Monday, May 4, 2015

Teacher Appreciation Thank You's

Hi there! It’s Lisa from over at Second Grade Stories and I’m happy to be back here at iTeachSecond sharing a Monday Make It.  This little "project" is a quick and easy idea to use this week to put a smile on a teacher's face. Since this week is Teacher Appreciation week, I wanted my students to understand how important it is to do something thoughtful for teachers they have had.  I also needed it to be something simple!  I really wanted my students to see how a little thing such as a handwritten note could make a difference for a teacher.  So I decided to have each of them write a quick note to teacher they had worked with.

We started by making a list of all the teachers my students had come in contact with over their brief second grade careers.  We listed classroom teachers, specials teachers, reading and math teachers, intervention teachers – any teacher they could think of.  Then we created a second list detailing what made these teachers special – I encouraged them to share specific things they remembered, rather than just general statements such as “You are a great teacher!”

Next, we reviewed how to write a letter – date, salutation, body (with an opening sentence, details and closing sentence), closing and signature.  My kiddos each chose a different teacher and wrote a rough draft, then a final copy.  They turned out to be adorable!

They were so proud of how they came out and couldn’t wait until Monday when I would put them in teacher mailboxes. This was a great way to do a little letter writing review, talk about using specific instead of general details - and make someone happy! - all at the same time!

If you’d like the templates to use with your own kiddos, you can download the file by clicking on the image. I included a bunch of different graphics that print beautifully on colored paper.  Or you can print on white paper and have your students do the coloring.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2ize_mAbVGMc084VlhTS1lJOVk/view?usp=sharing

Sometimes the easiest and simplest things are the most powerful.  This activity took only one writing period, but I know how touched every teacher will be when they receive their note. Happy Teacher Appreciation week!

2 comments:

  1. Great idea! It's reviewing skills but also teaching the art of kindness. Thanks for sharing!
    Jan
    Laughter and Consistency

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