Overview:

This lesson gives students a chance to use their knowledge of Columbus to influence the federal government about the Columbus Day holiday.

Objectives:

1. Students will learn write a cohesive, persuasive letter.

2. Students will defend their own position about Columbus Day.

Grade Level: 7-9

Time: 1 Day

Subjects: American History, Geography, Latin American History

Required Materials

1. Federal Representatives' names and addresses. (http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm for the Senate and http://www.house.gov/writerep/ for the House of Representatives or http://capwiz.com/cl/dbq/officials/directory/statedel.dbq?dir=cl&state=mn for both.)

2. Business Letter Format.

3. Background information about the Columbus Day Holiday.

Optional Technologies:

Prerequisites:

Students have studied Columbus and know who he is and what he did (both positives and negatives).

Suggested Procedure:

1. Background information about Columbus should be presented to students (when the holiday was established, why it was established, federal holiday, etc.)

2. Students need to find (or be given) the names and addresses of their federal representatives.

3. The Business Letter Format should be handed out to students and explained.

4. Students are expected to write a letter to their representative explaining their viewpoint about the Columbus Day Holiday. They need to state a clear position  about the issue. Students should utilize resources from previous activities in their letters.

5. Students turn in 2 copies of the letter - one to be graded and one to mail to the representative.

Credits

Lindsay Gaida, Eden Prairie Central Middle School