News from Vermont

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write an email to a friend with their news (A lot has happened since..., The big news is that..., We've been here since..., I used to... Now I..., I have to admit..., If I lived closer, I'd...). Pupils read Marcus's email from Vermont, see how it is built, take its phrases and write their own email. By the end, they can write an email of 150 to 180 words about a change in their life.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Marcus's email to Elena, a friend he met at a summer camp in England, with a photo of chickens and of a covered bridge in the snow. Last spring his mom was offered a job in Vermont, and the family moved from New York to a house in the middle of fields. He was furious at first, but he is starting to like it: he used to take the subway and live on the fourteenth floor, and now he takes a yellow school bus and has twelve chickens and a goat called Pickles, who has eaten two of his sneakers. His neighbors make maple syrup from the sap of maple trees, which is collected in spring and boiled for hours. He still misses his friends; if he lived closer, he would see them every weekend. Pupils answer six questions with three options each. Page 2 shows how the email is built: pupils match each part (say sorry for not writing, the big news, then and now, what's happening next, how you feel about it, ask about your friend, end) to its words. The useful phrases follow in a box, and pupils complete Elena's reply from Rome with the right verb forms. Page 3 is the writing: a plan in notes, the email to Marcus about a change in their own life (with Hi Marcus, already written and a row of phrases to use) and a checklist. The answer key gives a model reply. Marcus writes American English (mom, neighbors, sneakers, subway).

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "What has changed in your life this year?" and collect ideas on the board.
2. (10 min) Read Marcus's email aloud; pupils answer the questions.
3. (10 min) Page 2: pupils match the parts of the email, then read the useful phrases.
4. (5 min) Pupils complete Elena's reply.
5. (20 min) Page 3: pupils plan in notes, write their email and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) Pupils tell a partner their big news in one sentence.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils write about one change only, with used to and now.

[A] Pupils add what they think will change next year, and why.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil. Page 4 is the answer key, the model reply and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need used to, the present perfect with for and since, the second conditional, and the passive in the present and the past. To take it further, pupils ask a parent or grandparent how life used to be and report it to the class.