LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

A Genre Study of Letters with "The Jolly Postman"

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=322

A lesson plan for Grades 3–5 English Language Arts

Provider: IRA/NCTE

About this resource

Appropriate grades
3–5
Provider
IRA/NCTE

Legal

Creative Commons License

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In this ReadWriteThink lesson, The Jolly Postman is used as an authentic example to discuss letter writing as a genre. Students explore the letters to the storybook characters delivered by The Jolly Postman They then learn how to categorize their own examples of mail. The book The Jolly Postman uses well-known storybook characters, from fairy tales and nursery rhymes, as recipients of letters. This children's storybook is therefore ideal for using as a review of these genres of literature and as a means of helping children begin to explore rhyme and a variety of writing styles. This resource includes links to teacher and student materials, a Studenet interactive, and related websites.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
      • setting a purpose.
      • previewing the text.
      • making predictions.
      • asking questions.
      • locating information for specific purposes.
      • making connections.
      • using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
      • fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
      • nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
      • poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
      • drama (skits, plays).
    • Objective 2.05: Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text.

Grade 4

  • Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
      • setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
      • making predictions.
      • formulating questions.
      • locating relevant information.
      • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
      • fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
      • nonfiction (autobiographies, informational books, diaries, journals).
      • poetry (concrete, haiku).
      • drama (skits, plays).
    • Objective 2.07: Determine usefulness of information and ideas consistent with purpose.
    • Objective 2.09: Listen actively by:
      • asking questions.
      • paraphrasing what was said.
      • interpreting speaker's verbal and non-verbal messages.
      • interpreting speaker's purposes and/or intent.

Grade 5

  • Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
      • making predictions.
      • formulating questions.
      • supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
      • drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
      • seeking additional information.
      • making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
    • Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
      • fiction (tall tales, myths).
      • nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
      • poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
      • drama (plays and skits).
    • Objective 2.06: Analyze choice of reading materials congruent with purposes (e.g., reading for information, reading to extend content area learning, reading for pleasure, entertainment).
    • Objective 2.07: Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information and ideas based on purpose, experiences, text(s), and graphics.
    • Objective 2.09: Listen actively and critically by:
      • asking questions.
      • delving deeper into the topic.
      • elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
      • evaluating information and ideas.
      • making inferences and drawing conclusions.
      • making judgments.