Students will write letters of gratitude for someone they choose, ensuring development, organization, and style are appropriate to the purpose and audience.
This lesson provides students the opportunity to send letters of gratitude to people who could use support during the COVID-19 pandemic—and beyond.
Student Writing Samples
by Helen, Grade 12, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a senior at South High School in Minneapolis offers words of support to healthcare workers across the country, including her own mom.
by Sammie, Grade 9, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a freshman at South High School in Minneapolis thanks care workers for supporting our local and national communities during this global pandemic.
by Sabrin, Grade 9, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, 9th grader Sabrin discusses how she feels both happy and sad, and thanks nurses nationwide for bringing her peace through their work.
by Kailyn Espinosa, 826NYC
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student shares how essential workers’ courage and compassion center her during these hectic times.
by Terry Velasquez, Grade 12, The Bronx, NY
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student shares gratitude for the dedication of nurses and gives “credit where credit is due.”
by Tala, Grade 10, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, 10th grader Tala asks essential workers what motivates them to keep going during these difficult times, offering her own views on hope for the future.
by Matthew Inoa, 826 NYC
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, a student describes how essential workers are the pulse of New York, fueling the city’s hope.
by Ibrahim, Grade 7, 826 MSP
In this letter from the Essential Words lesson, 7th grader Ibrahim thanks Nurses for the heart and soul they put into caring for their patients and fighting disease.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when students across the country were sheltering in place, many may felt like there is no way to make a difference beyond the walls of their home. This lesson provided a unique opportunity to change that by calling on students to share their voices in an essential way. While it was developed in response to the pandemic, much of the lesson still applies today. It is designed for students to reflect on essential workers in their communities, learn more about their work, and share gratitude with people who could use it the most.
These friends, family, and community members are going to work every day to care for others, often at great expense to themselves and their own families. Many people are describing healthcare workers, grocery clerks, cleaning professionals, and other essential workers as at the “front lines” of the coronavirus “battle.” While the militarization of this language does capture the danger and courage that encompass many essential workers lives right now, it does not address the nurturing and caring nature of their work. Their work, right now and always, is rooted in service to the community. Let’s take this opportunity as a community to thank them, not just because they are essential workers, but because they are brave, caring, and essential people.
Students will reflect on what they’re grateful for, research the range of experiences of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and practice expressing gratitude.
10 Minutes
Begin by introducing students to the “Feelings Bank” in the Essential Words—Handouts. Have students circle words they feel describe how they’re doing right now. Students may use the blank spaces at the bottom of the page to add their own words if their feelings aren’t captured by those provided.
After students reflect, invite those who are interested to share. As many students may currently be processing their emotions and may not feel open to sharing, provide space for students to think and opt in as they feel comfortable. For this reason, it’s especially important to remind students who do choose to share (and those who don’t) that all their feelings are valid. During a quarantine, so many feelings can be experienced. Some questions to explore as a class include:
How are current events impacting you? Changing your routines? Making you feel?
Use this conversation to introduce letter writing as an opportunity for conversation and connection around the many emotions we are experiencing.
10 Minutes
Gratitude Reflection
Note: This step was inspired by “People, Places, and Things”, a brainstorming activity by 826 New Orleans’ Program Director Kyley Pulphus. You can check out the original activity and find more uses for T-chart brainstorming here.
Using the chart in the Essential Words—Handouts, have students write down a list of people, places, and things they’re feeling grateful for right now. Encourage students to get creative with the list—the people, places and things do not have to be people they’ve met or objects in their home. You can model this by showing a few things you’re grateful for. There are lots of examples to choose from: your pet, the nurse who took care of your mom, the sunshine, cloudy days, pencils, the beach, your bed.
If students are struggling to come up with people they’re grateful for in their community, you can point them to the work of essential workers. Ask students what kind of jobs or roles are considered essential at this time. Many of the examples in this lesson mention people in the healthcare industry such as nurses or doctors. Some other roles that deserve our gratitude include:
After 5-7 minutes of writing, invite students to share some of the things they’re most grateful for.
