✍️ Writing Letters, Notices and Stories

What your child will learn

• Students will be able to write an informal letter to a friend or family member with the date, greeting, body, closing and signature in the correct places.
• Students will be able to write a notice for the school notice board with the word 'NOTICE', date, heading, details and the writer's name and designation.
• Students will be able to write a paragraph of 4–6 sentences with a clear topic sentence and supporting details.
• Students will be able to write a short story of 5–8 sentences from a given outline, with a clear beginning, middle and end.
• Students will be able to write a diary entry of 4–6 sentences about a personal experience, using 'Dear Diary' and the date.

Lessons in this unit

1. Writing an Informal Letter: Learn the parts of an informal letter and write a friendly letter to a known person.
2. Writing a Notice: Learn the parts of a notice and write a clear notice for the school notice board.
3. Paragraph with a Topic Sentence: Write a paragraph with a clear topic sentence and supporting details.
4. Story from an Outline: Write a short story from a given outline, with a clear beginning, middle and end.
5. Writing a Diary Entry: Write a diary entry about a personal experience, using 'Dear Diary' and the date.

Key words

informal letter

A friendly letter you write to someone you know, like a friend or cousin.

notice

A short public message that tells people about an event or a rule.

topic sentence

The first sentence that tells what the whole paragraph is about.

outline

A short plan of the main points of a story, in order.

diary entry

A short personal note you write about your day, like a secret record.

draft

Your first try at writing, before you check and improve it.

revise

To read your writing again and make it better.

checklist

A list of things to check in your writing, like capital letters and full stops.

Help your child at home

What to watch for

The date goes at the end of the letter.

Help: The date goes at the top, on the right side.

The heading is the same as the word 'NOTICE'.

Help: 'NOTICE' is the label. The heading tells what the notice is about, like 'Lost Water Bottle'.

The topic sentence can be anywhere in the paragraph.

Help: In our paragraphs, the topic sentence is the first sentence. It tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

The story can start anywhere; the order does not matter.

Help: Follow the outline in order. The beginning sets the scene, the middle has the problem, the end solves it.

Try this at home

• Name the parts of a model letter (date, greeting, body, closing, signature)
• Name the parts of a model notice (NOTICE, date, heading, body, signature)
• Identify the topic sentence in a model paragraph
• Match outline points to story parts

Quick questions to ask aloud

1. Which part of an informal letter tells the day you wrote it? (Date / Greeting / Closing / Signature)
   Show answer

   Date. The date tells the day you wrote the letter.
2. Which word must be written at the top of a notice? (NOTICE / Dear / Once upon a time / Yours faithfully)
   Show answer

   A notice always starts with the word 'NOTICE' at the top.
3. Read: 'My favourite festival is Diwali. We light diyas and decorate the house. We wear new clothes and eat sweets. In the evening, we watch fireworks.' Which is the topic sentence? (My favourite festival is Diwali. / We light diyas and decorate the house. / We wear new clothes and eat sweets. / In the evening, we watch fireworks.)
   Show answer

   The topic sentence tells what the whole paragraph is about. Here it is 'My favourite festival is Diwali.'

Parent guide: how to help your child with Class 5 English

Frequently asked questions

What will my child learn in "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories" (Class 5 English)?

Your child will be able to: write an informal letter to a friend or family member with the date, greeting, body, closing and signature in the correct places.; write a notice for the school notice board with the word 'NOTICE', date, heading, details and the writer's name and designation.; write a paragraph of 4–6 sentences with a clear topic sentence and supporting details.; write a short story of 5–8 sentences from a given outline, with a clear beginning, middle and end.; write a diary entry of 4–6 sentences about a personal experience, using 'Dear Diary' and the date..

How does MangoMindz teach "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories"?

In 5 short parts (Writing an Informal Letter, Writing a Notice, Paragraph with a Topic Sentence, Story from an Outline, Writing a Diary Entry). Each part has a picture-based lesson read aloud by Mango Teacher, a quick check, and a quiz built from common mistakes children make, with Mango, a study buddy, for questions.

How long does "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories" take?

About 240 minutes in total, spread over 5 parts of 15–25 minutes each.

How can I help my child with "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories" at home?

Work through a small example together, such as: Name the parts of a model letter (date, greeting, body, closing, signature); Name the parts of a model notice (NOTICE, date, heading, body, signature). Then ask a quick question aloud: Which part of an informal letter tells the day you wrote it? (Date / Greeting / Closing / Signature)

What mistakes do children often make in "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories"?

The date goes at the end of the letter. Fix: The date goes at the top, on the right side. The heading is the same as the word 'NOTICE'. Fix: 'NOTICE' is the label. The heading tells what the notice is about, like 'Lost Water Bottle'. The topic sentence can be anywhere in the paragraph. Fix: In our paragraphs, the topic sentence is the first sentence. It tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

Is "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories" free on MangoMindz?

Yes. Every lesson part and quiz in "Writing Letters, Notices and Stories" is free on MangoMindz, with no ads.