Designing a Learning Experience

The Blueprint
Names: Bianca Iacono and Courtney Glasser
Project Title: The Way We Are
Project Essential Question: How is my life similar to and
different from the lives of other people around the
world?

Lesson Title: Learning to write to your ePal

Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Subject(s): Writing and technology
Duration: 2 days (45 minute section on Day One, and an
hour and ten minutes on Day Two)

PURPOSE OF THE LESSON

Connection to Global Mini Project
This learning experience fits into our larger Global Mini-Project because it sets the foundation for
the email writing process. This activity with take place on the second day of the Global MiniProject. In the previous day we had students play a get-to-know-you game, activate prior
knowledge about ePals with a KWL chart, and read the book Dear Mr. Blueberry by Simon
James. In this activity, we will complete an All About Me sheet, exploring the kind of
vocabulary students can use to describe themselves. In addition, we will also be introducing rules
of writing emails and how to construct an appropriate email to their ePal and have the students
produce an email on their own. This lesson incorporates English through students constructing
their own emails containing information about themselves as well as questions they may have for
their ePals. In addition, technology is used to expose students to the internet to learn more about
people from different parts of the world. After we have completed this part of our lesson, students
will continue to exchange emails with their ePals until they have gathered enough information to
create the final product (poster board about their ePal).

Curriculum Alignment (Standards)

2nd Grade ELA - Standards for Writing
Cluster: Production and Distribution of Writing
CCR Anchor Standard: Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing
and to interact and collaborate with others
W6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish
writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Essential Skills and Knowledge: Contribute to a learning community. Use technology to record
and organize information.
2nd Grade ELA- Standards for Language
Cluster: Conventions of Standard English
CCR Anchor Standard: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing.
L2. Capitalize product names and geographic names
Essential Skills and Knowledge: Distinguish between common and proper nouns.
Demonstrate correct capitalization of product names, and geographic names in writing.

Objective
1. By composing an email to their ePal that that is 11 sentences long and includes information
from their All about Me sheet, students will distinguish between common and proper nouns, use
technology to record and organize information, and contribute to an online international ePal
community.

Knowledge

Skills/Processes

Students will be expected to:

know what is appropriate content to include in
their ePal emails
how to successfully construct an email
know proper capitalization and punctuation
rules

We would like students to be able to:

describe themselves and their friends by using
descriptive language and by asking well thoughtout questions
become more familiar with technology and learn
the format of how to write an appropriate email
distinguish between common and proper nouns
use technology to record and organize
information

They will learn how to:

best communicate their ideas to someone they
dont have a personal relationship with yet
use predictive thinking to address questions
that their ePal might want to know about them
contribute to online international ePal
community

Understanding (Big Idea)

Dispositions/Habits of Mind

Students should understand:

there is a bigger world outside of their
classroom and community
how children their own age go about their
daily lives in another part of the world, while
also being introduced to a different culture

Students will be thinking and communicating

with clarity and precision.
Students will strive for accurate communication
in both written and oral form; avoiding over
generalizations, distortions, deletions and
exaggerations

Assessment:
Students will be able to apply and demonstrate learning by asking each other questions about
their best friend and presenting their answers by filling out the All About Me sheet, and by
constructing their first email to their ePal. The teacher will be able to monitor student responses,
go over All About Me sheets and review emails before they are sent.
Product/
Records
to be
Assessed

Evaluation
Criteria

4.0
(Exceeds
Expectations)

3.0
(Meets
Expectations)

2.0
(Approaches
Expectations)

1.0
(Does not
meet
expectatio
ns)

All
About
Me
Sheet

I. Student
distinguishes
between common
and proper nouns;
use capitalization
and punctuation
rules correctly.

Completely filled
out and all
questions are
addressed with
appropriate and
well thought-out
responses. Less
than 2
grammatical/
punctuation
errors.

Completely
filled out and
all questions
are completed
and most have
appropriate
responses.
Less than 4
grammatical/p
unctuation
errors.