15 Minutes
Choosing Your Audience
Next, ask students to choose one person on that list they feel gratitude toward. Note that while the lesson and its examples focus primarily on people in healthcare, we know there are many kinds of essential workers and people staying in place who deserve celebration and support. We urge students to write to any individual who is on their mind during quarantine.
To help students choose their audience, it may be helpful to go over some of the basic needs that essential workers are risking, both during this pandemic and always. Ask students what some of these needs may be. Some possible answers could be:
As students consider the vast challenges that these workers are facing, it may be helpful to show them articles or videos with messages directly from essential workers:
Despite these systemic injustices happening nationwide, the inequities essential workers face are often overlooked in the news recounting these heroics. In this step, students will not just acknowledge these difficulties—they’ll ask about them. With these questions, students begin the process of empathy and connection. Rather than assuming we know anyone’s situation, asking questions creates space for essential workers to own their lived experiences.
10 Minutes
Actions & Impacts
This step helps students think about what the student’s recipient does, why that person is important, and how their actions impact the student.
To begin, ask students to fill in the actions column of the “Getting Specific” page in the Essential Words—Handouts. The action column will consist of real observations of courageous acts from healthcare workers or the target audience of your student’s choice.
To help students come up with a list of essential worker takes, encourage them to think through the chosen person’s daily routine:
This could also be an opportunity for students to do some research. Students can reference the videos, news, articles online, or stories they’ve heard from friends and family to come up with a list of actions essential workers are likely taking.
Once the action column is filled in with a few activities, have students go through and fill in the corresponding importance and impact of each action. Use the example of Frank the bus driver to help explain to students that there are two important outcomes we want to think about:
15 Minutes
Expressing Gratitude
Your students have described how they’re feeling and considered the perspective and experience of essential workers. Now, it’s time to bring those two ideas together. The best way to thank someone is not just in the word thank you, but in sharing how others have made our lives better. Share a few examples of this with your students by using this format and thanking them.
“Thank you so much for being such wonderful students!”
OR
“Thank you so much for coming to class every day. Seeing your face every day makes me feel like I’m not alone.”
Ask students how these two quotes are different. What do they learn from the second quote that they don’t from the first?
Explain that by sharing not only WHAT their behavior is, but HOW it makes you feel and WHY, it helps the people we care about understand their specific impact. Provide students with the template for this and have them practice this technique using the “Expressing Gratitude” page in the Essential Words—Handouts:
Thank you ___(name/title)___ for ___(action)___. When you ___(action)___ it makes me feel ___(emotion)___ because ___(explanation)___.
Students will write a letter to those who can use our gratitude most. Whether it’s thanking someone for going to work or for staying home, this lesson provides students an opportunity to use their voice to make a difference.
10 Minutes
Now it’s time for students to draft their letter! Begin by having students brainstorm a list of components letters often have. Some options they may come up with include:
Now you get to share with students they’ve already brainstormed content for their beginning middle and end, woohoo! It’s time to piece it together.
The first step of beginning the letter is choosing tone. Tone is one way that students are able to make their thank you letter unique and personalized. Their letter can be comforting, it can bring joy, it can even make readers laugh. To do this, it may be helpful to revisit the feelings bank. Using another color, students may circle one to two words that answers the following question:
What emotions do you hope the recipient(s) of your letter feels after reading it?
10 Minutes
Introducing Yourself
Now that students have chosen a tone, it’s time to begin the introduction. Explain to students that the beginning of their letter should address the following question:
Who are you, and why are you writing?
Now it’s time to write! If students would like more guidance they can use the “Introducing Yourself” page of the Essential Words—Handouts to begin their introduction. This handout features examples students may choose to share while leaving room for students to individualize their introduction.
As students are sharing who they are and how they feel, encourage them to return the question to their audience. The introduction is a great time to ask questions that remind essential workers that we are all humans with feelings and backstories. Students can return to the “Question Bank” handout to look for questions they may want to ask or answer.
