Mystery PenPal is a fun and easy way for students to build a community and get to know one another. Weather preparing for a PenPal exchange or developing classroom community, this fun and interactive class activity is appropriate for students of all grades!

In this class activity, students will learn:

1. The importance of asking questions

2. How asking questions can help get to know someone

3. How to complete a PenPal Schools student profile

Students will achieve the following outcomes:

- Students will ask questions and provide quality answers

- Students will enjoy learning about their classmates

- Students will understand how to participate in digital communities

Standards Alignment:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.2

In this lesson, students analyze model programs and a model Directors' Note to understand the format of these texts. They read the model Directors' Note for gist and use it to begin planning their monologue group's Directors' Note as part of the module performance task (RI.5.4, W.5.2, W.5.4, W.5.8, SL.5.1, L.5.4).
Consider that some students may be able to rely on background knowledge about plays and theater when discussing the programs and Directors' Notes. Spend extra time contextualizing these concepts if necessary. Display photographs or brief videos of plays and directors working with actors. Also consider inviting students to share experiences with plays and theater in their home languages and cultures.
The Opening of this lesson is designed for students to use internet sources as texts. If the technology necessary for students to complete the reading is unavailable, provide them with a printed copy of the texts.
In the Closing, students generate criteria for reading fluency on the Fluent Readers Do These Things anchor chart in preparation for Part III of the End of Unit 3 assessment and performing their monologues as part of the module performance task (RF.5.4).
This lesson focuses on the following habits of character: working to contribute to a better world and working to become effective learners. The characteristics that students are reminded of in this lesson are: apply my learning when discussing the module performance task and perseverance before reading the model Directors' Note.
Students practice their fluency in this lesson by following along and reading silently as the teacher reads the model Directors' Note in Work Time A and by developing criteria for fluent reading in the Closing.
The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to human rights. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

In this lesson, students use their research from Lessons 8-9 to write a draft of their Directors' Note with their monologue group (W.5.2, W.5.4, W.5.5, W.5.8).
In Work Time B, students are guided through a research reading share. Consider using the Independent Reading: Sample Plan if you do not have your own independent reading review routines. This review is designed to hold students accountable for their research reading completed for homework. This volume of reading promotes students' growing ability to read a variety of literary and informational texts independently and proficiently (RI.5.10, RL.5.10, SL.5.1).
This lesson focuses on the following habits of character: working to become effective learners and working to become ethical people. The characteristics students are reminded of in this lesson are: collaboration, as they work with their groups to write their Directors' Note, and taking initiative, prior to sharing their independent reading.
In the Closing, students practice reading their monologues in preparation for Part III of the End of Unit 3 Assessment and the performance task (RF.5.4).
The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to human rights. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

In this lesson, students continue to research and gather evidence for their monologue group's Directors' Note. They research issues related to human rights, select a right that their issue fits under, and learn about how the issue impacts people today (W.5.2, W.5.8). Specific examples of current issues have not been provided in this lesson, as situations can change very quickly. To ensure the content students are researching is up-to-date, websites that describe current threats to human rights have been suggested and will need to be reviewed in advance to identify the issues and the specific web pages that align with the threats to human rights students have highlighted in their monologues (see Technology and Multimedia).
This lesson is designed for students to use internet sources as texts. If the technology necessary for students to complete the reading is unavailable, consider providing them with a printed copy of the texts.
At the end of the lesson, students practice reading their monologues in preparation for Part III of the End of Unit 3 Assessment and the performance task (RF.5.4).
This lesson focuses on the following habits of character: working to become ethical people and working to become effective learners. The characteristics that students are reminded of in this lesson are: respect when sharing ideas during a whole class discussion and perseverance before reading internet research.
The research reading that students complete for homework will help build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to human rights. By participating in this volume of reading over a span of time, students will develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

The kindergarten students will develop their writing skills, over time, using pictures (representing themselves, others, and scenery) and letters (strings of letters, phonetically spelled words and/or words) that match in meaning.  Students will be expected to verbally share their writing with others.  They may "read" from their paper or "read" from memory.  This Author's Celebration is the first of many to come throughout the school year.  The focus for this Author's Celebration is that the story is about one topic.

Students explore the genre of commercial endorsements, establishing characteristics and requirements for the genre. Each student then composes an endorsement of a product, service, company, or industry.

Students use persuasive writing and an understanding of the characteristics of letters to the editor to compose effective letters to the editor on topics of interest to them.

Students learn that you don't have to raise your voice to raise a point. Writing a persuasive letter to your principal is a great way to get your opinions heard.

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

How can we convince others to agree with us on important issues? In this lesson, students explore relevant environmental issues and gather information to write persuasive essays.

This lesson engages children in using writing to their families as a persuasive tool to get what they want and need.

An adaptable writing frame for teacher to comments; self evaluation and an indicator of whether the work was independent, shared or teacher assisted etc.

This journal article details the four phases that children move through on their way to becoming confident readers.

Watch Dr. Louisa Moats, reading expert and consultant, demonstrate activities for teaching segmentation and connecting sounds to letters.

This PDF from the National Center on Intensive Intervention provides teachers with a sample intervention lesson for phonological awareness. This lesson will help students recognize and match initial sounds in words.

This infographic shows that phonological awareness is like an umbrella. Rhyming, alliteration, sentence segmentation, syllables, onset and rime, and phonemic awareness all exist under this umbrella, with phonemic awareness being the most advanced skill of phonological awareness.

University of Michigan's Dyslexia Help Center provides samples phonological awareness activities that can be utilized by parents at home.

Students use picture books as framing texts for research, freeing them from the language of encyclopedia sources and allowing them to focus their attention on the content of their papers.