Database Provider

Citizens' Climate Education

Author

Citizens' Climate Education

Grades

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Subjects

Social Studies, Civics, English Language Arts, Justice, Climate Action

Resource Types

Activity - Classroom
Video, 2 minutes, 5 seconds

Regional Focus

North America, United States

Write Your Member Of Congress

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Synopsis

This is a training module for students to learn how to effectively write to Congress.
Through step-by-step instructions and an accompanying video, students will learn how to gather supporting information, tips to best engage with their elected officials, and the importance of public input in creating laws.

Teaching Tips

Positives

It empowers students to engage in the process of petitioning their government to enact change.
Students are able to practice persuasive writing skills.

Additional Prerequisites

Students need to know their zip code to look up their congressional representative.

Differentiation

Students can choose to read or watch the training based on their learning preference.
The resource includes facts on carbon pricing that can be included in letters, but students can also be challenged to do their own research on a climate change topic to write about.
For elementary students, teachers can use this framework to guide students through writing a letter as a class.
These tips can also be used to write letters to state or local representatives. Teachers may need to assist students in finding the correct mailing address information.

Scientist Notes

Resource provides a simplified technique of writing a climate advocacy letter to Congressmen and policymakers to take action. Recommended for teaching.

Standards

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

Dimension 2: Civics
- D2.Civ.10.6-8 Explain the relevance of personal interests and perspectives, civic virtues, and democratic principles when people address issues and problems in government and civil society.
- D2.Civ.12.6-8 Assess specific rules and laws (both actual and proposed) as means of addressing public problems.
- D2.Civ.12.9-12 Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues.

Dimension 4: Taking Informed Action
- D4.8.6-8 Apply a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms and schools, and in out-of-school civic contexts.
- D4.8.9-12 Apply a range of deliberative and democratic strategies and procedures to make decisions and take action in their classrooms, schools, and out-of-school civic contexts.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

Writing (K-12)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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