Instructor:

Kathleen Belvedere
Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

How to Write a Improper Letter Harris and Me

TITLE

Lesson
Plan

Guiding Question: How do I properly write a friendly letter in the voice of

the narrator from Harris and Me, drawing on textual support?

DURATION

Three Classes (60 min. Each)

TEXT(S)

Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen

MATERIALS

Notebook, Pencil, and Prezi Presentation

SUBJECT AREA
LEVEL

English Language Arts

Secondary
Cycle One
-

PROGRAM CONTENT

Year 1 (Gr. 7)
Year 2 (Gr. 8)

Secondary
Cycle Two

Year 1 (Gr. 9)

Year 3 (Gr. 11)

Year 2 (Gr. 10)

Constructing Knowledge of How Things Are Done

Researching
- Affordances of Genres

Students will be able to:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
-

After the first leaning activity, students will be able to discuss different significant
moments from Harris and Me and draw on their significance.
After the second learning activity students will know how to write and format their
very own improper letter.
After the final learning task students will be able to write their own letter in the
voice of the narrator from Harris and Me and draw on the significant moments
from the novel in their writing.

Secondary
Cycle One

Competency 1. Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn

Competency 2. Represents her/his literacy in different media
Competency 3. Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts

SUBJECT-SPECIFIC
COMPETENCIES

Competency 4. Writes a variety of genres for personal and social purposes

Secondary
Cycle Two

Competency 1. Uses language/talk to communicate and to learn

Competency 2. Reads and listens to written, spoken and media texts
Competency 3. Produces texts for personal and social purposes

CROSS-CURRICULAR
COMPETENCIES

Competency 1. Uses information

Competency 6. Uses ICT

Competency 2. Solves problems

Competency 7. Achieves his/her potential

Competency 3. Exercises critical judgment

Competency 8. Cooperates with others

Competency 4. Uses creativity

Competency 5. Adopts effective work methods

Competency 9. Communicates
appropriately

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

BROAD AREA
OF LEARNING

Health and Well-Being

Personal and
Career Planning

CLASS
PERIOD &
DURATION
CLASS # 1
20 Min. for
Activity

Environmental Awareness /
Consumer Rights and
Responsibilities

Media Literacy
Citizenship and
Community Life

LESSON PLAN
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1: Discussion on Harris and Me

We are currently reading the novel Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen in class. The
novel centers around a young boy, who takes on the role of the narrator. He is a twelveyear-old boy who is removed from him home and sent to his distant relatives farm know as
The Larsons Place, where he meets a young boy named Harris. He soon finds himself in
an entirely new world full of adventure and excitement. He struggles to find his own
identity due to his constantly changing environment, but soon discovers the true meaning of
home. Through this lesson I want the students to form a link between the significance of the
brainstorming activity and perhaps the importance of putting ourselves in a given characters
mindset.
Introduction/Warm-Up:
The first thing that I will do will be to welcome my class with an enthusiastic hello,
followed by a review of the days agenda. I will begin my lesson by handing out the first
handout (which I shall also post on Moodle). While the students are organizing themselves,
I will walk around the class making sure that the homework from the class before was done.
The first learning activity of the class will be a discussion centering on the following
question:
What are some significant moments so far in Harris and me?
Instructions: Students will have to find three key moments from the novel.
This will provide my students an opportunity to reflect/think about what they have learned
so far about the book. Also to, how to properly incorporate the selected moments into theirs
own assignment.
Development:
Once the students have filled out the hand out, as a class we shall come up with list of
significant events that occur in Harris and Me. The students will begin the discussion by
raising their hands and recounting the examples that they have found from the text. As the
dialog continues for a few minutes I will write down the pages on the board that the
students have found. I will not draw on their significance right away, although if students
are having difficulty, I shall prompt them by using the following examples from the text to
direct their attention to the correct examples.

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

When Me and Harris run into Vivian Me ends up getting kicked in the head
by a cow.
When the entire family has breakfast and we are introduced to Louie and his
interesting eating style.
When Me encounters Ernie for the first time deadly rooster.

**Since the students will be talking out loud and sharing their ideas, its up to the teacher to
make sure that the classroom is a safe place so that no student feels like they are being
judged.
Closure/Wrap-Up
This activity gets students to think on their feet, and come up with examples
quickly. It provides students with an opportunity to explore the book, before they have to
write an entire letter surrounding one of these main events. It also gives them confidence to
share their ideas with the class and not to feel judged.
Extension/Whats Next?
The following activity is a Prezi presentation that will discuss what it entails to write a
letter and its proper format. Firstly I will present the different elements of a letter through a
short video. Secondly, I shall use an example of a letter to explore its various components.
Lastly I will discuss the guidelines of their assignment, which they shall write in class.

