Business Letters Unit
Day 6 Activity 6
Objective:
1. Students will become familiar with business letters and the
difference between a business letter and friendly letter.
2. Students will know how to address an envelope for sending
business mail.
Procedure: Students will work from a format and
prepare a sample business letter. Parts of that business letter
will be discussed. Different formats of typed business letters
will be discussed.
Here is the form that will be used:
4 blank lines from top of page
(Heading )
skip line
(Inside Address/address to recipient)
_____________________________
_____________________________
1 blank line
Dear Sir or Madam: (Salutation or Greeting)
1 blank line(Body)
Please send me any information that is available on the events in
(City name) during the month of June. My mother, father, brother,
and I plan to visit the area and will also need a list of
accommodations and restaurants. Sometimes we camp if there is a
nearby campground. Please supply this information, also.
Directions to places and maps of the area would be helpful.
1 blank line
Do you have a web site where I might learn more about your city?
1 blank line
I will appreciate any pamphlets or information sheets that you
could send me along with the activities, accommodations, and
their directions to help us plan a fun and meaningful vacation.
1 blank line
Very truly yours, (Closing)
3 blank lines for your handwritten (Signature)
(Your Name)
Now students will discuss possible
business letters that they may want or need to write in the
future. Envelopes will be prepared during this class, also.
Day 7- Activity 7
Goal: To write a business letter to a place of interest
in Tennessee that is located on the Internet.
Instructional Objectives: The student will:
- Determine a city of interest with varying populations.
- Locate the address for the Chamber of Commerce in the
city.
- Locate the address of a regional tourism association.
- Word process a letter to the city of interest.
Instructional Considerations: This is a 50 minute
English class.
Procedure: Discuss business letters - the why and how. How
do they look? How do they differ from friendly letters.
Set: Yesterday, we looked at a sample business letter
asking for information about your town. Now, imagine that you
would write to a city of your choice.
Instructional Strategies: The teacher will:
- Lead a discussion about finding information on the
Internet.
- Teacher will supervise the students as they search for
addresses and populations.
- Lead the students by developing their business letter.
- Guide the students in the full block format for word
processing their letters
Materials and Media: Each student uses a PC with Word
(Office 2000).
Student Practice: The students will:
- Participate in class discussion
- Select a location of interest to write requesting
information
- State parks
- Federal parks
- Music
- Education
- Medicine
- Sports
- Past presidents
- Hermitage
- Parthenon
- Elvis Presley
- Tennesee Valley Authority
- Japanese influence in Tennessee
- Industry
- Agriculture
Supplemental Activities: The students will:
- Explore the populations of the cities in Tennessee.
- Explore the different events and attractions that are
available.
- Look at the Internet site for our local Chamber of
Commerce.
For Reteaching: The students will:
- Mail their letters of information request.
- Review different letter styles for business letters.
- Review different word processing techniques.
Helpful Web Site:
State of
Tennessee web site
Closure: "What location did you choose to know
more about" (response) "You are a great class! Can you
always find your answer on the first search?" (response)
"I am pleased with your tenacity in searching and with your
letters of request. Please bring 33 cents for your stamps so that
we can mail your letters by the end of the week. Tomorrow we will
type your letters using the modified block style."
Evaluation:
The Business letters will be placed in the students' portfolios.
Again, after days of practice, students will choose of the their
favorite business letters to share with the class.
Day 8 - Activity 8 Typing a Business
Letter and addressing an envelope
Some students will be typing while others use previously
taught knowledge and address their letters. Some students will be
helping others finish up their letters.
Day 9 - Activity 9
Objective:Students will be able to construct a
business letter with an accompaning envelope. They will be able
to explain the rules regarding the structure of both the letter
and envelope.
Anticipatory Set:
I will bring to class my pet goldfish and allow the bowl to
sit on my desk during class. I will explain that it is about to
run out of food, also I cannot reach my supplier by phone. This
will demonstrate the necessity for letter writing.
Instructional Activities:
Put the structure of a business letter and an
addressed envelope on the chalkboard for the students to
use as a guide.
Have the students practice writing a letter to my
supplier requesting food prices, and time of shipment.
Have them stress urgency, my lizard may get hungry. Have
them turn in a rough draft form.
Have the students to address an envelope for the
letter. Allow the students to choose fake addresses and
names, any they choose. It would be more fun and
interesting to see what they come up with. specifing that
it has to be reasonable.
Have the students then write to a friend, or relative
in another town or area, if they don't have one allow
them to make up an imaginary one. Have them turn in this
rough draft also.
Evaluation and Closure:
Bring back a little food and the goldfish. Have the students
turn in finished products, the business letter and envelope, for
the final grade. It will be evaluated by using the rubric for
business letters.
Day 10-Activity 10
Evaluation and conclusion of lesson
- Students will be able to construct a business and a
personal letter with accompaning envelopes. They will be
able to explain the rules regarding the structure of them
both.
- Test over letter writing, turn in portfolio, and use a
sample of letters of both types and discuss with the
class some of the letters turned in.
- Students may share and read one of their favorite
finished business letters.
Enrichment, remedial, or
alternate business letter lesson plan
This is for teaching about business letter
templates
Grade Level 4-8
Purpose: Developing a template for a business letter
Materials: A computer with a word processor (Word, Works,
or Student Writing Center), printer
Goal: Business uses form letters all the time. Students
will develop their template for the business letter. They
will use the computer to generate several letters to
different companies or teachers in the school.
Preparation:
Be sure to understand the "Save As" command in
a word processor. This command allows the user to save an
existing letter document by another name. In order to
keep the original form letter intact, the students will
save their changes under a different name.
Procedure:
Introduce the skill of business letter writing.
Tell the students that they will be writing a form letter
to a number of companies whose products they enjoy.
Pass out Business Letter Template instructions and go
over together.
Instructions:
1. Start the word processor with a blank document.
2. Type the information in the heading, greeting, body,
and closing that will be the same in every letter. Use
the correct form of a business letter.
Leave blanks where information will be different.
3. Save the letter, giving it a name like
"Bus.Lettertemplate" This template will always
be the same if you don't save any changes under this file
name.
4. Now reopen the Business Letter template and type
information for your letter.
5. If you want, you can save this as another file.
6. Repeat writing all the letters you need or want.
7. Print your letters.
Visit the Rubrics that will be used for
evaluation.
Please visit the Student Gallery for original
student letters.
Updated 1-25-00
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