Somebody made your summer better. It could be a parent, a grandparent, a cousin, a coach, a neighbor, or a friend. Write that person a letter. Thank them for one thing they did. You do not have to write about the whole summer. Pick one day and tell it well.
Mr. Bennett’s letter
I did the assignment too. Here is my letter. It has five parts.
1Greeting
Dear Mr. Bahl,
2Why you are
writing
Thank you for letting me stay with your family in India this summer.
3The moment
One afternoon in August, you took me to the market in Goa. Nobody was in a hurry. There were buckets of bright flowers, and vegetables in shapes I had never seen. You picked out two fresh fish. We carried them back to your kitchen and cooked them. That night we ate together with your whole family, and I felt full and happy.
4Why it
mattered
That day mattered to me. On the rest of my trip, I never knew what was coming next. That day I knew. We walked, we bought the fish, we cooked, we ate. I still think about it at school. Similarly, a class can be busy and still feel calm, if everyone chooses to be peaceful and knows what comes next.
5Closing and
your name
Thank you for a summer I will always remember.
Your friend,
Mr. Bennett
What makes this letter work
- One day, not the whole trip. I was in India for three weeks. I wrote about one afternoon.
- Small things you can picture. Bright flowers. Two fish. One meal together.
- Time words. in August · that night · that day
- A feeling word. full and happy — not just “it was fun.”
- I said why it mattered. That part is the most important.
Page 1 of 2 · Thank-You Letter · Grade 5 · the example
Step 1 — Pick your person and your one moment
1. Who made your summer better?
Write three names. Then circle one.
2. What did that person do?
Write three things. Circle one. That one is your letter.
Feeling wordshappyproudsafeexcitedsurprisedcalmgladthankful
Time wordsfirstthennextafter thatone daythat nightin July
Step 2 — Write your letter
1GreetingWrite the person’s name.
Dear,
2Why you are writingFinish this sentence.
Thank you for.
3The momentTell it like a story. When? Where? What happened? What did someone say?
4Why it matteredWhy was it important to you? What did it teach you or give you?
5Closing and your nameLove, Your friend, or Thank you again.
Before you turn it in
- One person
- One day
- Something you can picture
- Something somebody said
- One feeling word
- Time words
- I wrote “you”
- I said why it mattered
Page 2 of 2 · Thank-You Letter · Grade 5 · your turn