United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Open Pedagogy Fellowship Using Sources to Write a Persuasive Letter to a Policy Influencer Emily Miller, MEd, Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona) Angela Cora Varas-Nelson, PhD, Pima Community College (Arizona) 2021-2022 Introduction: You are a part of a collegewide effort to increase access to education and empower students through "open pedagogy." Open pedagogy is a "free access" educational practice that places you - the student - at the center of your own learning process in a more engaging, collaborative learning environment. The ultimate purpose of this effort is to achieve greater social justice in our community in which the work can be freely shared with the broader community. This is a renewable assignment that is designed to enable you to become an agent of change in your community through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this work, you will integrate the disciplines of Biology and English to achieve SDG #13: Climate Action with a focus on Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. Learning Objectives: • • • • • Students will show awareness of their topic, purpose, and audience. Students will integrate credible, reliable sources through summarizing, paraphrasing, and quotation to develop and support their ideas. Students will include accurate in-text citations and a Works Cited. Students will persuade their audience to take action. Students will use good grammar and mechanics. Purpose/Rationale: One of the primary goals of this course is to integrate sources into your writing through summarizing, paraphrasing, and quotation in order to develop and support one’s own ideas. For this assignment, students will do just that: incorporate sources while (1) thinking critically about one Focus Area of Mesa’s climate action plan and (2) writing a persuasive letter regarding their findings. Instructions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Review Mesa’s climate action plan here: https://www.mesaaz.gov/home/showdocument?id=43420&t=637589370357479436, and choose one of the Focus Areas to research: Energy, Air Quality, Urban Heat Mitigation, Water Stewardship, Materials Management, or Local, Sustainable Food Systems. Research your Focus Area using at least two different sources. Be prepared to integrate these sources into your writing project. (You can use online sources, visit the library, or conduct personal interviews. Please be sure to use at least one print source and one online source.) Write a letter to the mayor and/or a member of City Council giving your feedback on the climate action plan—specifically, your chosen Focus Area—and calling for action. The letter must be at least 400 words and include references to the two sources that you identified. All students are expected to post their letter on Padlet to be reviewed by peers, future students, and the larger internet community. For extra credit, email your completed letter to the mayor and/or the councilmember assigned to your district. You can find their contact information here: https://www.mesaaz.gov/government/mayor-council?locale=en. (To receive 15 extra credit points, you must submit a screenshot of your sent email.) Format Requirements: This writing project should be formatted as a business letter. Be sure to also include in-text citations and a Works Cited in MLA format. Using Sources to Write a Persuasive Letter to a Policy Influencer is licensed by Emily Miller, MEd, Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona) and Angela Cora Varas-Nelson, PhD, Pima Community College (Arizona) under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY) United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Open Pedagogy Fellowship Writing a Letter to a Policy Influencer Cora Varas-Nelson Ph.D., Pima Community College (Arizona) Emily Miller M.Ed., Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona) 2021-2022 Introduction: You are a part of a collegewide effort to increase access to education and empower students through "open pedagogy." Open pedagogy is a "free access" educational practice that places you - the student - at the center of your own learning process in a more engaging, collaborative learning environment. The ultimate purpose of this effort is to achieve greater social justice in our community in which the work can be freely shared with the broader community. This is a renewable assignment that is designed to enable you to become an agent of change in your community through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this work, you will integrate the disciplines of Biology and English to achieve SDG #13: Climate Action with a focus on 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. Learning Objectives: General Objective Students will manifest civic responsibility by composing a letter to a public service person (mayor, city council member, governor, Arizona state congressperson, or the president) about climate regulation. Specific Objectives • • • • • Address essential questions that reflect a problem with the Earth's environment. Students will show awareness of their topic, purpose, and audience. Write clear and coherent arguments. Students will integrate credible, reliable sources through summarizing, paraphrasing, and quotation to develop and support their ideas. Students will persuade their audience to take action. Purpose/Rationale: This activity will be applicable for students in their personal life. This active learning assignment is designed to increase students' understanding of environmental regulations and engagement as a citizen. Students will identify and integrate sources while (1) researching one Focus Area of Arizona’s/Tucson’s climate action plan and (2) writing a persuasive letter regarding their findings. Instructions: Write to your mayor or a city council member regarding: • • Arizona’s cities and counties have taken the lead on climate action in the absence of state and national leadership. Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Pima County all conduct their own regular greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Maricopa County published its first inventory this year. Flagstaff, Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson have either already implemented or are in the process of developing their own climate action plans. In September, Tucson formally declared a climate emergency and will implement a decade-long plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Tucson’s climate action plan. Student will review the plan and provide feedback Write to the governor or your state congressperson regarding one of the following: • • • • urging the adoption of a comprehensive state climate action plan encouraging the implementation of cap-and-trade legislation advocating that AZ rejoin the Western Climate Initiative (AZ pulled away in 2010) Asking to veto a bill or a Legislature has just passed. Write to the president or your congressperson regarding: • • • • • • Comprehensive climate change legislation Advancing nuclear energy Improving energy efficiency Modernizing infrastructure Funding the Green Climate Fund To vote in favor of a bill currently up for a vote in Congress in favor of the Environment. Remember: The more specific and informed your letter, the more influence you could have over the individual’s vote/beliefs on an issue. 1. 2. Review Tucson’s climate action plan. If you are writing about a specific piece of legislation, write the name/issue. 3. Research your Focus Area using at least three different sources. Be prepared to integrate these sources into your writing project. (You can use online sources, visit the library, or conduct personal interviews. Please be sure to use at least one print source and one online source.) 4. Write a letter to the mayor and/or a member of City Council giving your feedback on the climate action plan—specifically, your chosen Focus Area—and calling for action. The letter must be at least 400 words and include references to the three sources that you identified. 5. Address only one problem/issue in the letter. 6. Write in the first person 7. Be polite 8. the first paragraph should state your purpose 9. Write examples, key information or evidence to support your position 10. Write information about the issue that affects you and your community 11. Include your sources of information (websites, articles, etc.) 12. All students are expected to post the letters on Padlet to be reviewed by peers, students will read 3 letters and write a paragraph of one with their comments. Future students, and the larger internet community will be able to build up from this information. For extra credit, email your completed letter to the mayor and/or the councilmember assigned to your district. You can find their contact information here: https://www.mesaaz.gov/government/mayor-council?locale=en. (To receive 5 extra credit points, you must submit a screenshot of your sent email.) Remember: The more specific and informed your letter, the more influence you could have over the individual’s vote/beliefs on an issue. For Congress Issues: You can review govtrack Format Requirements: This writing project should be formatted as a business letter, but you must also include in-text citations and a Works Cited in MLA format. 1- Type the letters single spaced in standard business letter format. 2- Find the appropriate official’s mailing address, email address or website where you can send or upload the letter. For mail letters 3- Written the letter on 8.5 X 11 paper. 4- Place in a business size envelope. 5- Sign the letter. 6- Turn in to me photocopy of the letter or printout of the original. A guide as how to contact and communicate with your Government Representatives Detailed information on current topics in Congress A good article that may help you Addressing Correspondence: To a Senator: The Honorable (full name) United States Senate ___(Rm.#)___(name of) Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator (last name): To a Representative: The Honorable (full name) United States House of Representatives ___(Rm.#)___(name of) House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative (last name): To the Chair of a Committee or the Speaker of the House: Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam Chairwoman: Or Dear Madam Speaker: Writing a Letter to a Policy Influencer is licensed by Cora Varas-Nelson Ph.D., Pima Community College (Arizona) and Emily Miller M.Ed., Maricopa Community Colleges (Arizona); under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY)