ãCopyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Literature & Language Arts
Grades 6–8
Write an Advice Column
Many students normally face stress and anxiety during the school year, and summer
often provides a much-needed mental break. This summer, however, students are in a
sort-of limbo, wondering what the future holds for them in the face of the global
pandemic.
Your task is to create an
advice column
. Advice columns are often found in newspapers,
magazines, and blogs. People seeking advice submit questions or problems they are
having to the people writing the column.
(Hint: You can see an example advice column
on the next page.)
Use any of the following topics or one of your own to draft both the question being
submitted and the response to it. In your answer, offer suggestions for how to better
cope with experiences during these stressful times.
• I don’t feel safe going out in public…
• I miss my friends and family…
• I don’t feel prepared to move up a grade…
• I feel unmotivated…
• I’m juggling a lot of responsibilities…
• I’ve lost someone close to me recently…
Question/Problem
Dear
_______________,
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,
_______________
ãCopyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Answer/Advice
Dear
_______________,
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,
_______________
Example Advice Column
Dear Quinn,
Lately, I’ve really been
struggling to complete my
online assignments. Learning
at home just isn’t the same
as learning at school with
my teachers and classmates.
My older brother tries to
help me with things I don’t
understand, but he has his
own schoolwork to worry
about. I’m afraid that
if/when we go back to
school in the fall, I’ll be
behind where I should be
academically. What can I
do?
Sincerely, Alex
Dear Alex,
You are certainly not alone in how you are feeling; every
student is sharing your concerns right now. Be sure to let
your teachers know this—I bet they would be willing to
meet with you one-on-one or even in a small group with
other students needing extra support. Also, when you
don’t understand something, check out YouTube! There
are tons of videos from teachers and peers explaining the
very things you are studying.
In regard to preparing for next year, the best thing you
can do this summer is keep your brain engaged. Pick up
something new to read every week or two, whether it be
a magazine or a novel. Mix it up between material that is
easy and challenging. Then, talk about those topics with
someone. Engaging in meaningful discussions is another
crucial way to engage your brain.
Your teachers—present and future—know how difficult
this year has been for their students. They will make sure
you are supported and prepared when the next school
year starts. For now, just do your best, and hang in there!
Sincerely, Quinn
