Thank-you Letter - Luwis
School: Alice B. Beal Elementary
City/State: Springfield, MA
Grade(s): 2
Format(s): Letter
Subject(s): Science and Technology
Type(s): Argument/Opinion
Writing Assignment Description
A learning expedition about insects included the creation of a field guide to local insects; care of and safe experimentation with a variety of insects in the classroom; the creation of insect greeting cards; and work with a number of outside experts, including an entomologist who worked with the Smithsonian Museums. During the expedition, the class visited a nature center in Amherst, MA for fieldwork and met with a naturalist who led a program for the students about insects, prompting this thank-you letter.
How This Writing Can Be Useful
- The letter is formal and polite, well-crafted with careful conventions and penmanship, but is not stiff: it is lively and personal
- The author includes many specific details of what he did, what he learned, and what he appreciated, making the thank-you letter an affirmation to the expert that his work made a difference
- The language is fresh and creative; the enthusiasm is infectious.
- Uses charming figurative language (e.g., “The Thailand Walking Stick was so thailandistic and so skinny like noodles from soup.”)
- Beautiful closing
Common Core State Standards
| Standard | Long Term Learning Target |
|---|---|
| W.2.1 |
|