 2005,
183). The implementation of my instructional design project along with connecting the learners
to the lesson is as follows:
Pre-instructional Activities
Motivating the learners
The learner’s motivation is based on John Keller’s ARCS model (190). Two days
prior to my instruction, I will visit my third grade learners and present them with the idea of
corresponding with their family and friends through the mail and exhibit letters I received in the
mail. I will captivate the student’s attention by explaining to them that they are going to learn a
“grown-up” skill. The relevance for them is this is a life skill. Because this is an achievable
goal, their confidence is heightened and their satisfaction is attained.
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Informing the learners of objectives
I will inform my learners they will learn how to properly prepare an envelope for
mailing, and they will have a “field trip” to the U.S. Postal box located outside of the school
building into which they will insert their letters for mailing.
Informing the learner’s of prerequisite skills
I will inform the learners the information they need in order to complete this task
is their full name, mailing address including the ZIP code. After an overview of the entry-level
behaviors has been given and based on the assumption the learners possess the necessary skills in
order to proceed because of the pretest results, the lesson will commence.
Information Presentation
Prior to the implementation of the lesson the students will view a PowerPoint
presentation illustrating the instruction. The learners need to be presented with information about
the placement of the mailing and return addresses and the stamp. The students will be instructed
on the difference between the sender and receiver of the parcel. Foremost is the recipient’s
address and its placement on the center of the envelope. Secondary is the return address, which is
in fact their own, and its placement in the upper left corner of the envelope. And finally is the
affixing of the stamp in the upper right corner of the envelope. The learners will be given
examples of the preceding information via the overhead projector
Learner participation
The learners are given envelopes on which to practice. The instructor displays the
recipient’s address via the overhead projector. The students are then asked to write it on the
center of the envelope. When this is completed the class will share their results and receive class
and teacher feedback. This is followed with instruction on the return address and the learner
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writing it on the envelope, which is again followed with sharing of individual results. After
successful completion of this task the final step is taught and the students place the stamp on
their envelopes. Feedback is given to individual participants after each of these steps is finalized.
An instructional aide will be present to assist the teacher during the lesson.
Testing
As previously stated the following testing applies.
Pretest
A pretest will be administered prior to instruction to determine prerequisite skills and to
provide a base line to compare with posttest results. The Appendix A- L earners Analysis
questionnaire equally serves as the pretest and provides the information necessary for
determining the third grade students’ entry skills for the lesson. It will also serve as a basis of
comparison for the overall assessment of mastery of the design project.
Embedded test
An embedded test will be performed as the class proceeds. Each step of the instruction is
viewed and corrected for each student by the teacher and aide before they can proceed to the next
step, thus ensuring task mastery. As each task is performed the teacher is able to ascertain task
achievement, consequently each task proves to be a valid and reliable testing criterion.
Posttest
A posttest will be used to determine students’ progress and to verify that the objective has
been achieved. The learners will have prepared and physically inserted a parcel in a nearby US
Postal mailbox. The test will be administered during the follow-up lesson.
Follow-up activities
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The third grade students will follow up the instruction by writing and sending a thank you
letter to a local business. The classroom teacher will conduct the lesson. Student mastery will be
assessed at this time using the How to Mail a Letter Rubric.
Student Groupings
The students will work independently as the instruction will be presented to them as a
whole. Social interaction will be employed when feedback and discussion occur.
Selection of media and delivery systems
I am the delivery system for the duration of this lesson. I will; however, employ the use
of a PowerPoint presentation and an overhead projector with transparencies. This is an ideal
venue at the third grade level because of the inclination to relate to their instructor on a personal
level.
VIII. Instructional Materials
Developing instructional materials
Availability of instructional materials
Other than www.EHow.com, How to Mail a Letter, available instructional materials are
not suitable for the objectives set forth. The instructional design team, which includes the
SME’s, Mary Delaney and Heather Burke, and the instructional designer, Emily McClain, will
create their own.
