Teaching Thank You Writing - Classroom Freebies

I remember learning how to properly write a thank you note in elementary school. And to this day, I still handwrite thank you notes when I receive a special gift from someone.

Something that occurred to me last week led me to create this specific student template to share.

I recently purchased a vintage pennant on eBay.

A month after I received the item, I received a note and a vintage postcard in the mail from the seller of that pennant.

He had found the postcard as he was cleaning out items and thought I might enjoy it.

I could tell from the scrawled cursive writing he was an older gentleman.

To say I was surprised was an understatement. It was so special that he took the time to send a complete stranger an item because he thought she might enjoy it.

Of course, I immediately grabbed a plain notecard and wrote out a thank you reply and snail mailed it the next day to show my appreciation.

As I was dropping it in the mailbox, I wondered whether my own children would even think to send a thank you for such a thoughtful gift.

Why Are Student Thank Yous Important?

Teaching children how and when to send a handwritten thank you is a great skill to teach students of any age.

In the eras of text, email, and social media messages, they might feel that this is an old skill that could be dropped.

But even though the handwritten part may someday be obsolete, good manners should never be.

When Should You Send a Thank You Note?

There are several times when it is appropriate to acknowledge someone’s thoughtfulness.

After receiving a gift (birthdays, graduations)
After being treated to a meal
If someone does you a favor
Following up after a job interview
Appreciation for a mentor or teacher (dance class instructor, scouting leader)
When someone gives you their time (a special day with an aunt or uncle)
After receiving a promotion or raise at work

While this list isn’t everything, they are some good starting points to share with students of any age.

Student Thank You Note Template

While I realize this particular template is formula written, I do believe it is a good starting point.

Once students understand the basics of a thank you note, such as the date, heading, content, and closing, then they can expand to additional words or phrases.

Thank you notes don’t have to be more than 2-3 sentences. They are just meant to show gratitude of the acts of someone else.

Plus, they feel good to write and send, especially if the recipient isn’t expecting it.

Would you like some premade thank you note templates to share with your students?

They are fun and one for each season too!