Worksheet is
partially filled
out with some
questions
remaining
blank, and
questions that
have been
answered are
somewhat
appropriate.
Less than 6
grammatical/pu
nctuation errors.

Worksheet
is barely
completed
or not
completed
at all and
answers are
not
appropriate
for the
questions
or well
thoughtout. More
than 7
grammatica
l/punctuatio
n errors.

Email #1

II. Compose an
email that is 11
sentences long
and includes all
information from
All about Me
sheet. Use
technology to
record and
organize
information in a
correct email
format

Student has
followed the
email template
correctly and has
filled in all of the
information from
their All About
Me sheet
completely
independently.
The email has at
least 12 complete
sentences.

Student has
followed the
email template
correctly and
has filled in all
of the
information
from their All
About Me
sheet with
little guidance
from
instructor. The
email has at
least 11
complete
sentences.

Student has
somewhat
followed the
email template
and correctly
filled out some
of the
information
from their All
About Me
sheet with
guidance from
instructor. The
email has at
least 8 complete
sentences.

Student has
hardly
followed
the email
template
(or not at
all) and
incorrectly
filled out
the
information
from their
All About
Me sheet
with
significant
guidance
from
instructor.
There are
less than 6
sentences
in their
email.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Vocabulary & Terms

adjective- a word that is used to describe a person, place or thing
ePal- a person from a different country that you communicate with via email
email- an electronic letter
in common- having two things be the same or similar
proper noun- name of a person or place
improper noun- name of an object or thing
capitalization- writing a word with its first letter in uppercase
punctuation- symbols that are used in sentences and phrases to make meaning clearer

Instructional Materials and Supplies:

All About Me worksheets (1 per student) *see attached at end

Pencils (1 per student)
One completed All About Me worksheet as a model
Students individual writing journals (1 per student)

Sample email that teacher reads aloud to the class *see attached at end
Email template (this will be on each computer) *see attached at end
Website for referenced lesson plan
Crayons and markers (1 pack per table)
Students individual folders for completed worksheets
A copy of the example email (1 per student)

Technology:

Computers (1 per student)

Resources:
http://www.epals.com/project-detail.php?id=5cb10578-efbc-4e49-bcb5-b5e1e172474e

Sequence Day 1
Classroom Instruction

Event

Procedure/Activity; Questioning Strategies; & Management

Considerations:

LAUNCH

The teacher will introduce the lesson by telling the class a story about
a personal story about a friend that he/she has.

(5 minutes)

Im going to tell all of you a story about what I did this weekend.
My friend John and I play on the same softball team, the Wildcats.
This weekend, we had our softball game, and it was a lot of fun. Our
team ended up losing, but after the game John and I went to get
lunch. We both enjoy pizza so we went to Papa Johns. After lunch we
took a walk around the park and talked for a while about our family
and our jobs. After the park we both went home. I really enjoy
spending time with John because we have a lot of things in common,
but we are also different in many ways. Sometimes I wonder if my
ePal does the same types of things with her friends. What do you
think?
The teacher will then review what the class learned about pen pals
and ePals and different cultures around the world.
Who can remind the class of what an ePal is?
After the students review about what an ePal is, the teacher will explain that
the ePal letter writing process will be focusing on learning more about their
ePal and the friends that they have, as well as being able to describe their
friendships and interests to their ePal.
For today, we are going to be focusing on some of the friends that you
have in your lives and some activities that you do with them because thats
what you are going to be telling your ePal about.

EXPLORE
(5 minutes)

The teacher will introduce the lesson and offer some questions that
students will think of in order to begin to fill out the All About Me
sheet later in the lesson.
I have some questions for you to help you start thinking about some
friends you have in your life: Who is a friend you play a sport with?
Who is a friend you like to read with? Who is a friend you like to
spend recess with? Discuss with your table.
The teacher will record the questions above on a white board so the

students can reference them later.

