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A Letter to the Principal

3rd Grade Common Core RL.3.1 Letter 176 words ⏱ 20 minESL A1–A2

A letter from a seventh-grade girl to the school principal, asking for a water fountain in the yard and explaining why.

Google Classroom

Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

Dear Mrs Abrams,

My name is Nora Morris, and I am in class 7B. I am writing to ask you for something that is very important to all the students: a water fountain in the school yard.

At the moment, there is only one water fountain in our school, and it is inside the main building, near the office. During the break, the students in the yard have to go all the way inside to drink. The break is only fifteen minutes long, so many of us don't drink at all. In the hot months, this is a real problem. Last week, a girl from 6A felt dizzy after a football game because she didn't drink enough.

We think a fountain near the basketball court is the best idea. There is already a water pipe there, for the garden. Our class is also ready to help. We can make posters about drinking water and keep the area around the fountain clean.

Thank you for reading my letter. I hope you will agree.

Yours, Nora Morris, 7B

📘 Word bank
fountain
a place where you can drink water
yard
the outside area of a school
break
a rest time between lessons
dizzy
feeling that everything is turning around
court
an area for playing a game like basketball
pipe
a tube that carries water

✏️ Questions

  1. Author’s purpose & structure

    Why did Nora write the letter?

  2. Key details

    Where is the only water fountain in the school now?

  3. Inference

    Why don't many students drink during the break?

  4. Key details

    What happened last week?

  5. Key details

    Why does Nora think that the basketball court is a good place for the fountain?

  6. Reference words

    In the sentence "There is already a water pipe there", what does the word "there" refer to?

  7. Key details

    How does Nora's class want to help?

  8. Word meaning

    Copy the word that describes how the girl from 6A felt after the football game.

Questions

  1. Why did Nora write the letter?

    1. To complain about the basketball court.
    2. To ask for a water fountain in the yard.
    3. To invite the principal to a football game.
    4. To thank the principal for a new garden.

  2. Where is the only water fountain in the school now?

    1. In the yard.
    2. Near the basketball court.
    3. Inside the main building, near the office.
    4. In the garden.

  3. Why don't many students drink during the break?

    ______________________________________________________________

  4. What happened last week?

    1. A girl felt dizzy because she didn't drink enough.
    2. The water fountain broke.
    3. The students played basketball in the rain.
    4. The principal visited class 7B.

  5. Why does Nora think that the basketball court is a good place for the fountain?

    ______________________________________________________________

  6. In the sentence "There is already a water pipe there", what does the word "there" refer to?

    1. The office.
    2. The classroom.
    3. The basketball court.
    4. The main building.

  7. How does Nora's class want to help?

    1. By paying for the fountain.
    2. By building the fountain themselves.
    3. By drinking less water.
    4. By making posters and keeping the area clean.

  8. Copy the word that describes how the girl from 6A felt after the football game.

    ______________________________________________________________

Answer key

  1. b) To ask for a water fountain in the yard.
  2. c) Inside the main building, near the office.
  3. Because the break is short (only fifteen minutes) and the fountain is far away, inside the building.
  4. a) A girl felt dizzy because she didn't drink enough.
  5. Because there is already a water pipe there, for the garden.
  6. c) The basketball court.
  7. d) By making posters and keeping the area clean.
  8. dizzy

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