Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 1
Format of Strategy Lessons for the Integration Plan
Introductory Section
Grade level: 3
Topic of your content: Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Area of your strategy: Writing
Specific strategy: Letter Writing
Purpose of your strategy: The purpose of this strategy is to teach students how to write a
letter, while making connections with social studies in writing a letter from a certain time
period.
Stage 1: Desired Results
Georgia Performance Standard: Social Studies or Science – content specific
SS3H2: The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people's rights and
freedoms in a democracy.
a. Paul Revere (independence), Frederick Douglass (civil rights), Susan B. Anthony
(women’s rights), Mary McLeod Bethune (education), Franklin D. Roosevelt
(New Deal and World War II), Eleanor Roosevelt (United Nations and human
rights), Thurgood Marshall (civil rights), Lyndon B. Johnson (Great Society and
voting rights), and César Chávez (workers’ rights).
Learning Outcome (LO): Social Studies or Science – GPS content specific:
Students will identify the changes that Franklin D. Roosevelt made in his presidency during the
Great Depression and World War II.
Essential Question (EQ): Social Studies or Science – GPS content specific:
What kind of advancements did FDR make during his presidencies that can be compared to
advancements being made today?
Georgia Performance Standard: ELA - Strategy Specific
ELA3W1 The student demonstrates competency in the writing process. The student
c. Writes text of a length appropriate to address the topic or tell the story.
Learning Outcome (LO): ELA GPS - Strategy Specific
The student will plan a letter of an appropriate length to address a topic.
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 2
Essential Question (EQ): ELA GPS - Strategy Specific
Why would you write a letter to address a topic?
Learning Outcome:
The student will plan a letter of an appropriate length to address a topic.
Essential Question:
Why would you plan a letter to address a topic?
Phase of Learning: Acquisition
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
Didactic/Direct Instruction
What the teacher does/uses (Lesson Structure and Teaching/Learning Strategy)
Teaching
First, the teacher will introduce the concept of letter writing to the class, stating the Essential
Question and Learning Outcome. The teacher will also explain the purpose of letter writing.
Then, the teacher and students will look at an example of a letter together. After looking at
the letter, the teacher will introduce the different parts of a friendly letter, using the example
letter. The components the teacher will explain are the greeting, the introduction, the body,
the conclusion, and the salutation. The teacher will explain the components of each part.
She will explain that the greeting is who the letter is addressed to and that when writing a
friendly letter, the writer uses the phrase, “Dear ________,” as the greeting. The teacher will
explain that in the introduction, the writer is giving the reader a summary of the content that
the letter contains. In the body, the writer then explains the purpose of the letter to the
reader. After the writer writes what he wants to reader to hear, he will then close the letter
with a conclusion, which summarizes the letter. After explaining these components, the
teacher will explain to the students that after the conclusion, the writer must end the letter
with a salutation. A salutation is the closing phrase, which can be a variety of phrases such as
“Sincerely,” “Truly Yours,” or “Love,” After breaking down the parts of a letter, the teacher
will display a blank friendly letter graphic organizer. The teacher will go through each part of
it and model to the class how to complete it, and this graphic organizer’s topic will be about
Abraham Lincoln from an American citizen of that time period, suggesting ideas for further
change in America and/or thanking him for what he has already done.
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 3
Guided Practice
Together, the teacher and the class will complete a blank graphic organizer, with the class
giving the teachers ideas and suggestions as to what kind of content should go in the letter.
The topic of the graphic organizer written together as a class will be about writing a letter to
President Obama, suggesting ideas for further change in America and/or thanking him for
what he has already done.
Assessment Activity:
The teacher will tell the students that they will be writing a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt
about either the New Deal or World War II, pretending to be someone from that time period.
The letter may include praise to FDR about the great job he has done as President, or the
students may provide their input on things that they wish FDR had done differently. The
students will complete their own graphic organizer based on the concepts of a letter
reviewed in class. They will use the content of Franklin D. Roosevelt that they have learned in
social studies to complete a graphic organizer to plan a letter to him.
