Process

Process:

Step 1:

Guide students to the following website: www.govtrack.us and have them select from bills currently At the President, meaning they have been passed by Congress and await his signature to become law, Active Legislation or Inactive Legislation.

Step 2:

Have students select a bill that interests them. There is no shortage of bills to select from.

Step 3:

Have students research the bill that interests them independently, and build a list of sources. Help students determine credibility and bias of sources.

Step 4:

Examine the conventions of letter writing and consider the ramifications of writing to an elected official. Explain descending order of importance (stating strongest argument first, etc.) Examine sample letters to elected officials. 

Step 5:

Have students outline their arguments in support or opposition of the letter using the graphic organizer.

Step 6:

Have students write their letters and workshop them in class using the editing checklist. Offer students a chance to read their letters aloud. Provide instructor feedback.*

Step 7:

Discuss the how the students would have approached this task differently if the assignment had been to write a research paper on their bills. Have them write an introductory paragraph in class as an exit slip. Ask them to explain the resulting differences in tone, syntax, and structure might have changed when writing for a different audience.

Assessment: Students will be graded on the quality of their letter using a combined score on the rubric and the editing checklist.