CLASS # 1
30 Min. for
Activity

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2: Prezi Presentation How to Write a Letter

** I will get my students to flip over the first worksheet because on the back is the
basic layout of a friendly letter. They will use the worksheet to follow along with the
presentation and write any notes they may want to add on to the sheet.
Introduction/Warm-Up
In this section of the lesson plan/prezi the students will be introduced to the concept
of writing an improper letter, by first showing them a short clip entitled, How to Write a
Friendly Letter.

This clip will introduce my students to the basic components of a letter in a fun and
interactive way.
We shall also explore the tone of letter and the purpose of written communication.
Also to we shall revise the different components and write them on the board
before continuing the example of a friendly letter.

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Development:
I shall present my students with a specific example of a friendly letter and together as class
we shall break it down into its different components and discuss their different
meaning/purposes.
1. The following example shall be projected on the board, and together as class we
shall read it. We will briefly discuss the tone by exploring certain elements of the
letter.
Example:
Montreal, Quebec
October 23, 2015
Dear Mom,
Im sending you this friendly letter to tell you much fun Im having at my
friends house. Were having a blast! Yesterday we went to the beach. Guess what ? I
learned how to swim underwater! I was so excited. I cant wait to show you. I kept diving
under and finding shells in the sand. Im bringing them home to you. Tomorrow were
going to a baseball game.
I miss you and the rest of the family but i know Ill be home in a few days. Ill tell
you all my adventures then. Give everyone a big hug and kiss for me!
Love,
Taylor
Citation: http://businesslettersamples.net/friendly-letter-example/
2. Then we shall break it down into the following components (each one has a different
slide on the presentation the following points are written in point form).
A. Date and Location: Are the first two things to be found on the top left hand corner
of a letter. You need to write where you are writing from, and the date you wrote
the letter on.
B. Greeting: Located below the date and location, on the left hand side of the sheet.
You must begin your letter with a greeting.
Ex: Hello, Hi, Dear
C. Body of the Letter The body of the letter can be about anything that you need to
discuss or tell the recipient of the letter. The body of the paragraph usually begins
with asking the receiver how they are doing or acknowledging them in someway.
D. Closing Salutation and signature: You must end your letter with a salutation such as
all the best, love, or thank you.
Closure/Wrap-Up
I will conclude the presentation by revisiting the example of the friendly letter and
opening the floor to my students so they can ask questions about the format and tone of the

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

letter. Students will be given in-class time to write the rough draft, so they have plenty of
time to ask questions.
Extension/Whats Next?
The Next activity will be focused on presenting the assignment or the performance task. I
will begin by presenting the students with the situation they must write about in their letter.

CLASS 1
15 Min. for
Activity

PERFORMANCE TASK: Friendly Letter Harris and Me

**Students will be handed out a second worksheet that will explain in detail the assignment
(The handout can also be found on Moodle). As a class we shall go over every aspect of the
assignment in detail from the layout of the draft, the working periods, and how to properly
submit the assignment. The assignment handout will be projected on the board.
Situation:
So far in Harris and Me, the narrator has been thrown into a completely new
world, The Larsons Place, where he is forced to adapt to a completely new way of life.
Harris brings the narrator on exciting new adventures, that leaves Me, wondering what
has he gotten himself into.
Assignment:
In the point of view of the narrator (Me) write a letter to one of your friends back in the
city, describing your first day on the Larson farm. (You may take as much creative
freedom as you would like in creating a name for your friend).
**Students must use the knowledge gained from the previous lesson to construct their
letter.

Class 2-3
(Each class 60
mins)

The letter should include the following (Body of the Letter):

A brief explanation on why you ended up on the farm,
A brief description of the Larsons Place and who lives on the farm .
Describe at least one in depth experience you have had so far on the far on the farm.
How are you feeling so far living with the Larsons
Assessment:
Draft: The rough draft of the assignment will be done in class, in your notebook.
Write the date at the top right hand of the page
Title the activity Draft of Letter Harris and Me.
Please write double spaced
Your letter should be 225-250 words.

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Dates in class:
1. Wednesday, October 5th 2016
2. Thursday, October 6th 2016 Half Period
Final Copy: Must be handed on the Final Draft handout (Which will only be
distributed on the final working period in class).
Due Date: Friday, October 14th 2016

Evaluation Criteria
I will grade their letter based on the rubric found in appendix. Although I will be looking
for the following components:

Proper letter format

Tone (Narrators point of view)
They answer all the questions presented in the assignment guidelines
Correct spelling and grammar

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

APPENDIX #

Learning Opportunity#1: Discussion on Harris and Me handout.




&

Name: __________________________


Loyola High School

English
Language Arts

Brainstorm for Writing a Letter Harris and Me


Directions:


What!are!some!significant!moments!so!far!in!Harris!and!Me?!!

