Champion a worthy cause and be silent no more. Design distinctive letterhead on which to share information and call leaders to action.

• 1.

  Many worthy issues at the local, national, and global levels need support. Where do you want to put your time and energy? Perhaps your passion is to conserve energy, preserve historic sites, get a candidate elected, or save endangered species.

• 2.

  Maybe you know someone personally affected by an issue, such as diabetes. Although there is no cure yet, there are many things that can be done, especially by the 41 million people (many of them younger than 18) who have pre-diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy. Whatever issue you choose, the more people who know about it, the more likely they will help make improvements.

• 3.

  After you have centered on a topic, learn all that you can about it. As your expertise grows, work with others to come up with a plan to promote your cause. A letter-writing campaign is just one possibility.

• 4.

  Determine to whom you want to write a personal letter, such as local and national politicians, newspaper editors, or civic and school leaders. Many organizations have sample letters and contact information for decision makers on their Websites. Remember, always write from your heart.

• 5.

  To convey your message in a personal way, design a striking letterhead using Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils. Start with a colorful border such as the one shown in the sample, which is about diabetes. Pick an action word or slogan, perhaps to encourage people to be aware of the amount of sugar that they consume. How would you state your point visually, maybe an array of candy colors? Make matching envelopes that stand out as well.

• 6.

  Share your passion with other students before mailing your letter.

Standards

• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• LA: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
• LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
• VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.
• VA: Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of ideas.

Adaptations

• As a class, brainstorm local, national, or global issues that are of interest to students. Take a poll to determine which issue is of greatest prominence in the class community. Investigate this issue further and plan some consciousness-raising activities for your school or community focused on the selected issue.
• As your principal if the class can decorate a hallway bulletin board highlighting the selected issue.
• Invite a local or national speaker on the topic to talk with the class or the entire school body. Prior to the visit, students make a list of talking points that you would like the speaker to cover.