Gratitude + Persuasive Writing= Content-Based "Thank You Notes"


I am team teaching about volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes this quarter with my Language Support team. I am planning for next week's study of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and needed an activity. I have never taught this topic before but as I was researching I remembered there was a US Mint in San Francisco (I visited it when I was 9 years old)! 

The US Mint is an incredible resource for educators and I have utilized their materials earlier this year when my LS students needed lessons on learning American money and how to make change. What a cool "full circle" moment to go back to the US Mint for this lesson!

I located a video about the Mint's role in helping to rebuild the San Francisco economy, but needed a student activity to go with the video. My students will create a Thank You note for the San Francisco Mint of 1906!
Writing Thank You notes is an activity I thought of years ago for my US History students while studying the American Revolution. Every year my students have fun creating fact-based Thank Yous for France (the colonists wouldn't have survived the war without France's support). This is a persuasive writing activity that combines the concept of gratitude, as well. 

I'm looking forward to seeing their creativity come to life with these historic social-emotional mini-projects!

PS--I'm learning how to use Bitmojis--here is my agenda slide for tomorrow's meeting. 

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