Look at the letter. Who wrote the letter? Who was it written to? Why was it written?
- Identify the writer: It's Khalil.
- Identify the recipient: It's for a student who will find the time capsule in the future.
- Discuss the purpose: Why did Khalil write this letter? (To tell the future student about his life in 2024, what things were like, and what was put in the time capsule).
Dear student from the future,
Hello! My name is Khalil and welcome to our time capsule! I’m 13 years old. I’m a student at World School. I’m in class 7J. The subject that I like best is Maths. My teacher is called Mr Allabban. He’s the person who made me love Maths! I live in a busy city with a lot of cars. We travel on very fast aeroplanes and trains, too. At home, we have a television, a tablet, a computer and a laptop. Everyone has a mobile phone. When we feel ill, there are a lot of medicines we can take. Last year, I had to have an operation in hospital. I came home the same day and I got better very quickly. We have put some interesting things in our time capsule. You will find a school uniform, some sports equipment, some books and a newspaper. We’ve also put in a few photographs. There are pictures of a new smartphone and laptop, the world’s fastest train in China, and Mr Allabban’s X-ray from when he broke his leg last year. There’s also a photo of my friends in 7J! We hope you enjoy opening our time capsule as much as we enjoyed filling it! Best wishes,
Khali.
1. Your Address:
- Put your address at the top right. Think of it like putting your name on your schoolwork so your teacher knows who it is. You need to tell your friend where you live so they can write back!
- You only need your street address, city, and maybe your zip code. You don't need your full name or anything super personal.
2. The Date:
- Put the date below your address. This helps your friend know when you wrote the letter. It's like putting a date on your homework. You can write it simply, like "October 26, 2023".
3. Greeting:
- Start the letter with Dear + (the name of the person you're writing to). This is how you say hello in a letter! So, if you're writing to your friend Alex, you'd write "Dear Alex,". Make sure to put a comma (,) after their name.
4. The Letter Body (Not on the page, but super important!):
- This is where you write all the news! Tell your friend what you wanted to share. Did you win a soccer game? See a funny movie? This is where you write it all down in your own words. Remember to write like you talk! Use slang if you want, and keep it casual.
5. Closing:
- Finish the letter with Best wishes, + your name. This is how you say goodbye in a friendly letter. You could also use other closings like "Love," or "Talk to you soon," depending on how close you are to the person. Then, you write your name after the comma.
How to write... an informal letter":
- Explain what an informal letter is: It's a friendly letter written to someone you know, like a friend or family member. Even though this letter is for someone Khalil doesn't know yet, the tone is friendly and personal.
