A Whānau Hope Letter

Overview

In this 60-minute writing lesson, students read a model letter connected with Matariki and compose a short illustrated message expressing a hope for their whānau. They rehearse ideas orally, plan for a real or imagined recipient, and revise their writing using a simple checklist. Students are reminded to share only what feels safe and comfortable.

Learning intentions

• WALT write a short personal message for a clear purpose and audience.
• WALT state a hope for our whānau and give a reason.
• WALT use a greeting or closing in a letter.
• WALT reread and improve our writing.
• WALT manage ourselves and use language, symbols and texts to communicate.

Success criteria

• I can state a clear hope for my whānau.
• I can give a reason for my hope.
• I can use a greeting or closing.
• I can draw a picture that matches my message and reread my writing.

Curriculum links

• English — Composition: purpose, audience, planning and composing personal texts.
• English — Sentence structures, grammar and punctuation: using capital letters and punctuation to make writing clear.
• English — Comprehension: identifying basic features of stories and other texts in response to questions.
• Key competencies: managing self; using language, symbols and texts.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–10 min · Read and notice. Teacher welcomes students, introduces Hiwa-i-te-rangi as a star associated with hopes and wishes, and displays the opening image and discussion slides. Read the model page in the model letter and writing template aloud, then reread it together. Ask: “Who is the letter for?”, “What hope does the writer share?”, “What reason do they give?”, and “How do we know it is a letter?” Students turn and talk, identify the greeting, hope, reason, closing and picture, and share only ideas they are comfortable discussing.

2. 10–20 min · Teacher model. Teacher uses the model-and-teaching slides to think aloud while composing a short example, such as: “Kia ora my whānau, I hope we have lots of time together because being together makes me happy. Arohanui, ___.” Model saying the idea first, stretching sounds, using a capital letter, leaving spaces, adding a full stop, and rereading. Students help choose a suitable hope and reason from the word bank in the model letter and writing template, then orally rehearse a sentence with a partner.

3. 20–45 min · Draft and illustrate. Teacher explains the task using the writing-task and checklist slides and distributes the model letter and writing template. Support students to plan and draft a short illustrated letter: greeting, hope, reason, closing and picture. Circulate and prompt with questions such as “Who will read this?”, “What do you hope for?”, and “Why is that important?” Students write independently, using the word bank, and draw an image that supports their message. Encourage inventive spelling, sound stretching and rereading rather than copying every word.

4. 45–55 min · Peer response. Teacher models a kind response using the prompt on the peer-response slides: “I noticed…”, “I liked…”, and “I wonder…”. Pair students thoughtfully and remind them that writers choose what feedback to use. Students read their letter to a partner, or ask the teacher/adult to read it, then their partner names the hope and reason they heard and checks for a greeting or closing. Partners offer one specific positive comment.

5. 55–60 min · Revise and share. Teacher returns students to the final reread-and-reflect slide and guides a quiet editing check. Students reread their letter, make at least one improvement, and circle or tick the parts they included: clear hope, reason, greeting or closing, picture, and rereading. Invite a few volunteers to share their writing or illustration; students may pass.

Resources

• the Matariki writing lesson slide deck
• the model letter and writing template
• Hiwa-i-te-rangi image
• Word bank with accessible hope and reason words
• Pencils, coloured pencils and erasers
• Teacher model paper or whiteboard
• Editing checklist
• Optional adult scribing materials

Assessment

• During discussion and oral rehearsal, listen for students identifying the recipient, hope, reason, greeting and closing in the model.
• Confer during drafting: note whether each student can state a hope, provide a reason, and use the letter structure with increasing independence.
• Collect the draft and revised version as evidence. Check for a clear hope, a connected reason, a greeting or closing, an appropriate illustration and evidence of rereading or editing.

Differentiation

• Provide a fill-in structure: “Kia ora ____. I hope ____. This is important because ____. Arohanui, ____.” Use the word bank and picture prompts for students who need support.
• Offer oral rehearsal before writing, allow drawing and labelling as a bridge to sentences, and provide adult scribing or shared writing where required. Accept approximate spelling while assessing meaning and message.
• For EAL learners, preteach and gesture key words such as whānau, hope, together, safe and happy; allow home-language discussion and support with pronunciation and sentence repetition.
• Reduce the writing load, provide a quiet workspace, or break the task into one section at a time for students with attention, fine-motor or sensory needs. Students may write to a general whānau audience or an imaginary recipient if personal sharing feels unsafe.

Extension

• Invite confident writers to add a question for the recipient, such as “What do you hope for?”
• Encourage students to add a second reason, use a more specific example, or create a carefully addressed envelope while maintaining a clear, respectful message.