Worksheet

Write for Your Reader: The Knitting Club Letter

Grade 5 writing: study a club leader's letter to the principal, name its task, purpose, and audience, and pick writing that suits each reader.

Grade 5ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toW.5.4

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What’s included

Single worksheet
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1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
10 questions
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Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 5
Subject: ELA
Question types: Multiple choice, Matching, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students identify the task, purpose, and audience of a piece of writing.
Students choose details, language, and organization that suit a writer's purpose and audience.
Students rewrite ideas from a letter so they fit a different audience.

How to use

Read Amara's letter together and talk about who will read it and why she wrote it. Students answer questions 1 to 8 on their own, then write for new readers in questions 9 and 10.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

W.5.4

Produce clear, coherent writing whose development and organization suit the task, purpose, and audience.

Preview

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Name Date

Write for Your Reader: The Knitting Club Letter

Match your writing to its task, purpose, and audience.

Read the letter

Amara leads the knitting club at her school. Her teacher, Ms. Okafor, gave her a writing task: write a letter to the principal, Mr. Lindqvist, to ask if the club may run a finger-knitting table at Family Fun Night. Read Amara's letter.

Amara's Letter

1Dear Mr. Lindqvist,
My name is Amara Diallo, and I am a fifth grader in Ms. Okafor's class. I am also the leader of the Loop and Purl Knitting Club. Our club meets every Tuesday after school in the art room. I am writing to ask whether our club may run a finger-knitting table at Family Fun Night next month.

2First, a finger-knitting table would give families a fun way to learn something together. Finger knitting uses only yarn and your own hands, so there are no sharp needles to worry about. Even a five-year-old can learn the basic loop in a few minutes, and a grown-up can learn right beside them. Last spring, our club taught finger knitting to the kindergarten classes, and many children asked if they could show their parents how to do it. At Family Fun Night, they would get that chance.

3Second, the table would cost the school almost nothing. Our club already has three large bins of yarn that families donated after our winter yarn drive. My favorite color of yarn is a bright sea green. Each finger-knitting project uses only a small amount of yarn, so we have more than enough for every visitor. The only supplies we would need from the school are one table and four chairs.

4Finally, our club has a plan to keep the table safe and tidy. Ms. Okafor has agreed to stay at the table for the whole evening. Two club members will teach at a time, and we will trade places every thirty minutes so that no one gets tired. When the night is over, we will pick up every scrap of yarn and carry the bins back to the art room.

5A finger-knitting table would give families a calm, creative activity in the middle of a busy night. Thank you for considering our request. I would be glad to meet with you to answer any questions.
Sincerely,
Amara Diallo

Task, purpose, and audience

Use Amara's letter to answer questions 1 to 4.

Before writing, a writer thinks about the task (what kind of writing), the purpose (why they are writing), and the audience (who will read it). Match each one to Amara's letter. One answer will not be used.

Task
Purpose
Audience

A. a story about the club's first meeting
B. the school principal, Mr. Lindqvist
C. a letter that makes a request
D. to get permission for a finger-knitting table

A clear letter tells its purpose early. Read paragraph 1 again. Underline the sentence that tells the reader the purpose of Amara's letter.

My name is Amara Diallo, and I am a fifth grader in Ms. Okafor's class.I am also the leader of the Loop and Purl Knitting Club.Our club meets every Tuesday after school in the art room.I am writing to ask whether our club may run a finger-knitting table at Family Fun Night next month.

In clear writing, every sentence helps the purpose. Read paragraph 3 again. Underline the one sentence that does not help Amara's purpose.

Second, the table would cost the school almost nothing.Our club already has three large bins of yarn that families donated after our winter yarn drive.My favorite color of yarn is a bright sea green.Each finger-knitting project uses only a small amount of yarn, so we have more than enough for every visitor.The only supplies we would need from the school are one table and four chairs.

Amara's first draft began with the greeting "Hey Mr. L, guess what?" In her letter above, she changed the greeting to "Dear Mr. Lindqvist," instead. Why was this a good change?

A. Mr. Lindqvist is the principal, so a polite, formal greeting fits him.
B. A formal greeting makes a letter longer, and long letters are better.
C. The kindergarten children will read the letter aloud at Family Fun Night.
D. Formal greetings are needed only when a writer is asking for yarn.

Organize and write for your reader

Answer questions 5 to 8. Then write for new readers in questions 9 and 10.

How did Amara organize the body of her letter in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4?

A. She told what will happen at Family Fun Night in time order.
B. She listed the steps for finger knitting from first to last.
C. She gave one reason in each paragraph, with details to support it.
D. She compared finger knitting with needle knitting in every paragraph.

Amara is also making a flyer for the kindergarten children she taught last spring. It invites them to visit the table with their families. Sort each sentence by the piece of writing it fits best.

Bring your grown-ups and make a yarn snake with us!Our club members will make sure the area is clean before we go home.Please let Ms. Okafor know if you would like to talk about our plan.Look for the table with the big rainbow sign!It is super easy, and it is so much fun!We would need only one table and four chairs from the school.

Letter to Mr. Lindqvist	Flyer for the kindergarten children

Paragraph 4 explains Amara's plan to keep the table safe and tidy. Which sentence would fit best if she added it to paragraph 4?

A. Yarn can be made from the wool of sheep, goats, and alpacas.
B. We will keep the yarn bins under the table so no one trips.
C. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was seven years old.
D. Family Fun Night will also have a bake sale and face painting.

Ms. Okafor gives Amara a new task: write a how-to card that families will follow at the table to start finger knitting. Which plan suits this task best?

A. Give three reasons why the principal should say yes to the table.
B. Tell the story of how the club collected its yarn last winter.
C. Begin with "Dear Families" and end with "Sincerely" and a name.
D. Number the steps in order and keep each sentence short and clear.

Amara wants to use this idea from paragraph 2 on the kindergarten flyer: "First, a finger-knitting table would give families a fun way to learn something together." Rewrite the sentence so that it fits young readers.

10.

Write a short notice of 3 or 4 sentences for the school newsletter that tells families about the finger-knitting table. Use details from Amara's letter, and choose words that fit families as your audience.