CBC Archives

Ask students to raise their hands if they write letters or send e-mails to friends or family members. As a class, make a list of topics they frequently write about. Ask students to describe the language and tone of the friendly letters that they write.

Direct students to the topic Peter Gzowski: Voice of Canada on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Have them browse the topic for 30 minutes and record interesting and important facts about Peter Gzowski’s work. They should pay particular attention to the information included in the Did You Know? sections.

Using the facts that they collected about Gzowski, students will write a letter to a friend outlining what they learned about him. The letter should include:

Today’s date

The friend’s address

Salutation (for example, “Dear__________”)

Introduction (what the letter is about and why it is being written)

Summary (summary of interesting facts about Gzowski)

Conclusion (why the friend should or should not investigate this Web site)

Closing (for example, “Yours truly,” followed by the student’s name)

Students will edit their letters and complete a good copy, which they can share with a partner. Have them discuss whether they think Gzowski brought Canadians closer together in his work. Have students hand in their letter for evaluation.

Assessment Tip
Evaluate letters based on the characteristics of a friendly letter as well as the student’s ability to follow the steps of the writing process and to use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Students can view Gzowski dies after battling lung disease and the Additional Clip An outpouring of grief. They will use the information they have gathered to write a brief obituary for a newspaper.