Writing a Formal Letter - Lesson 2 - First Draft PowerPoint

In the second lesson of a series on writing formal letters, Year 5 and 6 students are encouraged to harness the power of effective vocabulary to enhance their writing. The lesson opens with a comparison of two different letter openings, prompting students to identify which is more engaging and why. The more effective opening draws on evocative language and relatable experiences, such as the feeling of being dwarfed by older students on the first day of secondary school. This example serves to illustrate how vivid descriptions and rhetorical questions can captivate the reader's attention from the very beginning of a letter.

With the objective of understanding how to craft a compelling letter, the students are tasked with writing the first draft of a formal letter addressed to their headteacher. The purpose of the letter is to persuade the headteacher to organise an end-of-year disco. Students are advised to consider various aspects of formal letter writing, such as the layout, formality, audience, purpose, and content. They are encouraged to present reasonable and persuasive arguments in favour of the disco. The lesson emphasises that this initial draft does not need to be perfect, allowing students the freedom to explore their ideas. For homework, they are expected to complete this first draft and prepare for constructive feedback in the following lesson.