After students have written their introductions invite students to share the first part of their letter or ask questions about this section.
15 Minutes
Action
Introduce the middle section of the letters to students as an opportunity to use their research and details they collected in the “Getting Specific” section of the Essential Words—Handouts. Explain that these questions, facts, and specifics will show the letter recipients that the students have been paying attention to them, their work, and the sacrifices they are making. Provide the following prompts to students for their writing:
What meaningful interactions have you had with hospital staff (or your chosen audience) before the pandemic? What have you heard about the person you’re writing to and the work that they’re doing?
Students can continue to refer back to the “Question Bank” handout and ask questions that guide the conversation and tone of the letter. For example, in this section students may share a personal experience with a healthcare worker then ask questions about how the worker felt in that moment. Alternatively, if a student is writing about challenges essential workers are facing, the student may lift up their audience by asking about their sources of strength or hope.
15 Minutes
Gratitude
At last it’s time for students to dig into their gratitude. Point students to the “Expressing Gratitude” handout. This section of the letter is where they plug in the what+how+why format of expressing gratitude they wrote in the previous session. They can use the thank you’s they practiced on the handout, or write new ones for the letter. It’s also an opportunity to reinforce their desired tone. Students should write with the following prompts in mind:
Why are you grateful for their work, how does it impact you? How do you want to make them feel?
Using the “Question Bank,” students should return the questions to their audience as they share their own answers. Some questions students might ask and/or answer include:
10 Minutes
Finishing Touches
With their draft in place, students can use the final 10 minutes to finish their letters and add any finishing touches. Students should begin by revisiting the tone they selected at the beginning of this session and re-reading their letter with that in mind. Students may add a few extra lines to enhance their tone, or add other creative elements to their letter. Some creative opportunities for students include:
If students finish early and have extra time, they can go back to the “Feelings Bank”. Ask students to think again how they’re feeling. They can mark the document using a different color of pen, or underline words instead of circling. Invite students to share their answers if they’re comfortable. This process can also be done with the following prompts.
Have your feelings changed since we started? Why/why not?
How does it feel to express gratitude?
Conclusion
Thank students for sharing their essential words! Every word of kindness makes an impact, so ensure students have a plan for sharing their powerful writing once it’s finished. If students are not sharing their letter with someone they know, please consider sharing it with 826 National where we’ll be organizing and distributing letters to essential workers.
How to share and submit your letter:
by Kyley Pulphus, 826 New Orleans
In this workshop, students will create a pourquoi tale, or origin story, of how a local delicacy came to be.
by Jillian Wasick, 826 Valencia
Students write ekphrastic poems, exploring and creating connections between text and image.
by Ashlyn Anstee, 826LA
Using the classic battle between superheroes and villains as inspiration, students will create their own twist on a superhero comic, featuring believable characters and Marvel-worthy dialogue.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
Students will identify something they have inherited from their families, conduct interviews, and write a narrative essay. This lesson is especially well suited for English Language Learners.
by 826 National
Stories are the thread that connect communities. In this lesson, students learn more about culture and identity through Dakota and Hmong textile arts, as well as reflect on their own identities.
by Robert Paterno, 826LA
A mock crime scene kick-starts this lesson, getting students to hone their inferencing skills and serving as inspiration for crime stories.
by Kelly Jones, 826 New Orleans
Through writing, drawing, mapping, and researching a chosen fruit, students will become more familiar with the often complex history of food and how people access it.
by Christopher Ankney, AT Bianchi, & Amy Wilson, 826michigan
Using Twitter as a storytelling medium, students will improve their understanding of perspective, editing for brevity, and the importance of word choice.
by Mallory Miller, 826 Digital Educator Leader
In this lesson, students will construct a short narrative told through concrete poems.
by Nicolien Buholzer, 826LA
Students team up to write collaborative short stories about a character who stands up to a bully and discover how they can help end bullying.
by Ola Faleti, 826CHI, with an introduction by Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the U.S.
