Dear Mountain Lake PBS readers,
In today’s digital world, writing a letter seems so old-fashioned. Isn’t it easier to just text or email each other?
Letter writing has so many benefits, and is a great opportunity to cultivate literacy, creativity, and thoughtfulness in our kids — and in ourselves too. Letters help us do everything from stay in touch with friends and family, and send news around the world, to reaching out to local and national politicians with a civic appeal. Letter writing can also help improve handwriting and social and literacy skills for young learners, while increasing self-confidence through purposeful writing for older children and teens.
Learn more about the timeless practice of letter writing with the activities, classroom-ready resources, and videos below. And don’t forget to pencil in some letter writing time on December 7th—National Letter Writing Day—to join in on the fun!
Sincerely,
Logan
All About Letter Writing
A Letter for Grandma | Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Grades PreK-K
Follow the letter that Luke mails to his Grandma. Teach kids that making something or writing a letter is a great way to show someone else how much they are appreciated.
How Important is Handwriting These Days?
Grades PreK-3
Think about the last time you wrote something. Did it involve pencil and paper? Or fingertips and a phone screen? The ability to write is really important and will benefit children in numerous ways — academically, creatively, and emotionally — throughout life. So where does penmanship fit into the bigger picture?
Letter Writing with CALS Children’s Library | Blueberry’s Clubhouse
Grades K-5
In this episode of “Blueberry’s Clubhouse,” learn how to write letters to your friends, family, pen-pals, and more with Central Arkansas Library System – CALS Children’s Library and Learning Center.
Poet Willie Perdomo on the Value of Writing Letters in a Digital World | PBS NewsHour
Grades 9-12
Texting and emailing have revolutionized the way we communicate, enabling us to be more efficient and stay in touch more easily. But they have also altered the dynamics of some of our most important relationships. Within this new digital communication landscape, what have we lost? Poet Willie Perdomo, author of “The Crazy Bunch,” shares his humble opinion on how a handwritten letter expresses more than just words.
Activities, Games & More
Picture Books About Writers and Writing
Grades PreK-4
Celebrate the art of writing in all its various forms with these ten picture books about writers and writing that will tickle your children’s funny bones and teach them some history too.
Tips for Writing Thank-You Notes
Grades PreK-5
Writing thank-you notes is a great activity to do with your child. Regardless of the reason for the note, you have the opportunity to spend some time together encouraging writing, and your child will learn an important etiquette skill that will serve him or her for a lifetime.
Let’s Go Luna! Postcards
Grades K-4
Do you have a pen pal or family member who lives far away? Print out these Let’s Go Luna! Postcards and send them a note saying just how much they mean to you!
Play Pretend: Post Office
Grades K-5
Introduce your child to the post office and the way sending mail works by creating a mini-post office in your own home! Make a mailbox so family members can leave letters and postcards for one another, in this activity from Arthur.
Writing Letters for Social Action | Teaching Multicultural Literature
Grades 6-8
This teacher’s guide explores how to assist students in crafting persuasive letters to real audiences, outline problems, and propose solutions. As the students research and write these letters, they move from analysis to action and learn basic rhetorical strategies for incorporating evidence into a written argument.
Lesson Plan: Write a Letter to Your Middle School Self | PBS NewsHour Classroom
Grades 9-12
Watch short videos of students reading “letters to their middle school selves” about what they wished they had known when they were younger. Then, write your own letter to yourself at a younger age. Your letter can be advice, recall important memories, or it can be whatever you want to make of it!