Page 115 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade6_Flipbook

Writing Workshop 10 (continued)
Check Your Understanding
• How would you describe the tone of this letter? What does Samantha really want Betty to understand?
Samantha wants Betty to know she wants them to maintain their friendship by writing letters.
• This letter is considered “informal.” From your experiences and your reading of this text, brainstorm what you think makes a letter “informal.”
The tone is light and friendly, as is the diction. Samantha is informal in her diction using words and phrases like, “dunk,” “tons of fun,” and “great.” She is also informal in her use of conventions using exclamation points for emphasis and contractions to show the colloquial tone of the letter.
ACTIVITY 2
Writing an Informal Letter as a Class
WRITING PROMPT: Write a thank-you letter to a specific audience that deserves gratitude from your entire class. Your letter should meet the requirements listed in the learning targets for informal letters. Be sure to: • Convey ideas/feelings and include important news and information
• Organize in a logical way
• Engage the intended audience • Demonstrate a sense of closure • Use appropriate conventions
Refer to the Scoring Guide for this writing task at the end of the workshop to help you understand where to focus your attention and efforts.
Prewriting
1. Begin by brainstorming a list of individuals or groups/institutions that your class would like to thank, and the reasons for listing each. What, specifically, would you thank each audience for doing?
Sample Responses:
Administrators in your school/Creating an environment for learning Custodians/Keeping the school clean and safe
Office staff members/Helping school run smoothly day-to-day Member of the PTG/Representing parents’ concerns
Local veterans’ group/Service to the nation
2. Now that you have analyzed the purpose and audience of the sample text and generated a list of possible topics and audiences, select one purpose and one audience as a focus for the class letter.
Students’ responses will vary.
4 SpringBoard® Writing Workshop with Grammar Activities Grade 6
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