Letters to Soldiers

Title – Letters to Soldiers
By – Kevin Dooley
Primary Subject – Language Arts
Secondary Subjects – Social Studies
Grade Level – 7-10 

Subject Matter:

In this thought-provoking lesson, students write letters to soldiers and apply critical thinking.

• This lesson plan can be used for Veterans’ Day or Memorial Day .
• Students will be writing a letter to soldiers, including autobiographical materia l, feelings, and thanks to soldiers.
• This letter will be halfway between a formal letter and an informal letter. It will be friendly and semi-casual, but more information has to be included than, say, a letter to someone who knows who’s writing. Good for reviewing the difference between formal and informal language .
• This lesson also applies critical thinking about the subject of war .

Procedure:

• At the start of the class, students write about:
  • When is war ever good or justified?
    What reasons are there for war?
    If they were President, what circumstances would there be to declare war.
    Answers are put on a transparency and discussed. Voted on?
  • How does a President declare war? (Social Studies link)
  • What are the consequences of war?
    (Possible answers: death of soldiers, usually youth, on both sides, death of innocent civilians, cost)
  • How do they feel about the current war(s)? Why?
    I have asked students how many know someone overseas, and the hands have increased in recent semesters.
  • Students also give their opinions on:
    war movies – list them and give a theme, e.g. glory, bravery, heroism: do they glorify war?
    war video games – are they right?
  • (I struggle with having them draw a scene of war. I have shown them pictures of war – taking into consideration the grade level – and write about them.)
• Then we discuss the letter they are going to write:
  • They will write it twice. A first draft and the final letter.
  • In the letter they will include:
    • Name and grade. (Age need not be mentioned.)
    • The date
    • School, location, and class
    • Sign the letter
    • They write their ideas or feelings about:
      • School,
      • TV/movies
      • Sports
      • Music
      • Thoughts about family or neighborhood
  • Ask the class what can we thank soldiers for or say to them:
    (Possible answers: for their service and what they’re doing: their sacrifice, the risk, the fact that they’re away from their family, hope they return safely, etc.)
  • No bad words!
  • Do not criticize the war in the letter! This is important. The theme of the letter is thanks, not politics.
• Then, I show them a model of a letter I have written:
  

  Date, 2008

  Dear Soldier,

  My name is Mr. Dooley. I am a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Elizabeth Learning Center in Cudahy, California, which is about 10 miles south of downtown L.A.

  As a writing assignment, I’ve had my class write to soldiers to thank you and celebrate your bravery.

  I am 55 years old, married, have five kids, and six grandkids. Originally, I’m from New York. As a movie fan, I am looking forward to the new James Bond movie and “Star Trek” next year.

  As part of the United States armed forces, you have a big, important job. I know it must be difficult to be so far away from your family. Thank you for doing what you’re doing. We, as a nation, support you. Please take care of yourself and come home safe.

  Yours,

  Mr. Dooley
  English Teacher

Additional Comments and Suggestions:

• Students cannot write to someone specifically; they should do that on their own.
• Students will not hear back from the soldiers; the soldiers are rather busy.
• Students don’t get the graphic until they have finished their draft and it is correct. They can decorate/color it.
• I do tell the students I will read every letter to make sure it is appropriate.
• Often I photocopy the letters and post them proudly on the classroom wall.
• IMPORTANT: get your Principal’s and parents’ permission! As I teach in a 99% Latino/a school, I send a bilingual letter home. Some students have even sent letters in Spanish. A student who does not get permission can still write the letter, it just won’t be sent.

Lesson Follow-up:

• This lesson usually takes two days.
• At the end of it all, I have them write an essay called “A World of Peace”: how to bring about world peace, how to bring a world without any wars. Major discussion and listing of solutions. It’s essential, I think, to this lesson.

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