The pen is mightier than the sword. In this lesson, students learn there's no better evidence of this than the poetry behind social movements.
by Kendra Lappin, 826 Valencia
Students will become naturalists for the day by performing field observations and recording their thoughts in a field journal.
by Jessica Barbaria, 826NYC
In this lesson, students dive into the many forms bullying can take, create scripts and role-play bullying scenarios, and reflect on their own experiences with bullying.
by AT Bianchi & Kati Shanks, 826michigan
In this lesson, students imagine a fictional sport for fantastic beings, create a statistic for that sport, and write a newspaper article about the championship game.
by Ryan Harty, 826michigan
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
by 826 New Orleans
Students will imagine what they would do if they were someone or something else.
by Nicolien Buholzer, 826LA
In this lesson, students consider the perspective of a villain they love to hate. They will create a compelling backstory for the character and write short stories from the villain’s point of view.
by College Essay Guy and 826 National
This lesson from College Essay Guy introduces students to two types of effective college essay structures: Montage and Narrative.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students examine relationships between art, poetry, politics, and current events, and reflect on personal experiences while writing social justice poetry.
by 826 New Orleans
In this lesson, students have an opportunity to write a letter expressing their views on issues that matter to them most surrounding an election.
by Kyley Pulphus, 826 New Orleans
This lesson supports college-bound students in writing compelling personal statements. Students will go from blank page to finished draft as they brainstorm, develop, and analyze personal statements.
by Julius Diaz Panoriñgan, 826LA
Students explore multiple STEM disciplines and the importance of scientific modeling, all in context of an upcoming zombie apocalypse. They'll write technical notes and create an ongoing narrative.
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Students will read a poem by Eve L. Ewing and learn to write a poem that retells or reimagines an experience.
by Katie Manning and Brandon Brown, 826LA
Students enter The Poetry Laboratory, no lab coats required, and use methods of observation and playful strategies to embark on the process of writing poetry.
by Erin Ruane, 826 New Orleans
In this lesson, students are challenged to reevaluate the way water and land are represented on a map.
by Miriam Nash, Ministry of Stories and BBC History
In this lesson, students will emulate Dylan Thomas’ famous drama, Under Milk Wood. Students will create imaginative works of fiction that examine their neighborhood in order to bring it to life.
by Ryan Harty, 826michigan
By examining patterns in engaging published stories and applying a set of meaningful prompts, students will learn how to develop well-rounded characters that readers really care about.
by Naomi Solomon, 826NYC
In this lesson, students will learn about different types of rhymes, identify rhymes in lyrics and generate rhymes to use in their own lyrics.
by Gem Carmella, Ministry of Stories and BBC History
In this Lesson, students will learn how to write comedy sketches inspired by "Monty Python’s Flying Circus."
by Molly Sprayregen, 826CHI
Over the course of this lesson, students produce memoirs, poems, and essays that explore what it means to be a member of the LGBTQIA community in America today.
by Marya Spont-Lemus, 826CHI
Through brainstorming and drafting activities, students will learn the basics of personal narrative writing and craft an essay that they can use for college, scholarships, job applications and more.
by 826 National and Cartoon Network
This lesson encourages students to consider and write about the myriad ways to include someone, stop bullying before it starts, and make a difference.
by Kim Adelman, 826LA
In this lesson, students imagine trading lives with a fictional character for a day and write about the fantastic possibilities that would ensue.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students will work in a collaborative, constructive setting to create a vision for your classroom as a safe space for students and teachers.
by Dave Eggers, 826 Valencia
Over a flexible series of activities, students will learn to draw details from real life to create unforgettable characters and compelling stories.
by Saiya Miller, 826 New Orleans
Students will collect dirt, map their neighborhood, and listen to music that explores low sound, depth of soil, and the psychological landscape of New Orleans.
by Lindsay Ringwald, 826LA
In this lesson, students will imagine a narrative in the form of a craigslist advertisement to showcase a typically scary monster as a down to earth creature.
by Emily Lam, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will go through the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to produce a zine that highlights what makes them special.