Treatment
Initially, during a language arts period, the third grade teacher will explain to the learners
the goal of the lesson. A brief PowerPoint presentation (see attached lesson PowerPoint) will be
shown to the third grade learners in their classroom as a visual format for the lesson utilizing the
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computer and the LCD projector borrowed from Hop Brook Intermediate School. Each slide will
contain instructional text and graphics.
Subsequently, the instructor and aide will distribute the necessary materials, envelopes
and stamps, to the students and then use the overhead projector and lesson script ( see Appendix
C- Instructor’s Guide) to provide step-by-step directions for the lesson prior to their performing
each task at their desks. Finally, the students will be escorted to a US Postal box located outside
of the building and will be shown how to properly insert a parcel.
IX. Formative Evaluation
Introduction
To determine if the instructional design of “How to Mail a Letter” was successful, a
formative evaluation of the instruction needed to be conducted. The formative evaluation is
completed during the design process with a sampling of the target audience, and is intended to
identify any strength or weaknesses in the instructional design materials. While there are four
stages in a typical formative evaluation; formative evaluation of an outside subject matter expert,
one-to-one evaluation, small group evaluation, and a field trail, this instructional design includes
only the one-to-one and small group evaluation.
In order to obtain students for the evaluations, I asked the third grade teacher, Heather
Burke, to provide me with students who vary in learning abilities. Since her class is the intended
target audience, she recruited students from the other third grade class as these students have the
same learner characteristics. In order to verify their academic levels she conferred with the other
third grade teacher concerning their grades and classroom performance. Mrs. Burke based her
choice of recruits on her colleague’s assessment of their performance level. The student were
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deemed above average, average, and below average based on report card grades. Standardized
tests could not be used as they are not administered until the third quarter of the school year at
the third grade level.
One-to-One Evaluation
During the one-to one evaluation, I worked with three students, all boys. As stated, they
were representative of the target audience, and had varied learning abilities; above average,
average, and below average. Before we began, I encouraged the students to relax, and invited
them to freely comment or ask questions during the lesson. Since I had worked with these
students before, and we were familiar with one another, I felt confident they would do so. I
began with the average student first, then the below average, and lastly the above average in the
media center, which is not the intended work environment, but the only available area to conduct
the evaluations.
For each student I began Appendix A- Learner’s Analysis and a motivational introduction
to the lesson. I advised them of the instructional goal. They previewed the PowerPoint
presentation. I went through each of the terminal and enabling objectives in sequence using the
overhead projector and verbal instruction. They performed each task as demonstrated. I invited
questions throughout the trial run. The following is a detailed description of my findings:
Clarity
All three of the students clearly understood the objective of the lesson. They eagerly
welcomed the opportunity to learn a grown-up skill. Each student was able to complete the
pretest with ease, and provided positive input about learning the instruction. As I showed the
PowerPoint Presentation, each learner was interested and especially impressed with the “high-
tech” application. They understood the overall concept of it, but had difficulty with the
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following three vocabulary terms: recipient, affix and return address. They also indicated they
would like real pictures instead of the clip art I used.
The next step, the embedded test, which is the actual instruction, went relatively well.
All students mastered the objectives, but with some assistance. One learner had difficulty
centering the recipient’s mailing address, and he wrote his letters so large there was hardly
enough space for him to write his return address. Two had difficulty writing their return address
in the appropriate format. One student was confused about his left and right when affixing the
stamp, and the other two were able to do it with complete success. Incidentally, all the learners
made an error with a task. Therefore, I believe the learning levels are irrelevant in this particular
instruction.
The last segment of this instruction is taking the children to the US Postal mailbox and
having them insert their letters into it. All of them completed this task with ease and enthusiasm.
They especially enjoyed being outside of school.
Lastly, I administered the student assessment of the lesson which is the Student
Questionnaire. Each student completed it with enthusiasm, and indicated it was “quick and
easy” to do and understand. They provided positive feedback, and gave the lesson a high rating.
One student wrote a comment stating “he was going to use his new skill to write to Derek Jeter”,
and another stated “this was fun”.
