Greetings from FarAway - Writing Informal Letters with V-Mail

Sep 16, 2026

Lesson plan focused on the historical use of Victory Mail (V-Mail) in World War II and the practical process that transformed handwritten letters into microfilm and redistributed them overseas. Students learn why secure communication was developed, then build writing competence by identifying the five elements of an informal letter: heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. Learners apply this structure to draft an informal letter using a provided V-Mail template and rubric.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Objectives

Key Vocabulary

Background Information

Subject Grade Levels and Duration

Materials

Set-Up

Common Core Standards

Activity Procedure

Introduction

Activity #1 - V-Mail Process

Activity #2 - Elements of an Informal Letter

Greetings from FarAway: Writing Informal Letters with V-Mail OVERVIEW Students will learn about the use, process, and historical context of Victory Mail (V-Mail) during WorldWar II. Using V-mail as a basis, students will also learn about the elements of and how to write an informal letter. Students will practice their new letter writing skills using a V-Mail template. OBJECTIVES Students will… • Understand the history of V-Mail and its processes. • Name and identify the five elements in an informal letter. • Write an informal letter that includes the five elements. KEY VOCABULARY • Victory Mail or V-Mail: the primary form of secure mail between civilians and military personnel used by the United States government during WWII • Informal Letter: a letter written to someone you know well, like a friend or family member • Heading: located at the top, right of your letter, it includes thesender’s line-by-line address followed by the date • Greeting: the beginning of your letter • Body: the main part of your letter that includes a clear topic • Closing: the end of your letter • Signature: your name either printed or signed BACKGROUND INFORMATION 16 million Americans served in the military during WWII, many of which were stationed at overseas bases. Without the technology we have today, letter writing was a fundamental source of communication. Unfortunately, mail bags with letters to service men and women were very heavy and took up a lot of space in cargo planes traveling with other important supplies. In order to lighten the load, but still provide the essential need for soldiers to communicate with their loved ones, Victory Mail (V-Mail) was developed. Letters were written on small pieces of paper (7 x 9 1/8 inches) and sent to the post office. What followed was a tedious, but necessary process! Letters were sent through censors, photographed, and saved as negatives using microfilm (avery small form of the original letter). These microfilm negatives could fit thousands of letters—the difference of hundreds of pounds being shipped overseas! Once they arrived at their processing facility overseas, the negatives would be developed and SUBJECT GRADE LEVEL(S) ELA 2nd-5th History DURATION 60-70 minutes; two lessons MATERIALS • Computer • V-Mail Process Photo Slides (included below) • Pen or Pencil • Notebook or scratch paper • Printed V-Mail worksheet (included below) • Printed rubric (included below) SET-UP Traditional classroom or at-home set-up COMMON CORE STANDARDS CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.4 With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. printed into large sheets. The large sheets were cut into single V-Mail letters, placed in new envelopes, sorted, and distributed. ACTIVITY PROCEDURE Introduction (5-10 mins): Ask students about letters: What is a letter? Have they written/received one? What is the difference between a hand-written letter and an e-mail? Explain to students that during WWII, hand-written letters were one of the primary forms of communication. Since 16 million Americans were enlisted in the military, many of them would write and receive letters that needed to be flown overseas. In order to “lighten the load”, Victory Mail (V-Mail) was developed. Use the PDF slides to show pictures and describe the V-Mail process. Activity \#1-V-Mail Process (10 mins): Using the photo slides as an aid, describe the V-Mail pro

FAQs

What was V-Mail and why was it developed during World War II?

Victory Mail (V-Mail) was a secure mail system that helped lighten the load of heavy mailbags while still allowing service members to communicate with loved ones overseas.

What are the five elements of an informal letter?

The five elements are the heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature.

How do students practice writing after learning the V-Mail process?

Students use the provided V-Mail template and example letter to identify the elements, then write their own informal letter that includes all five components.

Sep 16, 2026

Upload by Quinn Holloway