Friendly letter writing can be a fun and engaging topic for young writers. There are many resources and strategies that will help students become confident and skilled letter writers! Check out the list below for just some of the ways to help your class become the best letter writers they can be!
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Step by Step: Teaching Friendly Letter Writing
Plan
BPlan
Teaching the parts of a friendly letter can be fun and easy when you start with engaging, hands-on lessons. In a 2-week long series of Lucky to Learn Writing lessons, students are introduced to the five key parts of a friendly letter through structured activities that build confidence and understanding.
Try these two favorites from week 1:
- Friendly Letter Writing Anchor Chart: Project this for the entire class to see, going over all of the parts of a friendly letter. It would also be useful to hang a copy in a prominent spot in the classroom for the entirety of the unit.
- Friendly Letter Model: After learning about, modeling and reviewing the parts of a friendly letter, it is time to assess student understanding. Use this friendly letter model to see if your class is ready to move onto the next skill.
These activities help students see and practice the parts of a letter before jumping into full writing.
Organize
In Week 2, students take their friendly letter writing to the next level by adding more detail and practicing revision. This week is all about applying their knowledge of letter structure while strengthening their writing with creativity and clarity.
Here are a couple of engaging activities from Week 2:
- Write a Friendly Letter: Now that students are familiar with the parts of a letter, it is time to put those skills to use! Have them write a letter to a classmate, teacher or family member.
- School Supply Sentences: After looking over the letter drafts, you might find they need a little review of punctuation. Try this walk the room activity to get students up out of their seats and hopefully help them finally remember that period.
These activities build a strong foundation for letter writing while allowing students to express themselves more fully and confidently. By incorporating these kinds of interactive, hands-on approaches, you’re helping students become more independent writers who can revise and refine their work with ease.
Resources to Make Letter Writing Engaging
Alright, now that students have worked on the basics, it is time to introduce writing a friendly letter. Here are the next steps to get the letter writing unit off to a great start!
Read & Sing All About It!
A very engaging way to to kickoff any new unit is by using a picture book. Read on for a few teacher-recommended books to help teach letter writing.
Can I be Your Dog?
This cute story is told from the point of view of a stray dog. The pictures show examples of friendly letters.
Dear Mr. Blueberry
This story features imaginative friendly letters written from a student to a teacher. Kids love her tall tales!
Songs
- This first song is karaoke style video only having lyrics but has a familiar tune that is easy to follow along with!
2. Another familiar tune that students will love singing and clapping along with!
Additional Activities
Classroom Mailbox
Give students repeated letter writing practice by creating a classroom mail center. They can write to each other and receive letters, which is sure to boost their day(s).
Grab the ready-made envelope template here.
Make teaching friendly letter writing a breeze—equip yourself and your students with the tools for writing success.
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