L ETTERS T O A UTHORS AND I LLUSTRATORS Chelsea Rowe Jennifer Henson ECED 4300 A Dr. Tonja Root Spring rd Grade

GPS ELA3W2 The student begins to write in a variety genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive, and response to literature f. May include prewriting

J ENNIFER H ENSON Prewriting PLO: After reading a book, students will create a graphic organizer to write a letter to an author

F ORM OF W RITING Letters to Authors and Illustrators letter written to inform the author about the different ways their book has affected the reader

F ORM OF W RITING reader will include likes and dislikes about story tell the author how the book made them feel tell author what writer learned

S TAGE OF W RITING Prewriting Student will use a graphic organizer to list ideas Later the graphic organizer will be used to write a draft

G RAPHIC O RGANIZER Henson, J. (2009, April) Graphic Organize for Prewriting, Unpublished Graphic Organizer, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA Who are you writing the letter to? What did you like about the book? My favorite part of the book was… Do you have any questions for the author

P UBLISHED L ETTER Dear Ms. Williams: I used to think that I had the worst life in the world. I have to move every three years, leave all my friends each time, and I have a terribly evil brother (at least he’s terribly evil to me). That was before I read your book Titanic Crossing. In the book, the kids have a worse life than I do. They are being forced to move by their kind but strict grandmother. They lost their father, and all I lost were my friends. At least I can still see my friends. They can never see their father again. When their mother and uncle died they hardly had any family left -- only their grandmother. I still have my family. I used to think that having to do things you don’t want to do was worse. The kids in the book are always forced to do things that they don’t want to do. Just as bad, they have been treated terribly because they are in second class. I think mean parents are bad, but having no parents is worse. I know that I feel like my parents are mean sometimes for making me move and leave my friends, even though it’s really the Coast Guard’s fault. Making friends is hard to do, and it is very annoying to be forced to do it again every three years. When I’m angry or frustrated with my parents, sometimes I have to stop and remember that I love them, and the book reminded me again that I have parents that are with me, and Virginia and Albert don’t.

P UBLISHED L ETTER Your book really made me think about what life is like for people whose parents died when they were young and they had to live with other relatives. This book made me think about how good my life actually is, and how much better it is to still have a family, even if they make you mad sometimes. Thank you, Addie Tousley

M ODEL C ITATION Letters About Literature In LitSite Alaska. Retrieved April 5, 2009, from rites/letters/lindsay.html

C ITATION Wheeler, V. (2005). Yes, Please No, Thank You. New York: Sterling

P RACTICE A CTIVITY Students will listen to the story Yes Please, No Thank You by Valerie Wheeler As a whole class, students will complete a graphic organizer

A SSESSMENT A CTIVITY Students will be given graphic organizer Will complete based upon their likes and dislikes related to the story.

A SSESSMENT A CTIVITY Assessment based upon completion

C HELSEA R OWE D RAFTING

GPS ELA3W2 The student writes in a vari ety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive, and respon se to literature. The student produces informational w riting (e.g., procedures, report, correspondence) that:

GPS E. Uses organizational structures for conveying information (chronological order, cause and effect, similarities and differences, questions and answers).

PLO Students will draft a letter, containing all five parts, to an author using their graphic organizer.

F ORM O F W RITING Letters To Authors and Illustrators Letters written to inform an author or illustrator how the book affected you, the reader

F ORM OF W RITING Letters to authors and illustrators have five parts: -The Heading (your address and date) -The Salutation (Dear ________,) - The Body (information)

-The Closing (Sincerely, ) - Signature (Your name)

S TAGE OF W RITING Drafting Will need graphic organizer from prewriting stage. Form ideas from the graphic organizer into complete sentences.

S TAGE O F W RITING Do not concentrate on spelling or grammar Focus on organizing ideas into complete thoughts

G RAPHIC O RGANIZER Your name and address Greeting Body Closing Signature

P UBLISHED M ODEL C ITATION Reyes-Rufelli, L. (n.d.). Letters About Literature In LitSite Alaska. Retrieved April 5, 2009, from es/letters/lindsay.html

P UBLISHED M ODEL Dear Mary Pipher, After reading Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, I felt so much better about myself. I, myself, am an adolescent girl and I’ve already faced many new challenges and I know there are many more to come. Last year I think I went through a stage of depression. I remember feeling useless and unwanted many times. I also remember crying myself to sleep a few times. But because of your book, I’ve felt so much better about myself. It made me know that I’m not the only one in the world with problems. I now know that there are many other people with problems far worse than mine. Since Junior High started this year, I’ve recommended your book to a couple of friends. As a matter of fact, my friend, Sierra, is borrowing the book from me right now! She has been through way more than I have and I just hope that your book helps her as much as it helped me. It’s a long road ahead and all us teenagers have got to learn to make some good choices. Thank you, Lindsay Reyes-Rufelli Dear Mary Pipher, After reading Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, I felt so much better about myself. I, myself, am an adolescent girl and I’ve already faced many new challenges and I know there are many more to come. Last year I think I went through a stage of depression. I remember feeling useless and unwanted many times. I also remember crying myself to sleep a few times. But because of your book, I’ve felt so much better about myself. It made me know that I’m not the only one in the world with problems. I now know that there are many other people with problems far worse than mine. Since Junior High started this year, I’ve recommended your book to a couple of friends. As a matter of fact, my friend, Sierra, is borrowing the book from me right now! She has been through way more than I have and I just hope that your book helps her as much as it helped me. It’s a long road ahead and all us teenagers have got to learn to make some good choices. Thank you, Lindsay Reyes-Rufelli

P RACTICE A CTIVITY First, discuss the five parts of the letter On large easel paper, model completion of name and address, and greeting Introduce possible topics to be used in body of letter

P RACTICE A CTIVITY Using graphic organizer, completed during practice, from prewriting stage Ask students to create complete sentences about Yes Please, No Thank You

A SSESSMENT A CTIVITY Each student receives a drafting graphic organizer Remind students NOT to focus on spelling and grammar! Will refer to prewriting graphic organizer and practice activity to complete

A SSESSMENT A CTIVITY Graphic organizers will be collected Assessment based on Completion of name and address, greeting, body, closing, and signature.