Correspondence: Letters to Authors & Illustrators Megan Griffin Heather McRae Kayla Wall ECED 4300 A Dr. Tonja Root Summer 2010 Grade 3

Prewriting Megan Griffin GPS: ELA3W1 The student demonstrates competency in the writing process. The student m. Pre-writes to generate ideas, develops a rough draft, rereads to revise and edits to correct.

Prewriting Megan Griffin PLO: The students will plan their writing by completing a graphic organizer.

Form of Writing: Correspondence We write letters to authors & illustrators to: –share feelings –share likes and dislikes about their books –ask questions

Form of Writing: Correspondence We do not write to: –Ask personal questions Money –Ask for free books –Expect a letter back from the author/illustrator

Prewriting Components of prewriting: Form Topic Audience Purpose –Graphic organizers Structure and organize thoughts, ideas, and information

Prewriting During prewriting –Gather and organize your ideas –Do NOT use complete sentences –Do NOT focus on spelling and grammar

Prewriting Graphic Organizer Griffin, M. (2010). Author/Illustrator letter graphic organizer. Unpublished graphic organizer. Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA. –Modified from: Root, T. (n.d.). Friendly letter graphic organizer. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from Dr. Tonja Root’s website: /Graphic%20Organizers.htm

Graphic Organizer Heading What is your address? ________________________________________ (Your street number, street name, & apartment number (if living in an apartment)) _________________________________________ (Your city, state, and zip code) _________________________________________ (Today’s date) Who will get your letter? Body ___________________________ (Greeting) What are some thoughts and feelings you would like to share with the author or illustrator? _________________________________________________ What are some questions you would like to ask the author or illustrator? _________________________________________________ Closing_________________________________________________ _____________________ (Closing) _____________________ (Your signature)

Parts of the Letter Heading –Name & Address –Date –Greeting –Dear _____________, (author/illustrator)

Parts of the Letter Body –Thoughts, feelings, concerns, likes/dislikes, etc. –Lessons Learned –Questions and ideas

Parts of the Letter Closing –Examples Sincerely, Yours truly, Your friend, Signature –(signed name)

Citation Regehr, A. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 27, 2010, from KNEA Web site: s/allisonregehr.html

Published Example Dear J. K. Rowling, I love your books a lot. They are awesome. My favorite book in the series is Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. That one is so exciting because when he catches the portkey it takes him to where Valdemort is being recreated. The recreation was so thrilling in the book that I will never forget it. I think the scariest one in the series is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Every time I read it I get a chill. The part that scared me the most was where he stabbed the basilisk fang into the diary. I read the book two days ago. I was babysitting my little brother and he had me read that part to him and he said that part gave him a chill too. I used to get scared really easily but now I only get scared in life threatening situations. I’m really glad you wrote these books. I got the first book in my school library. When I was finished with it, I was like Wow! That is so intriguing. It was so good. Since my parents aren’t really sci fi people, my best friend’s mom told me what the books were about. She has read them all. What character do you pretend you are when you read the books? I pretend I am Harry or Hermione. For some reason I just can’t see out of Ron’s point of view. You are my favorite author ever. Your books change my life in some way or another every day. Your series helped me get through my grandmother’s death. Sincerely, Allison Regehr 4th grade, Jefferson Elementary School Great Bend, KS

Practice Activity Letter to an Illustrator –Susan Hall 1.Look at the pictures in the book 2.Complete the letter graphic organizer

Assessment Activity 1.Read the book 2.Choose audience: author or illustrator 3.Complete letter graphic organizer

Drafting Kayla Wall GPS: ELA3W1 The student demonstrates competency in the writing process. The student m. Pre-writes to generate ideas, develops a rough draft, rereads to revise, and edits to correct.

Drafting Kayla Wall PLO: The students will draft a letter to an author or illustrator.

Form of Writing: Correspondence We write letters to authors & illustrators to: –Ask questions –Share feelings and ideas

Drafting During drafting, we: –Complete thoughts & sentences –Skip lines –Do NOT worry about mechanics –Focus on content

Citation Powers, C. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from KNEA Web site: rsonpowers.html

Published Example Dear Mr. Riordian, I really liked your book! The Lightning Thief was a good book because it made me want to keep reading and reading, I couldn’t put it down! At first I thought that gods didn’t exist, but after reading your book I thought there might still be gods all over the place with their demi-gods and demi-goddesses. My favorite character was Percy Jackson because he can breathe underwater, control ocean life, and make anything he touches underwater dry. I liked it when he was underwater and he grabbed a hamburger wrapper and a lighter and lit the wrapper on fire, underwater! If I was a demi-god I would have Poseidon as my father and I would create tsunamis and right when they were going to hit, I would stop them and push them back to the ocean. I have read the other two books and I am anxiously awaiting the fourth! Sincerely, Carson Powers 4th grade, Village Elementary School Emporia, KS

Practice Activity 1.Let’s look at our completed graphic organizer 2.Together we will: –Get ideas –Form complete sentences

Assessment Activity 1.Using your graphic organizer, work to create a letter Remember to: –Create sentences –Form ideas –Focus on content, not mechanics

Revising & Editing Heather McRae GPS: ELA3W1 The student demonstrates competency in the writing process. The student –m. Pre-writes to generate ideas, develops a rough draft, rereads to revise and edits to correct.

Revising & Editing Heather McRae PLO: The students will revise their rough draft by using proofreaders’ marks to add, delete, change, and rearrange text. PLO: The students will edit their rough draft by correcting errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Revising & Editing During revising, we: –Add, delete, change, & rearrange –Make writing more interesting & detailed –Use proofreaders’ marks During editing, we: –Correct our revised draft –Focus on mechanics

Form of Writing: Correspondence We write letters to authors & illustrators to: –Ask questions –Share feelings and ideas

Citation Blackwell, O. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 26, 2010 from KNEA Web site: viablackwell.html

Published Example Dear Mary Pope Osborne, You have written some of my favorite books. It makes me feel like I’m in that place. One of my favorite books by you is Standing in the Light. It taught me to appreciate what I have. If I were taken by Indians, I would wish I were back home. But when she started enjoying living with them, it taught me to make the best out of a situation. You have inspired me to write books of my own. Your books were the first chapter books I read, and they taught me reading can be more fun. When I start a Magic Tree House book, I have to finish. I can’t stop just in the middle. Thank you for showing me reading is fun. Sincerely, Olivia Blackwell 5th grade, Lincoln Elementary School Great Bend, KS

Revising & Editing Revise: Content Edit: Mini-lesson –Comma splice –Sentence structure

Practice Activity Revise letter to: – Add – Delete – Change – Rearrange Edit letter for: –Sentence structure –Comma splices –Spelling –Grammar –Punctuation –Capitalization

Assessment Activity 1. Edit your rough draft Proofreaders’ Marks 2. Look for errors in: Spelling Punctuation Capitalization Comma splices Sentence structure

Assessment Activity 3. Peer editing 4. Teacher Conference Spelling Punctuation Capitalization Comma splices Sentence structure

References Blackwell, O. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 26, 2010 from KNEA Web site: Goldish, M. (1994). Step Inside the Rainforest. New York: Newbridge Educational Publishing. Griffin, M. (2010). Author/Illustrator letter graphic organizer. Unpublished graphic organizer. Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA. –Modified from: Root, T. (n.d.). Friendly letter graphic organizer. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from Dr. Tonja Root’s website: 0Organizers.htm Powers, C. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from KNEA Web site: Regehr, A. (2006) Read Across America KNEA Read Aloud Contest Entries. Retrieved May 27, 2010, from KNEA Web site: