Extensions

In the main lesson you learned about the different ways you can write a message depending on who you are speaking to.

In this extension, you will write a letter to the editor.

It can be sent by email or on paper by US Mail.

The audience for a letter to the editor is not only the editor of the publication.

It is also everyone else who reads the publication.

But a letter to the editor is different from leaving a comment on an article.

A letter to the editor is a more formal way of sharing your thoughts and ideas with a broader audience than just the comments section.

Letters to the editor are generally found in the first section of the newspaper or magazine, towards the beginning of a magazine, or in a section called the editorial page.

This section is often called the opinion page because it is the opinions of the people writing the letters.

Online newspapers and magazines usually link to their editorial or opinion section from the main navigation.

To begin, open a new document in Google Docs and rename it.

Begin your letter with a greeting.

This is where you address the person or group that you are writing to.

Then write the body of your letter.

Be sure to communicate all the reasons why the person reading the letter should consider your idea, or take action to get involved.

Keep the information short and to the point.

Your tone should be respectful and serious.

Next, write your conclusion.

In a letter to the editor, your conclusion should be a polite ending like “Sincerely” or “Thank you for your consideration" followed by your first and last name.

If you are writing your letter in email, this is a good time to write your subject line.

Remember to proofread your message for spelling and grammar errors.

This will make it more likely that an editor will publish your letter, and that your letter will be taken seriously.

Great job! Now you know how to write a letter to the editor that will help you and your ideas get noticed.

In the main lesson you wrote text for a message to your teacher.

You could write the message on paper and mail it to your teacher.

But sending the message via email is faster, saves paper, and leaves an electronic record of your communication in case you need to go back and look at it later.

In this extension, you will create a new email and copy and paste that text into Gmail.

To begin, in a new tab, open the document you created in the main lesson.

Next, open another new tab, and open Gmail.

To start, create a new email.

Next, copy your greeting, body, and closing from the document...

and paste them into the email.

Proofread your email.

Delete any unnecessary information and format the text if needed.

Copy your subject line from the document and paste it into the subject line of the email.

Next, add your email address in the To field for practice.

Close the email.

When you need to send it in the future, retrieve it from the Drafts folder.

It will be stored there until you send or delete it.

In the main lesson, you wrote 3 different messages communicating the same thing, but adjusting your writing depending on who the message was for.

In this extension, you will work with a partner to give and receive feedback on your messages.

Working with a partner to review your writing can help you catch mistakes, refine your message, and get new ideas.

If you don’t have a partner, ask your teacher.

You and your partner will sit at your own computers.

You will open your document from the main lesson and share it with your partner.

To begin, open your document.

Next, share your document by adding your partner’s email address.

The sharing options allow you to choose what others can do with your document.

View lets them read it but not make any changes or comments.

Comment enables them to insert comments, but not change the text.

And Edit lets them change the text.

Give your partner permission to comment.

Add a note for your partner.

They will receive an email invitation to collaborate on the document.

Once your partner has shared their resume with you, open it from your shared files in Google Drive.

As you read, add comments about how your partner can improve their resume.

Highlight text in the document.

Then, insert a comment.

When you have finished reviewing your partner’s writing, read the comments your partner left for you.

If your partner has not finished reviewing your writing, that’s okay.

You can work in the document at the same time.

Read your partner’s feedback and make changes.

Continue making changes and resolve comments.

When you are done making changes, read through your messages again.

Nice work! You’ve gotten feedback from a partner on your writing.