Classroom Activities: Sending a Letter

These classroom activities are designed to complement the Sending a Letter topic on BrainPOP Jr.

First Class Mail
If possible, set up a correspondence with another class in your school. First model how to write a letter and discuss its five parts. You can use the school’s address as the return address. Brainstorm ideas of what students might like to write in their letters—what did they do today? Where would they like to visit? Who would they like to meet? Make a mailbox out of a shoebox and place it outside of your classroom. Remember to make a red flag to indicate that there is mail to be picked up. “Mail carriers” can deliver mail to the other class’s mailbox.

Postcards

Have students make their own postcards. They can use posterboard or any thick paper. Have students draw a picture on one side of the card. The picture can be of a place they visited or of their school. Then have them write a short message to a friend or family member about the place they visited or about the school. Remind them to leave room for an address and a stamp. You or your students can bring in stamps to mail the postcards. Student can also hand deliver the postcard if they wish.

Business Letter

Remind students that a business letter is more formal than a friendly letter. Discuss the format of a business letter and then have students compose a business letter of their own. Students may want to write to a store or restaurant and tell them how they enjoyed their food or services or how their food or services can be improved. Then have students mail their letters. Review how to properly label an envelope together. You may want to bring in a phone book so that students can look up the addresses to their businesses.