Writing Friendly Letters

Overview

This 45-minute session is designed for a Year 1 class of 29 pupils. The focus is to introduce children to the structure and purpose of basic letter writing, aligned with the National Curriculum for England’s Year 1 English programme of study. Students will write a simple letter from Lubna and Pebble to their friend Amir, practising simple sentences and questions.

National Curriculum Links

English – Writing: Composition (Year 1)

Write sentences by saying out loud what they are going to write about.
Sequence sentences to form short narratives and simple texts.
Leave spaces between words and begin to punctuate sentences using capital letters and full stops.
Begin to use simple question marks.

English – Reading: Word Reading and Comprehension (Year 1)

Listen to and discuss a wide range of stories, poems and non-fiction.
Recognise and understand question forms in texts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

Write simple sentences about themselves and others using capital letters and full stops.
Use simple question sentences appropriately with a question mark.
Understand the structure of a friendly letter (greeting, body, closing).
Show increased confidence in communicating ideas in writing independently.

Resources Needed

Whiteboard and markers
Large printed example letter from Lubna and Pebble to Amir
‘Letter writing’ writing frames (with sections for greeting, body, closing) – one per pupil
Pencils and colouring pencils
Word bank card with simple sentence starters (e.g. I have..., I like..., How is..., What...)
Stickers or stamps for positive reinforcement

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Engage (10 mins)

Begin with a brief storytelling session: read aloud a short, illustrated letter from Lubna and Pebble to Amir, emphasising the friendly greeting and simple sentences.
Discuss what letters are for and ask pupils if they have written or received a letter before.
Write two example simple sentences on the board:
- “I have a new house.”
- “How is Pebble?”
Highlight the capital letters, full stops, and question marks.
Show the example letter and identify the parts: greeting, body, closing.

2. Guided Practice (10 mins)

Together as a class, create 2–3 more simple sentences to add to the letter using sentence starters on the word bank card.
Encourage use of both statements and questions. Write these sentences visibly, modelling correct punctuation.
Use questioning to reinforce understanding, e.g., “What punctuation do we need at the end of a question?”
Children copy these on their letter frame in the ‘body.’

3. Independent Writing (15 mins)

Pupils write their own short letter from Lubna and Pebble to Amir on their letter writing frames.
Encourage use of the word bank for ideas but allow room for creativity.
Monitor progress with one-to-one support, guiding both sentence construction and punctuation use.
Pupils can add a drawing related to their letter in the margin or on the back.

4. Sharing & Reflecting (7 mins)

Invite volunteers to read their letters aloud.
Discuss parts of the letter and celebrate use of simple questions and statements.
Provide positive verbal feedback and stickers/stamps for effort and accuracy.

5. Plenary (3 mins)

Recap the key features of the letter: simple sentences, question marks for questions, spaces between words and capital letters at the start.
Ask the class, “What did you enjoy most about writing your letter?” and “What new thing did you learn today?”

Assessment

Formative assessment will be ongoing through:

Observation during guided and independent writing.
Checking pupils’ use of capital letters, full stops, and simple question marks.
Listening to oral contributions during sharing.
Reviewing pupils’ completed letter frames for coherence, sentence structure, and punctuation.

Extension Ideas

Create a “Letter Postbox” in class where pupils can post letters to each other, responding as Lubna and Pebble.
Introduce simple addressing and envelopes for further letter-writing experience.
Use puppets of Lubna, Pebble, and Amir to role-play letter exchanges for oral language development.

Differentiation

Support pupils needing extra help by providing sentence starters half written (e.g., “I have a…”, “How is…?”) to complete.
Challenge higher ability pupils to add an additional question or personal comment in their letter.
Use paired writing for pupils who benefit from peer support.

This lesson plan not only meets the national curriculum standards but encourages creativity, oral communication and the foundational skills for lifelong writing success. The use of characters and contexts familiar for children engages them effectively and adds purpose to their writing.

Teaching Instructions