Letter Writing Practice

Name:

Date:

📝 WALT: Write different types of letters with clear structure and purpose

Success Criteria:

I can:

Use correct letter format (date, greeting, body, closing)

Write in paragraphs with clear ideas

Use appropriate tone for my audience

Include specific details and examples

Use polite and friendly language

💌 Sample Letter 1: Friendly Letter

15th March 2024

Dear Sarah,

I hope you are doing well at your new school in Christchurch. I miss having you in our class at Gleniti School! Mrs Johnson often asks about you, and we all remember the fun times we had together during our science experiments.

Lots of exciting things have been happening here in Timaru. Our class went on a fantastic trip to the Caroline Bay last week. We collected shells and studied different types of seaweed for our marine life project. I found an amazing paua shell that had the most beautiful colours - blues, greens, and purples all swirled together. I kept thinking how much you would have loved it since you always enjoyed our nature walks.

School has been really busy too. We're preparing for our end-of-term concert, and I'm playing the recorder in the school band. Remember how we used to practice together? I still use the breathing techniques you taught me. We're also growing vegetables in our school garden, and the tomatoes are getting huge! The beans have grown so tall they're nearly touching the roof of the greenhouse.

Please write back soon and tell me all about your new friends and teachers. I'd love to hear about what subjects you're enjoying most. Maybe we can arrange for you to visit during the school holidays?

Your friend always,

Emma

1. Identify the four main parts of this friendly letter:

Greeting: _________________ Body paragraphs: _______ Closing: _________________ Signature: _________________

2. What specific details make this letter interesting and personal?

🎨 Sample Letter 2: Letter About Favourite Artist

20th March 2024

Dear Art Gallery Director,

I am writing to tell you about my favourite New Zealand artist, Dick Frizzell, and why I think his work should be displayed in your gallery. As a Year 5 student who loves art, I have been studying different New Zealand artists, and Dick Frizzell's paintings always make me smile and think.

What I love most about Dick Frizzell's work is how he takes ordinary New Zealand things and makes them look extraordinary. His painting of the Tui bird is absolutely amazing - the way he uses bright colours and bold lines makes the bird look almost magical. The black feathers shine like they're real, and the white tuft under the bird's throat looks so fluffy I want to touch it. He also paints everyday objects like meat pies and jandals, but somehow makes them look like the most important things in the world.

Another reason I admire his art is because it tells stories about being a New Zealander. His paintings remind me of summer holidays at the beach, family barbecues, and the native birds we see around Timaru. When I look at his artwork, I feel proud to be a Kiwi. The colours he chooses - deep blues like our ocean, bright greens like our bush, and warm yellows like our sunshine - capture exactly what New Zealand feels like to me.

I believe other people would love to see Dick Frizzell's work in your gallery because his art is both beautiful and meaningful. It would help visitors understand what makes New Zealand special, and it might inspire young artists like me to create our own artwork about our country.

Thank you for considering my suggestion.

Yours sincerely,

Jackson Miller

3. How does this letter convince the reader? List three persuasive techniques used:

4. What makes the descriptions of the artwork effective?

🙏 Sample Letter 3: Thank You Letter

25th March 2024

Dear Timaru Fire Brigade,

On behalf of all the students in Room 12 at Gleniti School, I would like to thank you for the wonderful visit to our classroom last Friday. Your presentation about fire safety was both educational and exciting, and we learned so much from your expertise and experience.

We were absolutely fascinated when you demonstrated how to use the fire extinguisher and showed us all the special equipment on the fire truck. Seeing the huge ladder extend so high into the sky was incredible - some of us had never realised how tall it could reach! The oxygen tanks and breathing apparatus were particularly interesting, and now we understand how firefighters can safely enter smoke-filled buildings to help people.

Your safety tips have already made a difference in our daily lives. Many of us have gone home and checked that our families have working smoke alarms and planned escape routes. Jessica's family even practiced their fire drill at home over the weekend! We now know to crawl low under smoke, feel doors before opening them, and meet at a safe place outside. These lessons could genuinely save our lives one day.

The stories you shared about helping people and animals during emergencies inspired many of us to think about careers in emergency services. Your dedication to keeping our community safe is truly admirable, and we feel very lucky to have such brave and skilled firefighters protecting Timaru.

Thank you once again for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit us. We hope you can come back again next year to share your knowledge with other students.

With grateful thanks,

The Students of Room 12

Gleniti School

5. What specific details show genuine appreciation in this letter?

6. How does the letter show the impact of the firefighters' visit?

🎯 Your Turn to Practice

7. Choose one type of letter to write. Circle your choice:

Friendly letter to a family member about your school term

Opinion letter about your favourite book or movie

Thank you letter to someone who has helped you

📚 Differentiation Support:

Need help getting started? Use these sentence starters:

• "I am writing to tell you about..."

• "The best thing about..."

• "I wanted to thank you for..."

🌟 Extension Challenge:

Ready for more? Include:

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses

Questions to engage your reader

A personal anecdote or story

Letter Writing Practice

Letter Writing Practice

📝 WALT: Write different types of letters with clear structure and purpose

Success Criteria:

💌 Sample Letter 1: Friendly Letter

🎨 Sample Letter 2: Letter About Favourite Artist

🙏 Sample Letter 3: Thank You Letter

🎯 Your Turn to Practice

📚 Differentiation Support:

🌟 Extension Challenge:

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