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Day 2: Cover Letter Writing

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Write a complete cover letter for a sample job posting following business letter conventions
TEKS d(7)(B)
Deliverable Completed cover letter (3 paragraphs + header + closing)
Materials Chromebooks, sample job posting (from Day 1), Cover Letter Template, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: A cover letter tells an employer WHY they should read your resume. If you had only THREE sentences to convince them, what would those sentences be?

Take 3-4 student responses. Bridge to today: every cover letter is essentially three good sentences expanded into three short paragraphs. Today's whole class is about writing those three paragraphs well.

Activity 1: Teacher Cover Letter Modeling (15 min)

Source: Cover Letter Template + sample job posting from Day 1

Open a Google Doc on the projector. Create a new cover letter LIVE for the Pecan Creek Veterinary Clinic posting from Day 1. Walk through every section as you write, narrating decisions:

Header:

Alex Martinez
Irving, TX
alex.martinez@email.com  |  (469) 555-0100

April 15, 2026

Pecan Creek Veterinary Clinic
Hiring Manager
Irving, TX

Greeting:

Dear Hiring Manager:

(Note: Use a real name if you have one. "To Whom It May Concern" is outdated. "Dear Hiring Manager" is the safe modern default.)

Paragraph 1, Why I'm writing:

"I am writing to apply for the Part-Time Office Assistant position at Pecan Creek Veterinary Clinic, which I saw posted on the school job board. I am a 7th-grade student at [Your Middle School], and I am excited about the opportunity to work with animals while building professional office skills."

Paragraph 2, Why I'm qualified:

"I have experience caring for my family's two dogs and a cat, and I am comfortable around animals of all sizes. I have strong organizational skills from helping with filing in the school library, and I am proficient with Google Workspace and basic office software. I am dependable, reliable, and known for being friendly with people I meet. I am bilingual in English and Spanish, which I understand could be helpful in working with all of your patients' families."

Paragraph 3, Call to action:

"Thank you for considering my application. I have attached my resume for your review. I would welcome the chance to interview and learn more about how I can contribute to your team. Please feel free to contact me at (469) 555-0100 or alex.martinez@email.com."

Closing:

Sincerely,
Alex Martinez

Narrate decisions while writing: "I'm starting paragraph 2 with my dog experience because the job involves animals, that's the most relevant fact. I'm mentioning bilingual at the end because it's a bonus, not the main reason."

Facilitation Tip

Make the modeling INTERACTIVE. Pause after each paragraph and ask: "What did I include? Why did I include it? What did I leave out?" Students often learn more from watching the writing than from being told the rules.

Activity 2: Student Cover Letter Writing (28 min)

Source: Cover Letter Template + sample job posting

Students open their Cover Letter Template (Google Doc or printed). They write their own complete cover letter for the Pecan Creek Vet Clinic posting (or a real job posting if they're using the extension).

Required elements:

  • Header with name, contact, date, employer
  • Greeting (Dear...)
  • Three full paragraphs (Why I'm writing, Why I'm qualified, Call to action)
  • Closing + name

Each paragraph should be 3-5 sentences. NOT one giant paragraph.

Teacher circulates with three checks:

  1. Is the FIRST sentence specific to this job? (Names the position, says how they found it.) If vague, send back.
  2. Are the QUALIFICATIONS connected to this specific job? (Animal experience, organization, friendly attitude, for the vet clinic.) If generic, send back.
  3. Does the CALL TO ACTION include contact info? Many students forget this.

By the end of class, every student has a complete cover letter saved in Google Docs.

DOK 3: What conclusions can you draw about WHY a cover letter exists if employers already see your resume? What does the cover letter add that the resume can't?

DELIVERABLE: Complete cover letter (3 paragraphs + header + closing) saved in Google Docs.

Exit Ticket (2 min)

EXIT TICKET (Comparison Matrix) · Printable PDF:

Fill each cell using the cover letter you wrote today.

Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3
Purpose (one phrase)
ONE specific line I used from my letter

Bottom line: What would an EMPLOYER miss if paragraph 2 (qualifications) was skipped? Answer in one sentence.

(d(7)(B))

Differentiation

  • Support: Provide a sentence-by-sentence fill-in-the-blank cover letter template. Students complete each blank with their personal info and one example. The structure is pre-built so they don't have to invent the format.
  • Extension: Students write a SECOND cover letter for a different real job posting (Indeed) and compare how the letters had to change. They write a 3-sentence reflection on the differences.
  • ELL: Bilingual cover letter template with Spanish sentence stems. Bilingual students should explicitly mention their language skills in the qualifications paragraph — it is a real, valuable, marketable skill in DFW.