Impact
The impact on the learners was very positive. They were all interested and pleased about
the instruction, and expressed the desire to use the application on their own. The students clearly
grasped the content of the instruction and understood the importance of knowing how to mail a
letter. The students indicated the PowerPoint presentation was especially helpful as it was a
McClain 24
good introduction to what they would be doing and learning. They also liked the actual hands-on
task of addressing the envelope and affixing the stamp. They left with a real sense of satisfaction
having learned a “grown-up” skill.
Feasibility
The instruction was entirely feasible for the one-to-one evaluations. Each learner was
able to master the objective, and completed the tests within the allotted period of forty-five
minutes. The students were comfortable in the evaluation environment, and indicated this lesson
would be great in their classroom as well. The resources are readily available, and are relatively
inexpensive to purchase. The school principal has agreed to purchase all of the supplies.
Considering all, this lesson was a success as it presented the students with the knowledge to
perform a basic life skill.
Small Group
Before I conducted my small group evaluations, I made the following revisions in my
design:
I replaced the clip art in my PowerPoint presentation with photographs.
I changed the verbiage the learners did not understand.
I reviewed right and left with the small group of learners.
I explained the need for the students to write small enough to fit all the
information on the front of the envelope.
I gave all the students an identical return address to use.
The small group evaluation was conducted with nine students; four boys and five girls.
All were representative of the target audience. Two were below average learners, five were
average and two were above average. Since this was a “dress rehearsal”, I had the third grade
McClain 25
teacher, Heather Burke, administer the lesson using Appendix C- Instructor’s Guide. I acted
solely as an observer during this process. This evaluation also took place in the media center for
reasons previously stated. Since all of the students were familiar with Mrs. Burke, they were
relaxed and eager to get to work. She gave a brief introduction to my instructional design and
began the lesson. The following is a detailed description of my findings:
Pretest
All nine of the students completed the pretest with confidence. Most of them were
enthusiastic about answering the questions. Two complained of the length of the questionnaire.
One was not as interested as the others, but was willing to try. The pretest was completed within
five minutes. The final results indicated all students possessed the skills and interest to complete
the instruction.
Embedded Test
The embedded test is the actual instruction itself. The revised PowerPoint presentation
was shown. All the students responded positively, and commented they clearly understood the
task to follow. Four students made specific comments about the photographs I used; they found
them to be clear and helpful.
The next step was the actual hands-on instruction. Before Mrs. Burke began the lesson,
she reminded the students to write neatly and small enough to fit all the information on the front
of the envelope. She also reviewed the concept of left and right. As each student completed the
tasks, the instructor walked around the room to review each student’s performance to ensure
mastery of each enabling objective. The first task was writing the recipient’s name and address.
All of the students mastered this objective. Three students; however, wrote too big leaving little
McClain 26
room for their return address. One student confused the street address with the city, state, and
ZIP code. Before proceeding to the next step, Mrs. Burke had him correct his mistake.
The second phase was writing the return address. This time, the student’s were all given
the school’s address as their return address. This went remarkable well as all students mastered
this objective with no assistance at all. They all remembered to position it in the upper left hand
corner, and the three line concept of an address. Mrs. Burke just had to reiterate the need to
write small enough to fit everything.
Next, the students affixed the stamp in the upper right corner of the envelope. All of the
students mastered this task. Three students; however, affixed their stamps upside down. None
of them had difficulty remembering the placement of the stamp. For some, it was the only place
left to put the stamp…
Lastly, Mrs. Burke took the learners to the US Postal mailbox. They all inserted their
envelopes into the box with ease. The only complaint I heard during this phase was that they
were going back inside once they completed the task. They all enjoyed the “mini” field trip.
Student Assessments
The assessment of the lesson was administered immediately after the “mini” field trip.
