Famous Love Letters: A Close Reading & Creative Lesson for Valentine's Day
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Description
This lesson by Bespoke ELA is a great lesson to use in February to celebrate Valentine's Day in a unique and creative way that is sure to engage students!
Task:
To analyze how famous love letters use language, literary and rhetorical devices, and imagery to convey a message about love.
Enduring Understandings:
Students will understand how language, literary and rhetorical devices, and imagery affect a letter's meaning.
Students will learn about famous people from history through the lens of their relationships and love letters.
Students will understand how to construct an argument backed by evidence.
Students will understand how to use language, literary and rhetorical devices, and imagery to create a message in the format of a letter.
Materials:
Copies of Famous Love Letters
"Famous Love Letters" Debate Activity
"Love Letter Task Cards"
Construction paper, markers, stickers, etc. to decorate love letters
Common Core Standards
R1-6, 9-11/ W1,2,4,5,10,11/ SL1,2,4,6/ L1-6
Procedure:
The "Famous Love Letters" activity by Bespoke ELA is an activity in which students will read famous love letters and make observations about how the writers use language, literary and rhetorical devices, and imagery to convey messages about love.
In this lesson, students are to:
1. Research the relationship of the famous person who wrote the letter, read each love letter, and then answer the three close reading questions for each one. Consider splitting the class into groups to read and discuss each letter. There are a total of TEN love letters included in this lesson, but you may pick and choose which ones you would like to use with your students.
2. Synthesize their findings by debating which love letter is the most effective in communicating its message about love. Students will fill out the "Famous Love Letters" Debate Guide for their selected love letter and discuss their selections with the class.
3. Use the "Love Letter Task Cards" to write their own love letters and write an explication paragraph in which they explain how they use devices to communicate a thematic message about love.
After writing their own original love letters, students can give them to a friend, or you may opt to have students do a "blind swap" in class. As an extension activity, students can analyze the language, literary devices, and imagery of their classmates' love letters.
Consider providing craft supplies for your students to decorate their love letters, and they can hang them around the room or display them on a bulletin board to celebrate Valentine's Day during the month of February.
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