To help organize the information which the student knows about a particular topic, the teacher can model with the students different ways to organize their facts and questions which they would like to investigate. Figure 2 gives examples of certain expository writing topics. Dear Mom and Dad, This book is called Iktomi and the Berries. It's a terrific book. I think you would like this book.
People write postcards and other types of letters for genuine, communicative purposes.
Thus, students can write letters to get someone's attention, to sustain friendships, to share information, to persuade, and to recount events. Other purposes for letter writing include asking questions, asking permission, apologizing, reminding, and requesting information. Letter writing is a wonderful format for students to respond to books which they have been reading. Examples of letter responses to literature include a friendly letter to a character as a reaction to a specific occurrence in the book, a letter of advice to a character, an opinion letter to a character, a letter written in the voice of one character to another character, a business letter to an author describing one's opinion of the author's writing in general or stating an opinion of a specific book or character. Figure 3 points out letter responses to specific children's literature.