Name: Julia Richards Cohort: C1

Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Letter Writing
Grade: 6
Date: December 6, 2017
Subject/Strand: Writing & Social Studies
Unit: Canada: Early Explorers
Location: W.C Little Elementary
Times: Period 3 (10:50 to 11:40)

Lesson Plan Description (What are you teaching? How does it fit into the context of the unit? What are the big ideas/essential/enduring understandings?)

Today I will be teaching students how to write letters; they will write as if they are an explorer who has arrived in Canada. This
connects to the social studies unit because students will learn about the explorer’s experiences when they came to Canada. It relates
to language because students will be writing letters for an intended purpose and audience – King or Queen that financed their
journey. Big ideas: 1) To explore the different perspectives and experiences of historical communities (explorers) and how they have
contributed to the development of Canada, 2) Write a multi-paragraphed letter for an intended purpose and audience

STEP 1 : CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations (numbers from documents and details)

Social Studies
A2. Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate different perspectives on the historical and/or
contemporary experiences of two or more distinct communities in Canada

Language
(Writing): OE: 1 Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience.

Ontario Curricular Specific Expectations and Achievement Chart Categories

Social Studies
A2.2. gather and organize information from a variety of [sources] that present different perspectives on the historical and/or
contemporary experience of two or more communities in Canada

Language
Writing SE: Identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group them into units that could be used to develop a structured,
multi-paragraph piece of writing, using a variety of strategies and organizational patterns.

Learning Goals Discuss with students: What will I be learning today? (Clearly identify what students are expected to know and be able to do, in language that
students can readily understand.)

Today I will learn:

 Social studies: the experiences and perspectives of early explorers
 Language: the format that is needed to write a letter to someone

STEP 2: ASSESSMENT
Purpose of the lesson (indicate purpose for this lesson/assessment) [ ] FOR [ ] AS [ x ] OF
Success Criteria Discuss with students: How will I know I have learned what I need to learn? (Clearly identify the criteria to assess student’s learning: evidence of
learning students will provide to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and thinking, in language that students can readily understand). Indicate the Achievement Chart
criteria.
I can…

Social Studies
 Explain the relationship between Indigenous peoples and early explorers
 Explain the experiences of early explorers when they first came to Canada
 Explain the lack of material resources (i.e. supplies, tools)
 Brainstorm ideas and write a letter from the point of view of an early European explorer
o Who sent you on expedition?
o Purpose of expedition
o What route did you travel?
o Describe your experience using the five senses (i.e. What did you see? How did you feel? (emotions))
o Similarities & differences between explorers and Indigenous Peoples (i.e. Language barrier, Religion or beliefs
o Describe the people and places you encountered

Language
 Put the date and address in the correct place on a letter
 Write the salutation for a letter
 Write an introduction – questions directed towards person receiving letter
 Write the main paragraph of a letter – explorer journey and experience
 Write the conclusion of a letter; asking for permission to stay longer

Assessment Mode Assessment Strategy and Task for Students? Assessment Tool
 Written  Letter format – (date, addresses, salutation,  Rubric
3 paragraphs, signature)
 Sentence and paragraph structure
 Writing conventions
 Social Studies content
- Experiences
- Incorporating 5 senses
- Emotional (fear, wonder)
- Relationship with Indigenous peoples

STEP 3: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLANNING

Prior Learning: Prior to this lesson, students will have
Grade 5 Social Studies - understanding of early explorers, where they came from (i.e. Europe) why they came to Canada, and their
relationship with Indigenous peoples

I.E.P. program implications: Accommodations, Modifications

None: Students on an IEP are not in the room during this time

Differentiation: Content, Process, Product, Environment, Assessment

 Model of letter posted in classroom – used as a guide for students to refer to

Learning Skills/Work Habits: [ ] responsibility, [ ] organization, [ x ] independent work, [ ] collaboration, [ ] initiative, [ x ] self-regulation
Independent Work: uses class time appropriately to complete tasks.
Self-regulation: seeks clarification or assistance when needed.

Vocabulary:
 Letter
 Salutation
 Explorer
 Indigenous
 Mercantilism

Resources and Materials /Technology Integration:

 Language Curriculum Grade 6
 Social Studies Curriculum Grade 5 & 6
 Mind map
 Language book (jot notes) & lined paper (good copy)

