Free Creating Letters Lesson Plan for 9th Grade Students

Topic: Creating Letters

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to create various types of letters using Microsoft Word, including block, semi-block, and modified block formats.

Materials

• Microsoft Word
• Examples of different letter formats (can be physical copies or digital images)

Warm-up

• Ask students to brainstorm different ways that letters can be formatted. Some examples could be block, semi-block, and modified block.
• Post the different ways in a slide presentation in Google classroom and have students discuss the main features of each format.

Block Format: All letter elements left aligned

Modified Block: The heading (address of person sending letter) is left aligned and sometimes the closing as well.

Semi-Block: Most elements are left aligned but first sentence of each paragraph may be indented

Direct Instruction

• Open a new document in Microsoft Word and show students how to create a blank document.
• Next, show students how to create a block letter by inserting a new paragraph, choosing the "align left" option, and clicking on the "align left" icon in the formatting toolbar.
• Demonstrate how to adjust the margins and spacing to create a clean, professional-looking letter.
• Show students how to create a semi-block letter by inserting a new paragraph, choosing the "align right" option, and clicking on the "align right" icon in the formatting toolbar.
• Demonstrate how to adjust the margins and spacing to create a clean, professional-looking letter.
• Show students how to create a modified block letter by inserting a new paragraph, choosing the "justify" option, and clicking on the "justify" icon in the formatting toolbar.
• Demonstrate how to adjust the margins and spacing to create a clean, professional-looking letter.

Guided Practice

• Provide students with a sample letter and have them work in pairs to create a block, semi-block, and modified block version of the letter.
• Demonstrate how to adjust the margins and spacing to create a clean, professional-looking letter.

Independent Practice

• Provide students with a worksheet that includes a variety of letters (personal, business, etc.) and have them create block, semi-block, and modified block versions of each letter.
• Encourage students to be creative and think about how their letter format choice may impact the reader's perception of the letter.

Conclusion

• Have students share their block, semi-block, and modified block letter creations with the class and discuss the different approaches they took to creating each letter.
• Discuss the importance of choosing a letter format that is appropriate for the genre and purpose of the letter.

Assessment

• Observe students during independent practice to assess their ability to create block, semi-block, and modified block letters.
• Have students complete a short written reflection on the different approaches they took to creating the letters and why they chose the one they did.
• Ask students to provide a visual representation (i.e. a PowerPoint or video) of their independent practice project and discuss their use of language, structure, and overall effectiveness of their communication.