Since the students just came in from the outside, they were overly excited and difficult to calm
down. It took Mrs. Burke several minutes to do so. Once the students were settled, they took the
posttest. They all responded very candidly to the questions, and indicated how useful the
instruction was. One student indicated he “was going to write to his grandmother in Florida”,
and another stated he “was going to write to the President”. One girl felt the instruction was
“just perfect”. Six of the students indicated they could do this task again on their own. One
McClain 27
student noted he would like more time to do each task, and Mrs. Burke had moved “very fast”
through the instruction.
Attitude
The assessment clearly reveals the learners positive attitude towards the instruction.
They were all enthusiastic and eager to participate in my instructional design project. They all
recognized the importance of learning this life skill, and were pleased to have achieved mastery
within one class period. Their self confidence was heightened because of task mastery. A few
indicated they were going to share what they learned with their families at dinner.
Instructor’s Attitude
Mrs. Burke was also an eager and enthusiastic participant during this instruction. She felt
was PowerPoint presentation was clear and concise. She liked my revision from clip art to
photographs. She felt forty-five minutes was more than adequate to complete the instruction.
Because of the student’s motivation and excitement about the lesson, she stated it “made it easy
to teach the lesson”. Mrs. Burke suggested I add an exercise on the pretest to provide the
students with practice on writing small. Mrs. Burke felt the media center was a great place to
conduct the lesson. Because of lighting issues, she taught it might even be better than her
classroom.
Feasibility
Again, this lesson proves to be highly feasible. It is relatively inexpensive to conduct,
includes a free “mini” field trip, and can be completed within one class period. It also provides
the means and know how for the students to begin corresponding with the friends and family. It
is a lead-in lesson for writing friendly letters and brief notes, such as, thank you’s, which are
included in the language arts curriculum at the third grade level.
McClain 28
The media center was a great location to conduct this lesson. It is spacious, has
sufficient lighting, and is easily accessible. Based on Mrs. Burke’s recommendation, if
available, we will conduct the instruction with the target third grade learners here.
McClain 29
Appendix A- Learner’s Analysis
1. Have you ever mailed a letter before?
2. If not, are you interested in learning how to mail a letter?
3. Do you think it is important to learn how to mail a letter?
4. Have you seen your parents mail a letter?
5. Would you like to learn something they know how to do?
6. Do you know your mailing address?
7. Can you write your mailing address?
8. Do you know there are different ZIP codes?
9. Do you like when your teacher gives you step-by-step directions?
10. Do you like to do hands on experiments?
11. Do you like to see things written on the board or overhead or do you prefer to listen to
your teacher?
12. Do you like to work in a group or with a partner?
13. Do you prefer to work alone?
14. Do you mind if someone other than Mrs. Burke teaches you to?
15. How confident do you feel about learning to mail a letter?
16. Will you be upset if you make a mistake?
17. Will you give up or try again?
McClain 30
Appendix B- Teacher Questionnaire
1. How do you conduct most of your instruction?
2. Do the students work well together or do they prefer to work independently?
3. Will they respond well to me teaching them?
4. Should I employ the use of visual aides?
5. Do the students like hands on activities?
6. Do the students give up easily?
7. Are they enthusiastic about learning?
8. Do the students follow directions well?
9. Do the students prefer all directions at once or step-by-step instructions?
10. Can the students read and write?
11. Do they know their mailing addresses?
12. Are there any major problems I should be aware of?
McClain 31
Appendix C- Instructor’s Guide
How to Mail a Letter
Instructor’s guide
McClain 32
Introduction
This instructional design, How to Mail a Letter, intends to teach third grade students to
prepare and mail a letter. This task will be achieved by presenting the students with a forty-five
minute lesson accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and hands on application and a field
trip to a US Postal mailbox.
Instructional Goal
Third grade students will successfully prepare and mail an envelope.
Overview
The lesson includes a PowerPoint presentation, a visual prop, and step by step hands on
instruction.(see Lesson Script) The students know their addresses and ZIP codes and. are given
all necessary supplies to complete the task. The PowerPoint presentation is shown first followed
by the teacher’s instruction. Lastly, the students are taken to the US Postal mailbox and shown
how to insert their letters.