Three Part Lesson Identify what the students are expected to think about or do.
What Teachers Do: What Students do:
Minds on: Motivational Hook/engagement /Introduction (5-15 min)
Establish a positive learning environment, connect to prior learning, set the context for learning, pre-determine key questions to guide lesson.
Time: 10 minutes
[Students will raise hands and recall from previous letter-writing
“Can anyone tell me the purpose for writing a letter?” lesson]
Purpose of letter:
“What needs to be included in a letter?”  Communicate with someone far away
 Don’t have access to internet or computer
“Where does the date and address go?”
“Whose address? Why?” Included in a letter:
“What is it called when you address the receiver?”  “date and address”
“What should the introduction include? Examples?”  “dear … the person you are writing the letter to”
“What should the main paragraph include? Examples?” “salutation”
“What should the conclusion include? Examples?”
 “an introduction”
 “the main paragraph”
[Ask one student to read the letter written by Mrs. Odette –
 “a conclusion”
posted in classroom]
 “then your name and signature (who the letter is from)”
“Did this letter have a date and address?”
“Date and address go at the top of the letter”
“Did it have a salutation?”
“You put your own address that way the person you are sending it
“What was discussed in the introduction? Main paragraph?
to will know what address to send the letter back to.”
Conclusion?”
Introduction: “Ask questions about the person you are sending
“Does this have all of the criteria for writing a letter?”
letter to (i.e. how they are doing), main reasons for writing letter
will be addressed in this section.”
[Review LG and SC]
Main Paragraph: “about the person sending the letter.”
“Success criteria for social studies will be to explain the
Conclusion: “
relationship between Indigenous peoples and early explorers.
Explain the experiences of early explorers when they first came
[Students will refer to Mrs. Odette’s letter]
to Canada. Success criteria for language will be to know where
the date and address go on a letter, write an introduction, main  Date, address, salutation? “yes”
paragraph and conclusion for a letter.”  Introduction? “Asking about Aunt Amy and how her family is
doing”
 Main paragraph? “About the sender; his/her birthday.”
 Conclusion? “Goodbye, miss you, see you soon.”
 All criteria? “yes”
Action: During /Working on it (time given for each component, suggested 15-40 min)
Focus is on student interactions with task/peers/teacher. Identify students/groups receiving teacher direction.
Time: 25 minutes
[Students will brainstorm and raise hands to answer questions]
“Today you are going to pretend you are explorers and you will Explorers?
be writing a letter to the King or Queen that sent you on your  John Cabot
voyage.”  Jacque Cartier
 Henry Hudson
“Before we begin writing, can someone tell me the explorers  Samuel de Champlain
you learned about yesterday?”
“Why did they come to Canada?” Why did they come to Canada?
“What happened when they arrived? What did they They were looking for …
experience?”
 A route to Asia
“What did they notice, what did they see.”
 Natural resources – gold, spices
 New land
[As students are answering, I will write their ideas on the
whiteboard in the form of a mind map – students will refer to
mind map when writing their letter] What happened when they arrived?
 they found what they thought was new land
“What do you think you could include in your letter?”  discovered a large amount of wildlife
“Remember it may take 3 months or longer between sending  they met indigenous people
and receiving a letter. In your letter you want to be very detailed
and descriptive. It may be months before you will send or Include in letter?
receive another letter.”  voyage – travelling by ship
 what happened when explorers first arrived – what did they
“Now that we have brainstormed ideas for your letter, you will see, their reaction to Indigenous peoples, how they felt about
write down jot notes of what you would like to include in your Indigenous people
introduction, main paragraph, and conclusion. Once you are
done your jot notes in your language book, come and show me. I [Students will write jot notes for their introduction, main
will give you lined paper to write your good copy.” paragraph, and conclusion. Once they are done, they will show
teacher before they begin working on their good copy]
Draw template of organized jot notes on whiteboard
[Students will listen to 5-minute warning and write down any final
“Remember, you are writing as if you are an early explorer. You thoughts or ideas that they may want to include in their jot notes
are writing this letter to the person who sent you on your or good copy of letter]
voyage.”

[I will look at students jot notes, if they are completed with

enough detail I will give them a lined piece of paper to write
their good copy on]

[I will circulate room to answer any questions and ensure

students are on task]

“This is your 5-minute warning. You will have 5 minutes to finish

writing any final thoughts and ideas.”

Consolidation & Connection (Reflect and Connect) (5-15 min.)

Help students demonstrate what they have learned, provide opportunities for consolidation and reflection. Close the assessment loop.
Time: 5 minutes
[Students will stop what they are working on and face the front]
“Okay pencils down. Eyes on me.”
[Wait until all students are listening] “I will wait until all eyes are [2 -3 students will read their intro paragraph to the class]
on me.”
“Would anyone like to read their introduction to the class?”

[Review LG and SC] [Students will listen to LG and SC]

“Success criteria for social studies was to…
Explain the relationship between Indigenous peoples and early
explorers. Explain the experiences of early explorers when they
first came to Canada. Explain the lack of material resources (i.e.
supplies, tools). Brainstorm ideas and write a letter from the
point of view of an early European explorer
- Who sent you on expedition?
- Purpose of expedition
- What route did you travel?
- Describe your experience using the five senses (i.e
What did you see? How did you feel? (emotions))
- Similarities & differences between explorers and
Indigenous Peoples (i.e. Language barrier, Religion or
beliefs
- Describe the people and places you encountered

Success criteria for language was to …

Put the date and address in the correct place on a letter. Write
the salutation for a letter. Write an introduction – questions
directed towards person receiving letter. Write the main
paragraph of a letter – explorer journey and experience. Write
the conclusion of a letter; asking for permission to stay longer

Extension Activities/Next Steps (where will this lesson lead to next)

Next steps: continue letter-writing