|
tions (spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation);
5)write letters using the proper five-part form (address, greeting, body, closing, and signature);
6)learn about soldiers’ lives.
Key Concepts soldier, veteran,letter, letter writing, Memorial Day
Materials Needed ①names and addresses of soldiers obtained from Operation Dear Abby XIV, c/o Universal Press Syndicate, 4900 Main Street, Ninth Floor, Kansas, City, MO 64112. (As advised by Abby, ask local post office clerk to check current postal bulletins regarding soldiers’ addresses.) ②library sources about the countries in which the soldiers are stationed ③pens or pencils ④writing paper ⑤photos of the class (with approval) ⑥envelopes ⑦postage ⑧a large world map ⑨yarn ⑩pushpins (图钉)
Lesson Plan
①Students experience the whole writing process through this letter-writing exercise. They also feel firsthand the impact of showing concern for the well-being of others. They understand the similarities and differences of cultures not their own. They learn why soldiers are away from home. That information clarifies how important it is to learn to resolve unnecessary conflicts among themselves and why schools practice conflict resolution as part of their social skills program. They learn that a little kindness shared with others raises self-esteem. Even though the students and soldiers might come from different backgrounds, they learn that an exercise such as this can help create a more harmonious, productive life for us all; that’s an on-going life lesson. Allow students to choose the name of a soldier to write to. Have students research the country in which the soldier is stationed.
②Ask students to write three questions they would like the soldiers to answer. The questions might relate to the culture, economics, etc., of the country. Model ideas through mapping and demonstrating how to write meaningful questions. Have students share their ideas before writing to help ease "write fright." My kids enjoy this "show-and-tell" part! It helps them see they do have something to say.
③Display and model the proper letter form for students to follow. Ask students to write a first draft of their letters. Letters must include the three questions.
④Then have students peer-edit. Model for them how to politely edit another’s work and to offer positive comments and feedback. Among the questions they might discuss with their peers are Did you use any of your spelling words? action words? interesting words? Direct students to tell what they liked about the letter (e.g., "I like the way you began your paragraph; it made me want to know more"), as well as to offer advice for improving it.
⑤Suggest that students read their first drafts to the class to obtain more input, if they desire.
⑥Collect students’ drafts for editing.
⑦Have students write their final drafts and share them with the class.
⑧Model procedures for writing and addressing envelopes, and verify their accuracy. Suggest that students enclosed class pictures in their letters.
⑨Mail the letters with appropriate postage.
⑩As responses come in, have students track on a world map where the soldiers who responded are located. Use yarn to connect the letters and envelopes to the soldiers’ locations; use pushpins to indicate the locations of soldiers who have yet to respond.
A Foot note: This was a wonderful experience for my third graders. We received letters from men and women and even a captain’s crew (from the USNS Concord cruising around the Mediterranean) thanking us for thinking of them. Some of the children even received candy, gifts (one boy received a stuffed animal from Bosnia with the Bosnian words Greetings from Bosnia), postcards, foreign money, and expressions of gratitude I cannot describe.
Activity Time
N/A
Assessment
Discuss the responses as they arrive. Evaluate students by having students write about what they learned, found interesting, or wondered about regarding the geography, culture, or the soldier.
Lesson Plan Source（教案和教学设计）课件美国小学英语作文教学教案教育资源上一页 [1] [2] [3] [4]
|
