BY Alice Fabia
Harwich Middle School
Goals, objectives, and activities
All the eighth grade students create and write thank you cards. Polite ways to accomplish this often forgotten task are discussed. The activity is done in January, after the December winter holiday vacation. Students decide to whom they will write and create a rough draft of a thank you for a gift or kindness they have received.
To add a more personal touch to this activity, students design and create their own note card using various card making supplies provided by the teacher. When they have completed the outside of the card and written their names on the back under “created by,” they carefully write their message inside. Then students address the envelope.
How will the project be evaluated (e.g. how will you gauge its success)
This project will take about four days to complete. It will be evaluated by the teacher according to agreed upon rubrics. The rubrics take into consideration the student’s creativity, neatness, correct placements on the envelope and the proper note writing format.
Benefit to the students and the school
I have done this activity before with my students and the response that both the students and the response that both the students and I received in previous years was wonderful. Many students sent their handmade thank you cards to parents, grandparents and friends and they were very well received. In fact, while mailing them in the post office, I have often had other community members comment on what a wonderful activity it is. As you have seen in the Thank You photos that I have sent you in the past of my students showing off their handmade cards, they are all very proud of their work.
Budget (Please detail how funding will be used. Itemize as appropriate.)
Funding will be used to purchase the stamps and blank cards and envelopes for the project. I will provide the card-making tools needed by the students.
Timeline of Project (when will you do the project, if applicable.)
This project will take about four days to complete. I anticipate having the students create them in January, 2014.
