Classroom Kit: Letters & Logic

Why it works in class

• Writing with a real reader in mind. Children write to Santa, but also to an elf, with a question to ask.
• Reading for information. Memos and toy notes are short, funny, and full of details to find.
• Logic and codes. The puzzles cover first-letter acrostics, shift ciphers and number codes.
• Safe and inclusive. No logins, no data collected, and every page works with screen readers, large print and high contrast.
• Inclusive of all families. Not every family celebrates Christmas. The writing activities work just as well as "a letter to an elf about your favorite winter tradition".

Free sample: Lesson 1, "Dear Elf" (30 minutes)

Learning goals

• Write a short letter with a greeting, a body and a sign-off.
• Ask a question that shows curiosity.

You'll need

• A screen showing the Elf Teams page.
• Paper, or the letter builder on classroom devices.

Steps

1. Hook (5 min). Read the memo Cocoa Break Is Non-Negotiable aloud. Ask: what job would you want at the North Pole?
2. Explore (8 min). Show the Elf Teams page. In pairs, children pick one team and find two facts about it.
3. Model (5 min). Write a short letter to the Fluffers together: greeting, one compliment, one question, sign-off.
4. Write (10 min). Children write to their chosen team. Early writers draw and dictate; confident writers add a second question.
5. Share (2 min). Volunteers read out their questions.

Accessibility

• Turn on Large Print or High Contrast under Display settings before projecting.
• Every page works with a screen reader; the Workshop Radio page can read bulletins aloud on most devices.
• Accept letters in any form: drawn, dictated, typed, brailled or built from symbols.

The full kit

The full kit adds four more lessons (Reading memos for detail; Codes and ciphers; Writing a "production report"; Solving Project AURORA together), with printables and answer keys. It's available in the shop as a per-classroom license.