Lessons & Standards

  Suggested grade level: 6 through 8

 Objectives:  As a result of this activity, students will

1.      gain knowledge and understanding about the life, culture, and economics of a country in Africa

2.      gain knowledge and understanding about the life, culture, and economics of their own city/state/country.

3.      learn how write a friendly letter

4.      improve ability to successfully communicate information in a written format using correct grammar and spelling.

New York State Standards:  http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub.html

English Language Arts

Standard 1: Language For Information And Understanding   Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding.

Standard 4:  Language For Social Interaction   Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction.

Social Studies

Standard 2:  World History   Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Standard 3:  Geography   Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live- -local, national, and global- -including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.

Refer to National Standards

McRel Standards  http://www.mcrel.org/standards/

National Social Studies Standards

http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/stitle.html

National English Language Arts Standards  http://www.ncte.org/standards

Teacher’s Note: in order to locate a cooperating school in Africa,

v     contact the University nearest you with an African Studies department

v     write to the various African embassies to the United Nations

v     identify teachers/community members or organizations with connections to Africa

v     website  http://www.intlschools-k12.com/regions/africa.html

Activity Description: In this Dear Pen Pal activity, students will write friendly letters to students in a school in Africa.  Students could write individual letters or be arranged in groups (opportunity for cooperative learning and decision-making).  Suggest focus topics or themes that relate to interests of the students, classroom projects and special features/events in the community.  The classroom teacher may also want to include a cover letter to the cooperating teacher in Africa.  Students could also make a portfolio containing copies of their letters and the letters from their pen pals as well as resulting research notes, photos, maps, etc.  Students may either hand write or use a word processing program.  (The word processing program will assist students with grammar and spelling.)  It is suggested that all letters be mailed together and by the teacher.

Time required: On-going

Materials:  scrapbook, notebook or folders to organize letters for portfolios.  Writing materials.   Funding for postage.

Procedure: prior to writing their letters and as an on-going integrated activity, students will research and acquire basic knowledge about the geography, history, and work (economy) of where their pen pals live using a standard reference tool (encyclopedia, atlas, almanac) and/or through on-line resources. Research will be placed in the scrapbook, journal, or folder.   Further research will reflect content of pen pal response letters, focus themes or topics, and related ideas.

Students will learn the form of the friendly letter.  Focus themes or topics will be listed.  Students will write a draft, edit and revise, and make a final copy of their letters.  Students may want to include a digital picture or class picture.  (Consult your District’s policy regarding use of student pictures and releasing addresses of students.  It is suggested that this activity remain as a school activity until the end of the school year.)   Letters will be placed in student portfolios.

Focus themes/Topics:

1.      Introductory letter- -where I go to school, what I look like, about my family and my “chores” at home, what I study in school, what I like to do for fun, education/career goals.

2.      About my school- -history of school, special events, clubs/sports teams that I have joined.

3.      About my community- -history of community, economy- -major businesses, where people shop for food, clothing, etc.

4.      Special events in my classroom/school/community.

Assessment:

1.      Teacher prepared rubric for friendly letter.  Did students use correct friendly letter form?  Did students present content in a clear and logical manner? Did students use correct grammar and spelling? 

2.      Well organized and complete portfolio containing copies of all letters to and from pen pal as well as research and evaluated using a performance task assessment.