Content Type
Lesson Plan
Publication Date
2026
Course Type
Library One-Shot
Audience
Undergraduate
Cross-Department Submission
University Libraries Faculty Work
Abstract
In these two 50-minute lessons intended for first-year undergraduates in an English composition, first-year experience, or standalone information literacy course, students write letters to lawmakers about issues that interest them or that impact themselves, their families, or their communities. After the lessons, students will be able to 1) determine an appropriate audience for their topic (relating to the “Authority Is Constructed and Contextual” and “Scholarship as Conversation” frames); 2) find and select evidence from source types that would convince or appeal to their audience (relating to the “Information Creation as a Process” frame); and 3) use information ethically by citing sources using a citation style (relating to the “Information Has Value” frame). The first lesson begins with a discussion board, such as Padlet, where students and the instructor anonymously share social issues that impact their own lives, their families, or their communities—or simply issues that interest them. The instructor explains that writing to state or federal representatives and senators is a common way to engage in advocacy. Then they distribute an example of a letter to a lawmaker about an issue relating to their own life. In small groups, students examine the letter with the aim of describing its purpose, structure, tone, and strategies for convincing the reader. Then the whole class debriefs about what they found. Next, the instructor models how to determine their state or federal representatives and senators and how to find information about their voting record on an issue. Students explore possible audiences for a letter they will write by asking who has the power to change policy or funding related to their issue. Then the instructor shares a packet of various source types with small groups of students. All sources relate to an issue relating to the instructor’s interests. Students determine the various source types (research journal article, news article, non-profit website, social media post, etc.), which might be convincing to various audiences (lawmakers, students, etc.), and where to find them (library databases, general web search, etc.). In the second lesson, students search for at least three sources that relate to their topic and appeal to the audience they selected. The instructor circulates and helps students with any questions or problems. Then the instructor reminds students of the sections and purposes of various sections of a letter, such as the addressee, date, greeting, introduction, and body paragraphs with evidence. Using the example letter from the first class, the instructor draws students’ attention to the citations to supporting evidence and how they differ based on source type. Students use the remaining time to begin writing a letter on their topic, and they finish their letters as homework. The instructor assesses the letters using a rubric with the categories of topic/audience fit, relevance and appropriateness of information and sources, and ethical use of information.
Recommended Citation
Ilett, Darren, "An Advocacy Appetizer: Students Write Their Lawmakers about Issues That Matter to Them" (2026). Information Literacy. 27.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/infolit/27
Comments
This is the abstract for a chapter that includes the full lesson, to be published in Practical Literacies Cookbook, edited by Haley Lott and published by ACRL. Once it is published, the full chapter will be posted to this record.