The Mother Tongue, Book I: Lessons in Speaking, Reading and Writing English · Secs. 83–86 · Part 1: Part First

28. A letter about winter games

Goal: Your child writes a friendly letter that describes something clearly to someone who has never seen it.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗ 🖨 Copywork sheet

You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • Paper and pencil (a notebook kept just for this book works well)

What's in the book

Section 83 asks for a letter to Robert in New Orleans, who has never seen snow, describing winter games. Section 84 is a line to copy in handwriting. Section 85 is "The Crow and the Pitcher", to read and tell. Section 86 asks for a note inviting a friend to a picnic.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Read the crow fable (Section 85)

    Read "The Crow and the Pitcher" and let your child tell it without the book.

    "Where there's a will there's a way."

  2. Plan the letter (Section 83)

    Robert has never seen snowdrifts or built snow forts. Your child pretends to live in Minnesota (or, if you live somewhere warm, flip it: write to a child who has never seen your beach, or desert, or orange trees).

    Talk aloud: Which games? What would Robert need to know to picture them?

  3. Write the letter

    Your child writes a letter of 8 to 12 sentences describing two winter games clearly, and asks Robert about his home and games. Use all five parts of a letter.

  4. Check it gently

    Read it aloud as if you were Robert. Stop where you can't picture something and ask about it. Your child adds a detail there. Then check the heading and ending.

  5. What a good result looks like

    Example (written for this guide, not from the book):

    Dear Robert,

    You asked what we do in winter. After a big snow, we roll huge snowballs and stack them into a fort as tall as my shoulders. Then we make a pile of snowballs inside and have a battle with the children next door. ...

    Please tell me about your games in New Orleans.

    Your friend,

    Peter.

  6. Copy (Section 84)

    Your child copies the handwritten line on page 87 as neatly as they can.

Afterwards

Section 86: write a note inviting a friend on a picnic next Saturday and asking them to carry lunch.

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