Letters Home from China

Summary: Students imagine themselves to be traveling with the trade mission group in china. Using information from the Minnesota-China Connection weblog updates, news sources, and independent research, students write a letter to a designated audience as if they were on the trip themselves. This may be a single writing activity or an ongoing one. It may also be constructed to focus on speaking, with students creating audio letters instead of written ones.

Minnesota Academic Standards Information

Subject Area Focus: Language Arts/Writing

Educational Level: Teachers may adapt the activity for the various grade levels. Intermediate, Middle, High

High (9-12) Level

The student will write in narrative, expository, descriptive, persuasive and critical modes.

The student will engage in the writing process with attention to audience, organization, focus, quality of ideas, and a purpose.

The student will apply standard English conventions when writing.

The student will locate and use information in reference materials.

For the complete standard, see the Minnesota Academic Standards web site at http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/index.html

Middle (6-8) Level

The student will create informative, expressive and persuasive writing.

The student will engage in a writing process with attention to context, organization, focus, quality of ideas and purpose.

The student will apply standard English conventions when writing.

The student will locate and use information in reference materials.

The student will write legibly and demonstrate effective keyboarding skills.

For the complete standard, see the Minnesota Academic Standards web site at http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/index.html

Intermediate (4-5) Level

The student will compose various pieces of writing.

The student will engage in writing, with attention to organization, focus and quality of ideas.

The student will apply standard English conventions when writing.

The student will locate and use information in reference materials.

For the complete standard, see the Minnesota Academic Standards web site at http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/index.html

Primary (K-3) Level

The student will compose various pieces of writing.

The student will demonstrate increased emerging knowledge in a writing process, with attention to organization, focus, and quality of ideas.

The student will apply standard English conventions when writing.

The student will locate and use information in reference materials.

The student will write legibly.

For the complete standard, see the Minnesota Academic Standards web site at http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Standards/index.html

LEARNING ACTIVITY

Directions

Objectives:

• To summarize and synthesize information obtained through reading and research.
• To imagine a travel experience.
• To write a personal letter with an awareness of audience.

Preparation: Review various resources listed below. Select ones most appropriate for your students. Find other hard copy and electronic resources from the school library or Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM) to supplement the web-based materials.

Time Required: Two or more 40 minute class periods.

Description

Introductory Work

1. Have students become familiar with the trade mission to China and the students who will be traveling with the Governor by reviewing information on the project web site.
2. Have students become familiar with China through other learning activities from the project, online resources, or resources available in your school or community library.
3. Use the Minnesota-China Connection weblog updates from the students on the trade mission to discuss the components of a good letter home. What do they as readers like to hear about? How do detailed descriptions of people and places enhance the letters?
4. Listen to audio reports from various radio shows to hear how reports can be spoken rather than written (see on-line resources listed below). Discuss the components of a good audio letter.

Writing

1. Ask students to imagine that they are traveling along on the trade mission as a student representative. Their task is to write a letter back home to a particular audience (e.g., class, whole school, business community, larger community, family members, newspaper) about a specific component of their trip.
2. Brainstorm possible questions the particular audience may want answered.
3. Have students research a particular place that will be the focus of their letter (e.g., the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, a market, Tian’anmen Square, etc.) using a variety of sources. See your local library or bookstore for current travel guides to travel in China and see travel sites such as listed in the resource section below.
4. Have students write a letter to the particular audience as if they had spent their day at the studied place from step six above. Encourage students to imagine themselves in the place, being aware of all five senses. They can write the letter as if they are telling a story. What in the space surprises them or captures their attention? Encourage students to integrate as much detail as possible gathered from their research. Also, emphasize appropriate (and dramatic) sequence of events within the story. If you do this as an audio version, have students write drafts of their letters, including notes for sound effects. Have students record their letters using audio programs on the computer (e.g., HyperStudio) or with a tape recorder.
5. Use a peer review process for students to get feedback on their work, emphasizing that readers should be thinking about the audience needs and interests.
6. Have students present their final product (written or audio) to the class or other interested audiences (e.g., family members, other classes of students).

Learning Resources:

Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM). This resource is also available through your school library media center or public library. http://www.elm4you.org.

Travel China

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/index.html

China Tour

http://www.chinatour.com

Fodor’s Travel

http://www.fodors.com

The Lonely Planet

http://www.lonelyplanet.com

Minnesota Historical Society Chinese American Exhibit

http://www.mnhs.org/events/ChineseAmerican/exhibit4.html

U.S. Department of State Information on China

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/18902.htm

Printable Materials: None

Evidence of Learning: The following product(s) supply evidence of student learning.

• Process evidence (notes, drafts)
• Final drafts of letters

Special Notes

Technology Integration:

Incorporate technology tools and resources in ways that enhance and support teaching and learning.

• Have students word process their letters, adding drawings or photo images (with proper credits).
• Have students create multi-media presentations of their letters.
• Have students create an audio or video presentation of their letter.

Accommodations

Change the activity to accommodate students with different needs, knowledge and skills.

• Have students work in pairs on their letters.
• Include more structure for students, including prompts for brainstorming and outlines for the letter.
• Have students create an audio tape version of their story.

Extensions

Extend students' learning with additional activities.

• Have students create an audio or video presentation of their letter.
• Have students create a series of letters (or audio clips) addressing multiple sites

Entire List of Curriculum Activities