Civic Action - Writing a Thank-You Letter to the Tribal Education Office

Re-read the class land acknowledgment from lesson 5. What did we promise? (One action this year.)

• Surface the promise
• Bridge: 'today we begin to keep that promise'

We have learned so much from the [LOCAL NATION] this term. From Joseph Bruchac. From Traci Sorell. From the Chief's biography. From the language recording. Today we will write a real letter to the [LOCAL NATION] Education Office to thank them, to acknowledge them as a sovereign nation, and to make a specific class commitment for this year. This letter will be MAILED. They might write back. They might invite us to do more. This is civic action - taking what we have learned and using it to build a real relationship.

• We name names, we say what we learned, we promise something we can actually do.

  model (1) An acknowledgment of the nation as sovereign and present-day. (2) Specific thanks for what we have learned. (3) A specific commitment for this year.

  prompt What 3 things must our letter include?

• What is the FIRST line of the letter? ('Dear [Chief / Chairperson / Education Office] of the [LOCAL NATION] -')
• Is this letter pretend, or real? (REAL - we are mailing it.)

• Class collaboratively writes the letter. Teacher scribes. Children supply content. Use the MG-11 frame.

  scaffold 4-part frame: GREETING / ACKNOWLEDGMENT / THANKS / COMMITMENT / SIGNATURE
• Each child signs the letter. Each child draws a small picture for the envelope.
• Class records a 60-second audio gift in the local language's 3 vocabulary words to enclose with the letter.

M-2-F-CIV-11-A Illustration

Wall poster 24x36, cream background, hand-lettered 4-section template: GREETING ('Dear Chief/Chairperson [Name] -'), ACKNOWLEDGMENT ('We learn on the ancestral and present-day homeland of the [Nation]'), THANKS ('We thank you for the teachings of [3 specific items learned this term]'), COMMITMENT ('This year our class will [1 specific commitment]'), SIGNATURE ('With respect, Class [N] of [School]'). Each section bordered, labeled, with one example phrase in italic. Style: dignified, civic, no stereotyped imagery.

M-2-F-CIV-11-C Audio Physical / non-image

Audio file 60 seconds: opening slate 'Class [N] greeting for the [Nation] Education Office'; then 22 student voices in unison saying the 3 vocabulary words from lesson 9 (greeting/thank-you/family word) in the local language; closing slate 'Recorded with respect, [date].' Enclosed with the letter as a CD or memory-card gift.

• Read aloud the line of the letter you contributed most to.

• Letter sealed; envelope addressed by class; mailed on the way to recess
• Preview tomorrow: art as living tradition

M-2-F-CIV-11-B Photograph

Photo 8x10 of finalized class letter on heavy cream paper, fully signed by all students, with the envelope addressed in clear print to the [Local Nation] Education Office at the verified mailing address. Stamp affixed. Photographed at slight angle for the class portfolio. Source-line: 'Class [N] of [School Name], thank-you letter to [Nation] Education Office, mailed [date], 2024.'

• Tell your family that we mailed the letter today. Watch for a reply over the next 4 weeks - we will read any reply together.