Letter Project
ELA Standards: 1--Discussion; 2--Questioning, Listening, and Contributing;
8--Understanding a Text; 19--Writing; 20--Consideration of Audience and Purpose
OVERVIEW: Once you have finished reading With Every Drop of Blood, write a letter to the advice columnist “Dear Abby,” describing your problem and seeking her advice.
PREPARATION: Briefly discuss how anxious Johnny is to go off and defend the South in the Civil War, and how against this his parents are. Half of the class will write their letters as if they are Johnny’s mother or father, while the other half will write their letters as Johnny.
REQUIRED SECTIONS: (letters done individually, questions answered in class discussion)
A. Letter to “Dear Abby”: Assuming the role of your character (Johnny or parent), write a letter to Dear Abby. Explain the problem, giving your side of the argument and telling her why you feel the way you do.
B. Questions:
1. Why is Johnny so anxious to go off and fight in the War? What positive and negative situations does he encounter once he leaves home?
2. Is either side right or wrong? In other words, do both Johnny and his parents have valid reasons for feeling the way they do?
3. What does Johnny initially think the Civil War is all about? How does his time spent with Cush complicate these thoughts? How do his ideas about the War change?
C. Follow-Up Letter: If you were Dear Abby and you had the chance to write back to Johnny and his parents, what would you write? What would you say to Johnny’s parents to convince them that Johnny will have positive experiences after leaving home? What would you say to convince Johnny that he would be better off staying at home?