Thank you!

Objective & content

This writing sheet teaches pupils to write a short thank-you note (Dear..., Thank you very much for..., I love the..., It's..., It has..., I can..., Come and see me soon!, Love,...). Pupils read Leo's note to his aunt, take its phrases and write their own. By the end, they can write a note of 30 to 50 words that thanks someone for a present and says what it is like.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 has Leo's note, with a photo of a boy in a red football shirt. Leo, eleven, thanks his Aunt Kate for his birthday present, a red and white football shirt with his name on the back. It's a bit big, but that's OK; he has football on Saturdays and can wear it to the match, and his friends like it too. The note uses only the present tense. Pupils tick true or false for six sentences, then read the useful phrases, set out in the order of the note (start, thank you, the present, your news, what you can do, end). Page 2 starts with four gaps in Mia's note to fill with words from a box. Then pupils thank someone for a present from a card (a book about horses from Grandma, a skateboard from Uncle Tom, a board game from my cousins, a recipe book from Dad, each with what it is like and what you can do with it) or for a real present, and tick the checklist. The answer key gives a model note.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask "What was your best birthday present?" and write a few answers on the board.
2. (10 min) Read Leo's note aloud; pupils tick true or false.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases with the class; pupils find "It's" and "It has" in the note.
4. (5 min) Page 2: pupils complete Mia's note.
5. (15 min) Pupils choose a present, write their note and tick the checklist.
6. (5 min) Pupils read their note to a partner, who guesses who it is for.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils copy Leo's note and change only the present and its colour.

[A] Pupils add who they can play or share the present with.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 and 2 per pupil. Page 3 is the answer key, the model note and the teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need be, have, can and colours. To take it further, pupils write a real thank-you note in English after their next birthday.