!If!you!were!Me!what!experiences!would!you!talk!about!with!your!

friends.!(Provide!three!examples).!



1. ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________



2. ____________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________





3. ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Learning Opportunity #2:

Link to Prezi Presentation:
http://prezi.com/oub2qcrli_fj/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Handout for Letter layout (Guide to Presentation):


&

Sample&of&Friendly&Letter&Layout&&

&

&

&

Montreal,!Quebec!!
You$need$to$write$where$you$are$
October!6th!2016!!!

writing$from,$and$the$date$the$letter$
!
was$written.$

!

&

Dear!Tommy,!!

You$must$begin$your$letter$with$a$
greeting.$

Ex:$Hello,$Hi,$or$Dear,$

,$


!
!

!

!

Body!of!Letter!!
!

!

!

This$is$heart$of$the$letter$$where$you$must$respond$
!
to$the$goal$of$the$assignment.$
!

$
!

**Begin'by'acknowledging'the'recipient'of'the''
!
!

letter'and'then'state'why'you'are'writing.'
!
$
!

$
!

!

!
!

!

!

!
Your$letter$must$end$with$a$salutation.$$
!

Ex:$Love,$all$the$best,$thank$you,$or$
All!the!best,!!

sincerely.$$
!

!
!Me!

!

!

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Performance Task: Handout on the description of the assignment.


Name: __________________________



Loyola High School

English Language Arts

Writing a Letter Assignment Harris and Me


Due Date: Friday, October 14th 2016


Situation:

!

So!far!in!Harris!and!Me,!the!narrator!has!been!thrown!into!a!completely!
new!world,!The!Larsons!Place,!where!he!is!forced!to!adapt!to!a!entirely!new!

way!of!life.!Harris!brings!the!narrator!on!exciting!new!adventures,!that!leave!

Me,!wondering!what!has!he!gotten!himself!into.!

!

Assignment:

!

In!the!point!of!view!of!the!narrator!(Me)!write!a!letter!to!one!of!your!

friends!back!in!the!city,!describing!your!first!day!on!the!Larson!farm.!

!

The!letter!should!include!the!following!(Body&of&your&letter):!!

A!brief!explanation!on!why!you!ended!up!on!the!farm.!!
A!brief!description!of!the!Larsons!Place!and!who!lives!on!the!farm.!

Describe!at!least!one!in!depth!experience!you!have!had!so!far!on!the!

farm.!

How!are!you!feeling!so!far!living!with!the!Larsons.!

!

Time-Line:


Draft:!!The!rough!draft!of!the!assignment!will!be!done!in!class,!in!your!notebook.!

Write!the!date!at!the!top!right!hand!of!the!page!and!title!the!activity!Draft!of!

Letter!!Harris!and!Me.!

Please!write!double&spaced!!

Your!letter!should!be!2256250&words.!!
!




Dates in class:

1. Wednesday,!October!5th!2016!

2. Thursday,!October!6th!2016!Half!Period!

!!

!

Final!Copy:!Must!be!handed!in!on!the!Final&Draft&handout.&
&
&
&
&
&

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Final Draft Handout:




!

!
Name:
__________________________


Loyola High School
English Language Arts

Final Draft of Letter Harris and Me
!

________________________________________!

________________________________________!

!

_______________________________________!

!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________!
!
__________________________________________!
_____________________________________________________________!

Instructor: Kathleen Belvedere

Location: Loyola High School
Date of Lesson: October 4th, 2016

Rubric for Final Evaluation: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Letter-Writing: "Harris and Me"

Teacher Name: Kathleen Belvedere
Student Name:

CATEGORY
Format

________________________________________

Complies with all the

requirements for a
friendly letter.

Complies with almost Complies with several Complies with less than
all the requirements
of the requirements for 75% of the
for a friendly letter.
a friendly letter.
requirements for a
friendly letter.

Grammar & spelling Writer makes no errors Writer makes 1-2

in grammar or spelling. errors in grammar
(conventions)

Writer makes 3-4

errors in grammar
and/or spelling

Writer makes more than

4 errors in grammar
and/or spelling.

Ideas

Ideas were expressed

in a clear and
organized fashion. It
was easy to figure out
what the letter was
about.

Ideas were
expressed in a pretty
clear manner, but the
organization could
have been better.

Ideas were somewhat

organized, but were
not very clear. It took
more than one reading
to figure out what the
letter was about.

The letter seemed to be

a collection of unrelated
sentences. It was very
difficult to figure out
what the letter was
about.

Salutation and
Closing

Salutation and closing

have no errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.

Salutation and
closing have 1-2
errors in
capitalization and
punctuation.

Salutation and closing

have 3 or more errors
in capitalization and
punctuation.

Salutation and/or
closing are missing.

and/or spelling.