Pre-instruction activity
A pretest will be used to determine prerequisite skills and to provide a base line to
compare with posttest results. The Appendix A- Learners Analysis questionnaire equally serves
as the pretest and provides the information necessary for determining the third grade students’
entry skills for the lesson. It will also serve as a basis of comparison for the overall assessment of
mastery of the instruction. Two days prior to the lesson the teacher will motivate the students
by introducing the concept of correctly mailing letters to them and explaining the usefulness of
the task and the ease with which mastery can be attained. In addition, a pretest is conducted in
the learners’ classroom. Each student receives a copy of the pretest to complete at their desk. The
McClain 33
test is administered and evaluated by the instructor to ascertain the students’ readiness for the
lesson.
Motivational and pre-instructional script
(Teacher enthusiastically states) Today, boys and girls, we are going to talk about
learning a “grown-up” skill. Have you ever mailed a letter? Have you ever received a letter?
Did you enjoy it? Have you ever placed a letter in a mailbox? How do you think the letter finds
its way to the right place? We will be doing this the day after tomorrow. Right now, we are
going to answer a few questions I prepared for you. Please don’t worry if you answer the
questions incorrectly, you will not be graded on this.
(Teacher proceeds to hand out Appendix A- Learner’s Analysis. Students complete
questionnaire. Teacher collects them and evaluates them over the next two days in preparation
of the lesson.)
Lesson Preparation
For this lesson the following are needed:
Stamp and envelope for each student
Computer and LCD projector
Lesson PowerPoint presentation
Overhead projector and transparencies
Lesson script
The lesson script should be used as a guide to state the objective of the lesson and to
conduct the lesson.
How to Mail a Letter
McClain 34
(Teacher enthusiastically poses questions to students and invites students to respond with
their experiences. Teacher clearly informs the students of the lesson objective.)
Remember we talked about the grown-up skill we are going to learn today. Today our
goal is to learn the right way to properly address and mail an envelope. We will watch a brief
presentation that will show you what you are going to do. Please pay attention to the steps you
will be performing. After the presentation, I am going to give each of you an envelope and a
stamp for your letter. Let’s watch the show! (Teacher presents Lesson PowerPoint presentation)
(Teacher hands out envelopes and stamps to each student.) Now we are going to perform
each of the tasks we have just seen. (Teacher uses the overhead with transparencies to illustrate
each enabling objective.) Please look at your envelope and notice there are two sides, one plain
and one with a flap. The plain side is the one we will use. (Teacher displays each line of the
recipient’s address on the overhead while instructing.) The three lines in the center have what
you will write in the center of your envelope. This is called the mailing address. It is the name
and address of the person who will receive the letter. The first line has the person’s first and last
name. The second line has the person’s street address. The third line is the person’s city, state,
and ZIP code. Please copy the address now onto your envelope. (Teacher walks around the room
checking and correcting each student’s work) Great work, class! The next step is called the
return address. (Teacher displays each line of the return address on the overhead while
instructing.) That is the sender’s address. You are the sender of the letter. You can see it is
written the upper left corner of the envelope. Remember you name is on the first line, your street
address is on the second line, and your city, state ,and ZIP code are on the third line. (Teacher
walks around the room checking students’ progress) Excellent, class! We are almost finished
with our lesson. The final step is the placement of the stamp on the upper right corner of the
McClain 35
envelope. (Teacher displays a properly placed stamp on the overhead while instructing.) Be sure
to place your stamp right side up, not upside down. Place your stamps now, please. (Teacher
checks and corrects envelopes) Well class, now it is time to practice mailing our letters in a US
Postal box. (Teacher escorts student to mailbox demonstrating proper insertions into the box)
Follow-up activity
A posttest will be used to determine students’ progress and to verify the instructional goal
has been achieved. The learners will have prepared and physically inserted a parcel in a nearby
US Postal mailbox. The learners will utilize their new knowledge and skills in a follow-up lesson
when they send thank you letters to a local business. The following is a rubric assessing the
learners’ mastery of the follow-up lesson:
How to Mail a Letter Rubric
Use the descriptions in each of the columns to determine how successful a student was in
completing the assigned task. As indicated, the assessment is based on a four point scale;
four the highest and one the lowest. Write the achieved score for each category in the last
box of each row. Then tally each individual score to get the total score achieved.
