Federal Civic-Action Letter Drafting — 5-Paragraph Letter to US Representative or Senator on a Constitutional Issue (English G5-Spring Voice-and-Tone Cross-Curricular)

THREE PROMISES + 1-minute review of constitutional issues seen this term that still matter today

• Three Promises
• Quick review of constitutional issues — Three-Fifths Compromise (reparations debate?); Worcester v. Georgia (federal tribal recognition?); Bill of Rights (free press? warrant requirements?); Seneca Falls (ERA?)

Today is DRAFTING DAY for your Federal Civic-Action Letter. This is the THIRD year of letter mailing (G4-Spring + G5-Fall continuity). Template MG-17. Choose ONE constitutional issue from the menu: (1) FEDERAL TRIBAL RECOGNITION — there are ~574 federally recognized tribes; ~70+ tribes are seeking federal recognition. Connect to Worcester v. Georgia 1832 + Trail of Tears. (2) H.R. 40 REPARATIONS COMMISSION — bill in Congress to study reparations for slavery + Jim Crow + ongoing harm. Connect to Three-Fifths Compromise + Slave Trade Clause + Fugitive Slave Clause + abolition movement. (3) VOTING RIGHTS ACT 1965 ENFORCEMENT — VRA Section 5 weakened by Shelby County v. Holder 2013; restoration legislation pending. Connect to Bill of Rights + 15th Amendment 1870 + Reconstruction context (Grade 8). (4) EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT — proposed since 1923; passed Congress 1972; ratification still contested. Connect to Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments + 19th Amendment. (5) NAGPRA IMPLEMENTATION — Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act 1990; ongoing issues with implementation. Connect to Indigenous sovereignty. (6) INDIGENOUS LAND BACK — return of federal lands to tribal nations. Connect to Worcester v. Georgia + Five Nations sovereignty. (7) CHILD-CHOSEN-WITH-TEACHER-APPROVAL — any other constitutional issue. 5-paragraph structure: ¶1 CLAIM about the issue; ¶2 EVIDENCE 1 (historical primary source from the unit); ¶3 EVIDENCE 2 (contemporary news source vetted by teacher); ¶4 COUNTERCLAIM acknowledgment (what would someone who disagrees say?); ¶5 ASK (specific request — vote yes/no on specific bill, fund specific program, sponsor specific legislation). AUDIENCE = US Representative or Senator (English G5-Spring voice-and-tone cross-curricular). Look up YOUR actual Representative via house.gov OR YOUR actual Senator via senate.gov. Caregiver consent line. Stamped envelope. Letter mailed Lesson 22 capstone day.

• Notice: 3 sentences — claim + 3 specific constitutional citations + present-day connection. Audience-respect tone.

  model Dear Senator [name], I am writing to ask you to support H.R. 40, the bill establishing a commission to study reparations proposals for slavery. The US Constitution included the Three-Fifths Compromise (Art. I §2 cl.3), the Slave Trade Clause (Art. I §9 cl.1), and the Fugitive Slave Clause (Art. IV §2 cl.3) — three clauses that wrote slavery into the supreme law of the land for 75 years. The harms of slavery were national, not regional, and they continued through Jim Crow and into the present.

  prompt Model: H.R. 40 Reparations claim paragraph (teacher modeling)

• What 5 paragraphs are in your letter?
• Who is your audience? Have you looked up your Representative or Senator?
• What primary source from the unit will you cite as historical evidence?

Each child cites at least ONE primary source from the unit (Three-Fifths Compromise text / Worcester v. Georgia opinion / Cherokee Constitution 1827 / Walker's Appeal / Declaration of Sentiments / John Ross 1836 protest letter / Sojourner Truth 1851).

• Look up your US Representative (by your home zip code) via house.gov AND your two US Senators via senate.gov.

  scaffold Address-lookup cards with step-by-step screenshots
• Choose your constitutional issue from the 7-option menu.

  scaffold Menu card with primary-source connections per option

• Submit your draft for teacher review.
• Caregiver consent form signed (yes/no).

• Reflect: 'What did you learn about your Representative or Senator?'
• Preview Lesson 21 — Capstone Storybook Page Drafting

• Revise your letter based on teacher feedback. Bring final clean copy to Lesson 22 capstone day for mailing.