by Paris Hyun, 826LA
Students play the role of benevolent inventor. They identify and think critically about real world problems, and create an ingredients list and usage instructions for an elixir that fixes the problem.
by Rebecca Escoto and Cynthia Aguilar, 826LA
Students will identify the characteristics of a hero, familiarize themselves with heroes in their own community, and write an explanatory piece identifying a hero in their community.
by Ashley Smith, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will explore different holidays people celebrate around the world and then create a new holiday of their own.
by Nathalie Lagerfeld & Jill Carey, 826CHI
Borrowing inspiration from out-of-this-world illustrations, students will create an amazing sci-fi story with a fantastical setting, realistic characters, and page-turning plot.
by Ellen Lathrop and Malia Urbina, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will use descriptive language to write a poem about a favorite animal.
by Allie Mariano, 826 New Orleans
Students will tell stories about their neighborhoods and create maps that document change. The end result is a better understanding of a map’s ability to demonstrate the history behind fixed points.
by Rebecca Darugar, Liz Levine, and Brancey Mora, 826NYC and 826 National
Invite students to write about their personal experiences with social media and online platforms with this lesson from 826NYC.
by 826 National
Inspired by George Ella Lyon’s original poem, this lesson guides students through naming the people, places, and things that have shaped them.
by Cristeta Boarini, 826 MSP
In this lesson, students explore the genres of historical and speculative fiction before they reimagine a time they felt powerless and write a different outcome.
by Emily Clader & Daniel Reck, 826michigan
Students will create infinite poems using fractals, imagine life on a doughnut, and speculate about a universe where time goes crazy. Along the way, they'll explore cool, new math facts and concepts.
by Karla Brundage, 826 Valencia
In this Lesson, students will further their understanding of how language can impact identity through the process of naming.
by Aran Donovan, 826 New Orleans
Students (virtually) explore a local cemetery and write a monologue from a famous person buried there, including facts from their research and imagined details from a mapping exercise.
by Catherine Calabro, with inspiration from Rachel Feder, 826michigan
Your students will use free writes, writing games, cheesy pop lyrics, and revision strategies to learn how to make connections between all of the points on their journey of writing a poem.
by Rebecca Darugar, 826NYC
Students investigate the plant life that grows within their community and then select a specific species to learn about in-depth and consider how that species interacts with the overall ecosystem.
by Jane Roschen, 826LA
This lesson prompts students to explore the exciting range of things they can do when they grow up and highlights the importance of education, curiosity, and role models.
by Tim Campos, 826 New Orleans
Through discussion, map-making, and writing, students will investigate the ways in which our knowledge of places is constructed and will uncover the ways that this knowledge is distorted by biases.
by Marini Drobish, 826 Digital Educator Leader
This lesson invites students to write a modern day fairy tale. Students will reconstruct classic fairy tales by choosing to focus on altering one story element: setting, point of view, or resolution.
by Debra Mitchell, 826CHI
Students become script detectives in this lesson, searching for the underlying structure of every play. Student then draw from memories to inspire original plays.
by Stephanie Wykstra, 826NYC
A student’s guide for evaluating evidence and learning to spot misleading and false information.
by Allison Peters, 826michigan
Discover what’s possible through writing. In this lesson, students will write a thrilling new story about their future selves inspired by their curiosity and imagination.
by Mariama J. Lockington & Peter Calhoun Hall, 826NYC
In this superlesson, students isolate DNA, design planes, build lairs, and engineer safe transport to help a hero save the day. Students will also take technical notes and explore new forms of poetry.
by Laura Lisabeth, Ph.D, 826NYC
In this lesson, students experiment with the multimodal composition of Instagram and use this social media platform to promote a social justice issue.
by Rebecca Glaser, 826 Digital Educator Leader
Students craft campaigns to take on an issue in their community, using formal and informal writing to convince others to take action.
by Ashley Smith, 826 Valencia
Students find gratitude all around as they thank ordinary objects in their lives in the form of an ode.
by Louise McCune, 826 Valencia
Working as budding archaeologists, students use artifacts as inspiration for several short writing pieces.