The teacher will walk around the class and engage with students by
asking them to tell her about one of their close friends.
Where are they from? What are their favorite things to do? What do
you like to do together? Did you always know this person? How did
you become friends?
The teacher will remind students that close friends know a lot about
each other. They become closer friends as they learn more. This will
be very important for students getting to know their ePals.
PRESENT
(7 minutes)

The teacher will end the brainstorming time and move into a sharing
time with their partners.
Now that you have had time to think about friends you know, turn to
someone at your table and share with them about just one of your
friends.
Students will have a discussion about friendships with their partner at
their table by sharing the answers to the questions on the whiteboard.
The teacher will then ask some students to share what they learned
about their partners best friend to the class.
Can I have a few volunteers to tell me about their partners friend?

APPLY
(25 mintues)

Finding specific words to describe themselves may be hard for

students, but the worksheet All About Me can help. The teacher
will explain to students about the All About Me worksheet and how
they can use it as a guide to help with their first ePal email exchange.
Now that we have described a friend of ours and one of your
classmates has shared about one of their friends, we are going to fill
out a worksheet that will help us describe facts about ourselves.
The teacher will show students how to fill out the All About Me
worksheet by filling out one about you in front of the class.
My name is Ms. Smith, and my favorite color is blue (The

teacher is writing in the answers as she is speaking them to the class)

Then the teacher will pass out the All About Me worksheets to the
students. If necessary, the teacher should have students who quickly
complete it draw a picture that represents who they are on the back of
the paper. A picture of this drawing can be included in the email.
CLOSURE
(3 minutes)

Once the students finish filling out the worksheet, or as much of it as

they can during the allotted time, the teacher will instruct them to find
someone in the classroom that they have something in common with
and have a mini discussion about it.
Now that you have your worksheets filled in with facts about
yourself, take some time with the people at your table and find
someone who has something in common with you and share about
that with one another.
After a few minutes of sharing, ask the students to put their All
About Me sheets in their folders to use for the next day.

Sequence Day 2
Writing E-mail
Event

Procedure/Activity; Questioning Strategies; & Management

Considerations:

LAUNCH

The teacher reads an example email from a friend that lives far away
(use a fun/engaging voice), and passes out a copy for all the students
to follow along with. Students will underline all proper and improper
nouns, capitalized letters, and punctuation marks.

(10 minutes)

Today we are going to look at an example email that I got from my

friend who lives in a different part of the world to our class. She was
very interested in telling us all about herself and she used very
descriptive adjectives. As we read through this letter, underline any
proper or improper nouns, capitalized letters, and punctuation
marks that you see. Please listen carefully.

Once the class has read through the email one time, the teacher will
go over it again while underlining the nouns, capitalized letters, and
punctuation marks so that students can check their work.
Okay, now that we have heard the email once, we are going to read
through it again. This time I will be underlining all of the proper and
improper nouns, capitalized letters, and punctuation marks that I see.
Please check to make sure that you underlined all of them on your
copy!
EXPLORE
(5 minutes)

Before beginning, remind students about what makes a good ePal.

Have students brainstorm questions that they would like to ask in
order to know more about their ePals.
So we have just heard an example email from one of my ePals. Im
going to give you all a couple minutes to think about what makes a
good ePal. I also want you all to think about some questions you
would like to ask in order to know more about your ePals.

PRESENT
(10 minutes)

Share the ideas of what makes a good pen pal with the entire class
and record what students say on the whiteboard. Also record the
questions students come up with, but intentionally dont include any
capital letters or punctuation marks on the whiteboard.
Now that we have had some time to brainstorm what makes a good
ePal and some questions you would like to ask your ePal, can I have
some volunteers to share with the class their thoughts?
The teacher will ask what needs to be changed about the questions
she recorded to make sure that they follow the grammar/punctuation
rules that the class has been learning about. She will pick volunteers
to come up to the whiteboard to fix her errors.
I think that there might be some problems with how I wrote these
sentences and questions that we just came up with. Does anyone see any
changes that would need to be made? Can I have several volunteers to
come to the whiteboard and edit my sentences so they follow the
grammar/punctuation rules we have been learning about?