Teacher Resources and Instructional Resources
Halifax, L., Lynn, A., Middleton, J., Miller, S. (n.d.). Unpublished simulated letter graphic
organizer. Retrieved February 9, 2012, from
http://www.valdosta.edu/~troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm
This resource is a modified version of the friendly letter organizer, created by Dr. Tonja
Root. It is a graphic organizer that is useful for prewriting a letter. It is created in the
context of a citizen of the United States writing to a historical figure, particularly
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
My Child magazine. (2007). An introduction to letter writing. Reading rockets. Retrieved
from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/22319/
This resource is an article pertaining to teaching the importance of letter writing to
elementary aged students. The teaching is divided into two stages: warming up to
letter writing and introducing letter writing. The types of letters that are highlighted
are informal and formal letters, thank you letters, invitation letters, and letters to
magazines and newspapers.
Pearson Custom Education: Developing literacy: LITR 3130. New York: Pearson Learning
Solutions, pp. 98-100.
This resource is a section in a textbook about letter writing. It discusses the importance of
letter writing and how to teach letter writing. It also gives suggestions on how to
assess letter writing.
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 4
Root, T. (n.d.). Friendly letter organizer. Retrieved from
http://www.valdosta.edu/~troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm
This resource is another graphic organizer. It is a graphic organizer that guides students in
prewriting friendly letters. It includes questions such as “What do I want the reader
to know about me?” and “What do I want to ask the reader about themselves?”
The parts of a letter. Teacher vision. Retrieved from
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/TCR/1576903443_37.pdf
This resource is a guide that includes a print out that assists students in the parts of a letter. It
is a picture of a person that divides the person into three parts: the head, the body, and
the legs. The head corresponds with the heading of the letter, the body corresponds
with the body of the letter, and legs and feet correspond with the closing of the letter.
Whitman, S. (1993). V is for victory. Minneapolis, MN: Learners Publication Company.
This book ntoes the accomplishments of Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II,
particularly stating what happened on the home front and how the American people
reacted. One of the key chapters mentions recycling and scrap drives to save money and
help the soldiers at war.
Research Article:
Strangman, N., Hall, T., & Meyer, A.(2003). Graphic organizers with udl. Retrieved from
http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_goudl.html
Based on research, graphic organizers are highly effective in the teaching all subjects but
mostly comprehension and vocabulary. This is based on students with and without disabilities. It
is also based on students in all grade levels, but mostly elementary. The reason for the research
was to see if graphic organizers are effective in the learning process. The outcome was that ten
out of twelve studies saw a positive outcome from using graphic organizers. There are also other
numerous studies done that have found students with and without a disabilities improve by using
a graphic organizer.
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 5
What is your address?
Heading
513 Willow Dr.
(Your street number, street name, & apartment number (if living in an apartment))
Valdosta, Ga 31601
(Your city, state, and zip code)
February 14, 2012
(Today’s date)
Who will get your letter?
Abraham Lincoln
(Greeting)
Why are you writing a letter to Abraham Lincoln?
Introduction
 Introducing yourself
 Suggestions for further change
 Thanking him for what he did
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
What suggestions would you make for further change in America?
Body
 Following through on acting what he says
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 Equal rights for freed slaves
 Equal rights for women ______________________________
 _________________________________________________
What do you want to thank Abraham Lincoln for doing?
Conclusion
 Freeing the slaves
 Being an inspirational leader

Contributing to unifying the Union and Confederacy
Sincerely,
(Closing)
Mrs. Smith
(Your signature)
Halifax, L., Lynn, A., Middleton, J., Miller, S. (n.d.). Unpublished simulated letter graphic organizer. Retrieved February 9,
2012, from http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 7
What is your address?
Heading
________________________________________
(Your street number, street name, & apartment number (if living in an apartment))
_________________________________________
(Your city, state, and zip code)
_________________________________________
(Today’s date)
Who will get your letter?
___________________________
(Greeting)
Why are you writing a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Introduction
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
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What suggestions would you make for further change in America?
Body
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
What do you want to thank Franklin D. Roosevelt for doing?
Conclusion
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
 _________________________________________________
_____________________
(Closing)
_____________________
(Your signature)
Lauren Halifax, Ashlee Lynn, Jessica Middleton, Shanay Miller 9
Halifax, L., Lynn, A., Middleton, J., Miller, S. (n.d.). Unpublished simulated letter graphic organizer. Retrieved February 9,
2012, from http://coefaculty.valdosta.edu/troot/eced4300/Graphic%20Organizers.htm