Before we start looking at letters, have think about everything that has happened to you since lockdown. Get a piece of paper, and start with these subheadings:

good, bad, surprising, didn't change, friends, family, food, tv, school,

you can always add more as you go.

Now start to add things that have happened to you under each subheading. For instance, if you have learned how to cook an omelette you might put that under 'Good' as it is a great life skill to have. If you have had to get up every school day at the same time as if you were going to school, and you wanted a lie in, that might go under 'Bad' or 'Didn't change'.

Try and get between 3-5 things under every heading you choose. It's not a competition, but the more you add, the more you have to choose from, and that makes writing so much easier.

Talk to your family and friends - can they add anything to the list, anything you have forgotten? Do they agree with all the things you have written about?

I have included an example list. It is there to hep you see what you could write about, and how to lay it out on your paper.

Remember: you don't have to include anything you don't want to, but sometimes it can help to write about these things.

Now you have looked at what a letter looks like, take some time to review your list. Ask yourself these questions:

Put ticks by these -
What would be good to include?
What is important?

What isn't important enough to include (your letter can be long - but not too long! Think about it - you will be reading it!). Put a cross by these.

Now go by each thing you want to write about. Write down at least 1 feeling about that thing, and at least 1 piece of information. eg:

Making cookies: had to use a mixer for the first time; yummy and happy!

This might take you a while, depending on what you want to write. As this is part of your Wellbeing activity this week as well, if you want to spend some time on this then you should. Don't rush it.

Your letter should start with your address. Then you should write 'Dear @ and include your name.
Your first paragraph should explain why you are writing the letter. Remember, you are writing to a pre-lockdown version of you!

Your second paragraph should talk about what happened during lockdown. Talk about good and bad things. Talk about your feelings.

Your third paragraph should talk about what you are looking forward to this summer.

Then write a conclusion - 2 sentences giving yourself some advice.

Then write your name. You can write 'Love' if you wish.

I have included an example for you. It is written 'informally' so you can use contractions (can't, don't).

Once you have written your letter it's time to think about could you make it better?

We might not always edit a letter, especially if we are writing it to a friend or family member, but you might draft a letter if you are making a complaint, applying for a job or similar. A draft gives you the chance to rewrite your letter in a better way - it's like a practise go!

So how could we make it better?

1. Be your own teacher! Read your letter. Have you included all the capital letters and full stops? Does it make sense? Have you followed the instructions in Lesson 4? Does it look like your version of the example in Lesson 4?

2. Get a teacher! Or, to be exact, ask an adult or older sibling to help. Get them to read the letter then suggest ways it could be 'even better if ..'. If you want to, you could always teach them how to do 2 Stars and a Wish, and then get them to do it for your letter.

3. Have another look at the letters from Lesson 2. Are there any good ideas you could steal?

Once you have done this, find a quiet place to read your letter out loud to yourself - your bedroom maybe, or even the garden. How did it make you feel? How would you have felt if you got this letter before Lockdown (apart from weird, because you got a letter from yourself!). Would it have helped you? Would it have spoiled what was to come? Do you think you might have been more confident about Lockdown?