APPLY
(45 minutes)

Show students structure for their email:

o Students introduce themselves and open their letter.
o Students share the information from their All About Me

worksheets.
o Students ask their ePals questions about themselves.
o Students end their letter with a friendly closing (how excited they
are to receive their ePals letter, etc.).
An email template will be given to the students on the computer and
they will fill it out with the information from their All About Me
sheet and send their first email to their ePal.
Now we are going to write our first email! Go to the technology cart
and grab a computer. Then come back to your desks and open the
computer. Please click on the document saved to the desktop labeled
ePal Email. Lets do this quickly and walk safely with our
computers.
You are going to use your All About Me sheet to help you fill in
the blank places in the emails. You are then going to use the
questions that we came up with together and ask your ePal facts
about themselves. Please choose two questions from the list that we
made to include at the bottom of your email. Finally, we are going to
sign our names at the end of the email.
Please do not send the email until you have raised your hand and I
have checked over it. If you finish your email and I am working with
another student, or if I have already checked your email and am
helping other students in the class, please go to our reading station
designated for the pen pal books and read independently at your seat.
Now everyone sit at a laptop and put your thumbs up when you are
ready. Lets get started!
CLOSURE
(5 minutes)

Now that we have sent our first email take a couple minutes and
answer this writing prompt in your journals:
What are you excited to learn about your ePal? and What was the
hardest part about writing your first email.

*Additional Resources + Materials:

Name: _______________
Date: ________________
ALL ABOUT ME
1. My name is _________and I am from __________.
2. My favorite color is _________________________.
3. My favorite type of music is __________________.
4. My favorite sport is _________________________.
5. My favorite website is _______________________.
6. My favorite TV show is ______________________.
7. My favorite book or author is __________________.
8. My favorite animal is _________________________.
9. My favorite season is_________________________.
10. My birthday is on ___________________________.
11. I have ______________________________siblings.
12. Three words that describe me are __________
______________________________________________.

Dear _______________________________,
My name is __________________________ and I am a second
grade student at ________________. I wanted to share some facts
about myself with you! My favorite color is ____________, and my
favorite type of music is ___________________. I like to listen to it
when I ____________________. My favorite sport is
______________________ and I play it with my friend
___________________. I use my computer a lot, and when I do I like
to go on the website ___________________. My favorite TV show is
__________________ and my favorite book is ____________. We
have a lot of animals where I live, and my favorite animal is a
__________________. Here in _________, we get all four seasons
every year, but my favorite season is ____________________
because I can __________________ in the _________. I am
________ years old and my birthday is on _____________________.
I have _________siblings. Three words that I would use to describe
myself are ___________, _____________, and _______________.
Some questions I have for you are
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
I am very excited to get to know you, and cant wait to learn interesting
facts about you! Have a _____________ day!
From,
________________________________________

Dear Mrs. Smiths class,

My name is Sarah, and I am a second grade student at
Sunnyville Elementary. I wanted to share some facts about myself
with you! My favorite color is blue, and my favorite type of music
is country. I like to listen to it when I ride in the car with my mom.
My favorite sport is soccer and I play it with my friend Jack. I use
my computer a lot, and when I do I like to go on the website
FunBrain.com. My favorite TV show is Spongebob and my
favorite book is Judy Blume. We have a lot of animals where I
live, and my favorite animal is a horse. Where I live, we get all
four seasons every year, but my favorite season is winter because
I can play in the snow. I am 8 years old and my birthday is on
February 8th. I have 3 siblings. Three words that I would use to
describe myself are creative, friendly, and funny.
I am very excited to get to know you, and cant wait to learn
interesting facts about you! Have a fantastic day!
From,
Sarah Spellman