Lesson Plan: Pen Pals

Standards
Missouri Learning Standards ELA:
W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing
about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g.
because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or
section.

Common Core Standards ELA:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use
linking words (e.g. because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a
concluding statement or section.

Lesson Objectives/ Goals

Students will be able to express their thoughts and opinions in a letter
Students will be able to compare similarities and differences between cultures
Students will be able to define what a global citizen is

Assessment
Before:
The teacher will formatively assess students knowledge of what a global citizen is through
the brainstorm session with the K-W-L chart.

During:
The teacher will formatively assess students knowledge of global citizenship through
reading the letters they compose to their pen pals.
The teacher will also be assessing their ability to express, support, and share their opinions
in a letter through the pen pal letters.
Through the regular reflections/discussions, the teacher will assess students ability to
compare the similarities and differences between students culture and their pen pals
cultures.

After:
The teacher will summatively assess students knowledge of what a global citizen is
through the final classroom discussion.
The teacher will also summatively assess students ability to express their opinions in letter
writing through their final letter to their families. In this letter, the teacher will also assess
what they have learned about global citizenship and other cultures.
 Lesson Structure/ Procedures
1. Ask students to brainstorm what it means to be a global citizen. Record with a K-W-L chart.
Record what they know in the K column.
2. Read Malalas Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
3. Have students turn-and-talk to discuss why Malalas story is important. Have 2-3 students
share.
4. Discuss with students that Malalas story shares with us education around the world. It
gives us a window into life in another part of the world. Ask students what they want to
know about other classrooms around the world. Record this in the W column.
5. Tell students we are going to have pen pals! We will be writing a second-grade class from
Bangalore, India. Each student will be matched with a pen pal.
6. Tell students they will need to introduce themselves. Have students include how old they
are, what they look like, their favorite things to do, family members, favorite
books/subjects. Students will also compose questions for their pen pal. These can be: What
is your favorite movie? What do you like to read? What is the weather like? What do you
wear to school?
7. The teacher will model for students how to write a letter for their pen pal.
8. Over the course of the next week, students will compose their introductory letters to their
pen pals.
9. This will be an ongoing project. Students will handwrite their letters but the teacher will
scan these letters and send them to the class in Bangalore through email because that will
take less time and it will be free.
10. As students learn about the students from India, they will record information in the L
column of their K-W-L chart.
11. The class will have ongoing discussions and reflections about what they are learning from
their pen pals.
12. At the end of the pen-pal, the classroom will have a discussion about what they learned and
what it means to be a global citizen. They will refer back to Malala and talk about being a
global citizen means caring for all people in the world and making our world a better place.
13. The students will reflect in a letter to their families about what they learned and why it is
important to be a global citizen.
Materials Needed
Malalas Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
Unlined Anchor Chart Paper
Markers
A pen pal classroom and teacher to communicate with
Letter writing template paper
Computer to send emails
Scanner to scan student writing to send through email
Permission slips from students parents to engage in this process
Additional Information
I spent six weeks overseas in Bangalore, India in 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. I would use my
connection to Delhi Public School Bangalore-North to find a classroom for my students to be pen
pals with. In order for this to be a successful learning process, this lesson would be ongoing for
many weeks. The goal for this is for students to gain a greater perspective on global citizenship. I
want students to realize the similarities between students in India and themselves. I want them to
feel connected to these students so they can learn that children are children around the world and
we should make the world a better place for everyone. Further, I want students to realize that all
cultures and communities in the world matter.

This lesson could be replicated with any pen pal classroom across the world.

This website can help you find a pen pal classroom for your students!
https://www.penpalschools.com