How to Write Business Letters With Fourth Graders
The format of a basic business letter is commonly a topic discussed in the fourth grade. As students continue to hone their writing skills, teachers turn toward learning formats that young writers can use to apply their writing to real life situations. There are many practical applications for the traditional business letter. Fourth-grade teachers can effectively prepare their students to take advantage of these options and show them a practical application for the writing skills that they have been developing by providing instruction that covers the proper business form.
Instructions
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Explain the purpose of a business letter. Discuss reasons why someone might write a business letter. Ask students to volunteer potential purposes for this letter form and list their responses on the board to create a collection of applications for this writing form.
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Review examples. Explain to students that all business letters follow a pre-set form. Show students some sample business letters so that they can see how these letters differ from the friendly letters with which they are accustomed. Read over the samples and discuss the author's purpose in composing each letter.
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3
List letter elements. All business letters contain the same elements. These elements, including typical letter features such as a greeting and a signature as well as more atypical elements such as an inside address, are a standard feature of any business letter. Ask students to consult their business letter examples, then tell students what each element on the sample is called and what purpose that element serves.
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4
Discuss paper setup. Tell students that, when writing a business letter, their paper should have one-inch margins on each side. If using the computer to compose letters, show students how to change the margins to one inch on all sides. If composing the letter by hand, instruct students to use a ruler and measure in one inch, then create a light line indicating where inch margins lay around the paper.
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Explore proper formatting. Point out that you do not indent in business letters. When writing a traditional business letter, all of the elements line up along the left margin. Tell students to follow this rule as they compose their business letters in the future.
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Apply the learning. Engage students in a project that allows them to use their newly acquired, business letter, skills. Acquire a map of your state, and ask each student to select a city. Then have the students compose a business letter to the city that they selected asking for information about that city. Tell them to follow proper business letter form as they complete their letter. Mail the letters. As reply letters come in, display them on a bulletin board or give them to the students who composed the original letters.
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