Middle Tennessee State University
A House Divided: The Civil War Home Front in Tennessee
To broaden their understanding of both the short term and long terms effects of the Civil War, class groups examine primary source materials and then assume the role of a family member and draft a letter to a soldier describing life at...
PBS
Extranjeros and Expansion
A three-part activity gives light to the Unites States expansion from the view of Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians. Through videos and written activities, scholars work collaboratively to research specific individuals and their...
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
The United States Library of Congress, the largest library in the world. But such was not always the case. The library was destroyed during the War of 1812. In a persuasive letter to Samuel H. Smith, Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his...
Curated OER
Pay to Play?
Lead your class in a discussion about how they believe money influences politics. After reading "Go Ahead, Try to Stop K Street" from the New York Times, they evaluate the claims in the article about the current lobbyist scandal in...
Curated OER
Write to a Member of Congress
Students discover how to identify and contact their local Representative. They can send an email or a regular letter to their Representative voicing their concerns. They share with the class any responses.
Curated OER
Thomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
Students examine a letter written by Thomas Jefferson. In this lesson plan on the Thomas Jefferson Library, students discover a methodology for creative writing by examining Jefferson's letter to congress explaining why they should...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Unauthorized Immigration and the US Economy
As part of a study of immigration and the U.S. economy, class members assume the role of newspaper editors to determine which submitted letters to print on their paper's editorial page to present a balanced view of the debate.
Curated OER
The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Communicating with the President
Students examine the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. president and their own roles as citizens of a democracy. They explore various websites, listen to a State of the Union address, and write a letter to the President of the...
Curated OER
Global Warming and Climate Change
Students explore the environment by writing a persuasive letter. In this global warming activity, students identify the key problems with our energy consumption in the United States. Students complete worksheets and write a letter...
Curated OER
From A Bill To A Law
Students read about and discuss how a bill becomes a law and then propose a law themselves. In this law lesson plan, students learn legislative vocabulary and then brainstorm a law a write a letter proposing that law.
Curated OER
Writing Letters to Legislators
Students discuss the importance of writing to their representatives. Using the internet, they identify who their representative is and ways they can communicate with them. They review the guidelines in which they need to follow in order...
Curated OER
The Influence of Citizen Action
Students brainstorm a list of items citizens can do to influence or change their government. In groups, they identify the reasons why it is important to vote and why they have a right to protest. They also write a letter to their...
Curated OER
In My Opinion
Young writers craft letters to the government stating their opinion on different topics. They pick an environmental or ocean issue, research it, and craft their formal persuasive letter. Ensure your learners include supporting facts and...
Curated OER
Draft Dilemmas
Consider the possibility of a new U.S. draft with this lesson, which encourages class debate and persuasive arguments. Middle and high schoolers discuss how such a draft might be enacted and how they would feel about it. They write...
Children's Commissioner for Wales
Special Mission — Our Rights
Introduce young learners to the list of children's rights as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) with a series of activities that get class members thinking about what they need to grow up safely and happily.
Curated OER
Thomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
Learners examine the need for a national library. In this Library of Congress lesson, students analyze primary sources to investigate the persuasive techniques that Thomas Jefferson used in a letter meant to show his...
Curated OER
Lesson PlanThomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
Students explore techniques of persuasive writing. In this persuasive writing lesson, students examine primary sources regarding the sale of Thomas Jefferson private library to Congress. Students write their own persuasive letters...
NASA
Einstein and His Times
Scholars research and present on the historical happenings of 1919. After sharing their findings, pupils debate about how Congress dealt with the moral issues of the time. The evaluation asks learners to write a persuasive...
Curated OER
Persuasive Letter Writing
Middle schoolers write a persuasive letter. In this persuasive letter writing lesson, students review the standard business form letter and the elements included. Middle schoolers discuss ways to persuade in writing and write...
Curated OER
Making a Difference #1
Students study homelessness. In this homelessness lesson, students brainstorm ideas about the well-being of individuals. Students write a letter to parents and their community asking for donations for homeless care kits. Students also...
Curated OER
Who Are My Local Representatives? Can I Influence Their Vote?
Students find out who their national, state, and local representatives are and write and mail a letter to one of them. The letter should be persuasive and should attempt to influence their representative's vote on a given issue.
Curated OER
The Ballot Box Battle
Students practice note taking skills, study the life of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and write a persuasive letter. They listen to the picture book biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and use the information from the biography to write a...
Curated OER
The Right and the Power
Students read, discuss and analyze the New York Times article "In Wartime, Who Has the Power?" and relate the article to the Constitution. They then brainstorm how the president and Congress make decisions about the war in Iraq and write...
Curated OER
Just how broken is the Senate?
Twelfth graders examine the role of the Senate in the United States. In this American Government lesson, 12th graders read various articles and answer questions to these articles. Students write a letter to their Senator on a...