Score Recipient’s Return Stamp Insertion
Address Address Placement of letter
into US
Postal Box
4 Excellent Name, Name, Stamp Successful
address, address, positioned insertion
and ZIP and ZIP in upper into
code; 3 out code; 3 out left corner mailbox
of 3 correct of 3 correct of
all correct all correct envelope
3 Good Name, Name, Stamp near Success
address, address, upper left with little
and ZIP and ZIP corner difficulty
code; 2 of code; 2 of
the 3 are the 3 are
correct correct
McClain 36
2 Fair Name, Name, Stamp in Success
address, address, the middle with
and ZIP and ZIP of moderate
code; 1 out code; 1 out envelope difficulty
of 3 correct of 3 correct
1 Poor Name, Name, Stamp Not
address, address, incorrectly successful
and ZIP and ZIP placed on
code; 0 out code; 0 out the
of 3 correct of 3 correct envelope
Score*
*To get a total score, please add the score for each of the completed objectives. To compute
the grades divide the total score by 16.
Instructional Project Assessment Questionnaire
An overall instructional assessment will be used as feedback for the instructor and to
ascertain if any modifications or revisions need to be made. The following questionnaire will be
given to the students upon completion of the instruction. The survey is based on a one through
five grading scale; one being the best and five the worst, and is intended for the third grade
learner. There will also be space for student comments.
Student Questionnaire
Please answer the following questions about the “How to Mail a Letter” project. Please be
honest and answer the questions the best you can.
8. How did you like the project, “How to Mail a Letter”?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
9. Did you think it was important to learn how to mail a letter?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
10. Did you like how the materials were presented?
Very much Not at all
McClain 37
1 2 3 4 5
11. Were the directions clear and easy to understand?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
12. Did you have enough time to complete each step?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
13. Was the teacher helpful in answering your questions?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
14. Do you feel confident you can mail a letter on your own?
Very much Not at all
1 2 3 4 5
Please provide any comments or things you would like to add about the lesson here.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Project Assessment script
(Teacher congratulates the students for achieving the lesson objective, and asks the
students to do one more thing. Teacher advises the students that their input is important and that
it would be appreciated if they complete one last set of questions. Questionnaire is handed out to
the students. Once they complete it, the teacher collects it. Teacher evaluates student’s
assessment of the lesson.)
McClain 38
Appendix A-Student Questionnaire
18. Have you ever mailed a letter before?
19. If not, are you interested in learning how to mail a letter?
20. Do you think it is important to learn how to mail a letter?
21. Have you seen your parents mail a letter?
22. Would you like to learn something they know how to do?
23. Do you know your mailing address?
24. Can you write your mailing address?
25. Do you know there are different ZIP codes?
26. Do you like when your teacher gives you step-by-step directions?
27. Do you like to do hands on experiments?
28. Do you like to see things written on the board or overhead or do you prefer to listen to
your teacher?
29. Do you like to work in a group or with a partner?
30. Do you prefer to work alone?
31. Do you mind if someone other than Mrs. Burke teaches you to?
32. How confident do you feel about learning to mail a letter?
33. Will you be upset if you make a mistake?
34. Will you give up or try again?
McClain 39
Works Cited
Dick, Walter, Lou Carey, and James O. Carey. The Systematic Design of Instruction. Boston:
Pearson, 2005.
How to Mail a Letter. 2005. eHow. 28 Sept. 2005. http://www.ehow.com/how_2995_mail-
letter.html.
National Postal Museum. 2005. Smithsonian Institute. 29 Sept. 2005.
http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/museum/1_museum.html.
