Activity 19 - Letter to the Editor

Freedom of speech and thought are integral parts of a democratic society. With these freedoms come the responsibilities of good citizenship. This collateral learning activity teaches students how to set up and type a letter while encouraging them to form and express their opinions on pertinent issues and current events. Included are a Letter to the Editor of a newspaper, magazine, television or radio program and a letter to a public official.

As a “warm-up” exercise for this activity, have your students search the editorial pages of newspapers and/or periodicals for letters that interest them. They should cut them out and bring them to class for a discussion on what makes an effective letter. Next, have them type their letters to familiarize themselves with its content and style.

Once finished, have students write a response in the form of a Letter to the Editor. As an alternative, they might want to compose a letter based on their results of Activity 13. Here are a few tips for you to copy and distribute to your students.