by Nicolien Buholzer, 826LA
In this lesson, students write letters to someone special and reflect on the impact of being kind towards others.
by Tom Molanphy, 826 Valencia
Students will learn to see home in a fresh way, to walk through doors and open windows they never noticed, and to find the stories that home holds.
by Lisa Lutz, 826 Valencia
In this lesson by a young adult author and self-confessed superfan Lisa Lutz, students will learn letter-writing tips and create a fan letter.
by Alana Herron, 826 Digital Educator Leader
Students will craft an argument about a controversial topic they hold a personal connection to and record their argument to persuade their audience.
by Meredith Goldberg-Morse, 826LA
In this lesson, students write about a cause that they are passionate about, imagine how they can create change, and come up with slogans to convince other people to take action.
by 826 National
What happens when we start from a place of gratitude? In this lesson, students will use Ross Gay’s "Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude" as a catalyst for a daily gratitude journal.
by Nesley Rojo, 826 Valencia
Students will practice identifying personification and then use sensory detail and figurative language to express it in their writing.
by Emilia Rivera and Ashley Smith, 826 Valencia
Students will report about their favorite neighborhood places and write a review about the most special one.
by Abigail Jacobs & Taylor Jacobson, 826 Valencia & 826LA
This lesson teaches students to write proposals so convincing no parent can resist them.
by Klariza Alvaran, 826CHI
In this lesson, students explore the graphic novel genre with a focus on plot and character development, scripting dialogue, and visual composition.
by Daniel José Older, author of Flood City.
Students will work together to produce a newspaper for the fictional Flood City. In the process, they will take on the roles of editor and journalist to source, draft, and present their newspaper.
by Neil Gordon, 826LA
Using precise, clear instructions, each student will create a treasure hunt document that provides clues for finding a treasure hidden in a location of their choosing.
by Kathy Seipp, 826 Digital Educator Leader
In this lesson, students will illustrate the literal and figurative meaning of idioms and write using idioms.
by Mindy Misener, 826michigan
Students learn how poetry can “break the rules” then practice breaking the “rules” in their own poems by challenging the expectations, assumptions, and principles their work set up.
by Dr. Bunny McFadden, 826 Valencia
Imagination opens doors to new possibilities. This lesson allows students to exercise their imaginations by describing an imaginary door to the future and picturing what is beyond it.
by Dr. Anne Desrosiers and Precediha Dangerfield, 826 Valencia
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives. This lesson will support students in processing the changes in their everyday lives and help them to identify the creativity their community has exhibited.
by 826 National and Cartoon Network
Students write two stories focused on the power of inclusion with this downloadable, printable, DIY publishing kit.
by Jory John, 826 Valencia
Students will explore the essentials of an effective “how-to” piece, while considering their own areas of interest and expertise to share with their peers and the world at large.
by Aarti Monteiro, 826NYC
Emotions play a big role in how we remember places important to us. Students explore this notion by writing memoirs, using plot, dialogue, and description to bring their stories to life.
by Bryan Wilson, Educator Leader, The Bureau of Fearless Ideas
What do you get when you mix foraging with metaphors? Metaphoraging, of course! In this interactive lesson, students will forage their learning space for metaphors.
By Jillian Wasick, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students write vegetable-inspired superhero stories.
by Ellen Fee, 826 MSP
Students will learn about endangered species, how animals become endangered, and then write either a poem or a story about a day-in-the-life about an endangered animal of their choosing.
Inspired by Angela Iton and Precediha Dangerfield, 826 Valencia
In this lesson, students will use mentor texts to hone their revision skills before turning to their own poetry drafts.
by 826 National, in partnership with Paramount Pictures
Imaginary friends come in all shapes and sizes! Inspired by the new Paramount Pictures movie, IF, students will create their own imaginary friend to take with them on their next adventure.
by Jayne Kennedy, 826LA
Gather students around the metaphorical campfire to craft a brochure for a Nature Preserve on another planet, complete with wild critters, plant life, unique geological formations, and park history