Graphic Organizer For A Pen Pal Letter – 5Th Grade

Jennifer Hodges

Graphic Organizer for a pen pal letter – 5th grade My written model of a graphic organizer for a pen pal letter

Explanation of Genre Explain to students that pen pal letters are friendly letters that tell someone you don’t know all about you and what life is like where you live. In return, your pen pal does the same thing. Also explain that a graphic organizer helps us come up with ideas to write about.

Explanation of resources and students’ specific writing assignment Show students the format of the graphic organizer that they will be using and explain that the center of the picture has a blank for “my name,” because that is who what we are writing about, and that coming off of the picture center circle are three boxes labeled “about me,” “about my family,” and “questions.” Lines are drawn in each of these boxes for filling in the required information. The students will be asked to tell at least four things about themselves, four things about their families, and to come up with four questions to ask their new pen pal. Teacher will also explain that the students have pen pals to write to, and that the letters will be sent out!

Using my written model as a model during instruction The teacher will show the students her model of a graphic organizer for a pen pal letter and point out all of the required parts of the graphic organizer.

Practice activity The teacher will use the shared pen technique and will come up with ideas, with the students help, of information to tell the teacher’s pen pal about herself, information to share about the teacher’s family, and questions that the teacher should ask her pen pal.

Assessment activity Students will fill out the graphic organizer about themselves, giving at least four pieces of information in each category.

Editing the revised copy of a pen pal letter – 5th grade My written model of an edited copy of a pen pal letter

Explanation of Genre Remind students that pen pal letters are friendly letters that tell someone you don’t know all about you and what life is like where you live. Explain to students that editing a paper consists of correcting mechanical errors that have been made on a paper.

Explanation of resources and students’ specific writing assignment Show students the different editor’s marks that can be made to correct a paper. Students will be asked to edit their own papers using editor’s marks and remembering to check the revisions that they have made in their papers for mechanical errors.

Using my written model as a model during instruction The teacher will show the students her model of an edited version of a pen pal letter. The teacher will point out the required elements of and edited paper.

Practice Activity The teacher will use the shared pen technique for student involvement in editing the class copy of the pen pal letter. The teacher will model the correct use of the editor’s marks.

Assessment Activity The students will edit their own revised copies of their pen pal letters, using the correct editor’s marks and remembering to edit the revised parts of their letters as well. Jennifer Hodges

E-pals Dedicated to connecting teachers and students to children across the world. It even has an instant translator, so you can talk to people who speak different languages. http://www.epals.com Jennifer Hodges

Name: ______

Graphic Organizer: Pen Pal Letters

Directions: Fill in each box with the information wanted.

Other things Questions for my pen pal: that I want my 1.______pen pal to ______know: ______2.______3.______4.______My Name: ______

About me About my family: 1.______1.______2.______2.______3.______3.______4.______4.______