LESSON SIX: Writing a Business Letter to Compare and Contrast
LESSON DESCRIPTION
Students compare and contrast two subjects while writing a business letter.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
W3C Students will write expository paragraphs (including compare/contrast and cause/effect), multi-paragraph essays drawing from a variety of sources, responses to literature that demonstrate an understanding of theme using details/examples from the text as support.
LESSON MATERIALS
§ Sources of literature
§ Supplies
o Paper and pencil
o Overhead
o Nonfiction literature and advertisements about restaurants and food
§ Handouts provided
§ Words to Know
o business letter
o nonfiction
o compare
o contrast
o sensory details
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Students create a multi-paragraph business letter (see block form business letter example) that compares/contrasts two fast food items. You may use the provided handout Whopper vs Big Mac. The letter is written from the food’s point of view to the consumer (RAFT). Scoring guide provided.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Display nonfiction literature and advertisements that display nice restaurants where you might go while on vacation and food items that might be eaten (examples may include internet sources or magazine articles such as from Hard Rock Café). See internet sites listed below for examples: http://www.familytravelguides.com/articles/food/restaurants/hardrok1.html, Four Seasons Restaurant http://www.fourseasonsrestaurant.com/. A Ruby Tuesday menu is provided as a handout for possible use. Select two tantalizingly tasty fast food items and describe their characteristics. Think about (comparison and contrast) similarities and differences between those two delicious delicacies. Use an overhead projector to model two selections. The article Whopper vs Big Mac is provided for possible use.
|
Questions for Students |
How do you compare one object to another? How do you contrast one object to another? Why is comparing and contrasting items useful when writing about a topic? |
2. Select two of your favorite fast foods. Make a Venn diagram (see example) comparing/contrasting those items including sensory details such as appearance, smell, and taste.
|
Suggestions |
Include both similarities and differences in the Venn diagram. Use phrases that make clear comparisons and contrasts. Use comparative and superlative forms correctly. Write legibly in cursive or print. Emphasize the RAFT http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/writing.html (role, audience, format and topic) strategy. |
3. Model all phases of instruction using the teacher’s model as an example while the students create their own comparison.
|
Formative Assessment Scoring Guide |
2 points: Correct business format and includes two or more paragraphs with three or more supporting details from their Venn diagram. 1 point: No more than two mistakes in the business format and includes two or more paragraphs with two supporting details from their Venn diagram. 0 points: More than two mistakes in business format and one or no supporting details. |