Facing Calamity: Climate Change Facts and Fictions

Lesson 22
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ELA

Unit 5

8th Grade

Lesson 22 of 23

Objective


  • Revise for tone and style.
  • Explain the purpose and impact of an ellipse when citing evidence.
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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Earlier in this unit, you researched the potential impacts of climate change on your area and wrote a scene of climate fiction based on what you learned. One purpose of climate fiction is to motivate readers to take urgent action to stop climate collapse.

While individual citizens can and should make changes in their lives to decrease their environmental footprint, far-reaching legislative action is essential if we are to avert a catastrophe. More than any individual citizens, our elected officials in Washington, DC are uniquely positioned to save our planet. 

Your task is to write a letter to one of your congresspeople (one of your two senators or your representative) to send along with your climate fiction scene. In this letter, you will explain why you think they should take immediate action to combat climate change and provide specific evidence for how climate change will impact your region of the country. 

Your letter must:

  • Be at least four paragraphs long
  • Include an introduction paragraph with a claim statement about why your congressperson should make climate change a priority
  • Include two body paragraphs about the potential impact of climate change on your area
  • Include at least four pieces of evidence (quotes from experts, facts, and statistics) from at least two different sources 
  • Cite evidence appropriately
  • Include a conclusion paragraph that communicates the urgency of the situation
  • Reference the congressperson's position and voting record on climate change
  • Use an appropriate tone and concise language to communicate the urgency of the situation

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Common Core Standards


  • L.8.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
  • L.8.3.a — Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
  • W.8.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
  • W.8.1.d — Establish and maintain a formal style.

Supporting Standards

L.8.1
L.8.2
L.8.6
SL.8.1
SL.8.6
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.1.c
W.8.1.e
W.8.4
W.8.5
W.8.6
W.8.7
W.8.8
W.8.9
W.8.10
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Lesson 21

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Lesson 23

Lesson Map

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