Politician Postcard WebQuest

Activity I: Politicians in the news

Turn to the Government Officials page (73) in the back of your blue constitution workbook. Choose one of the officials to search for in the news archive. You can type in their full name (e.g. Rod Blagojevich) or their title and last name (e.g. Governor Blagojevich) and click on the news button. It’s a good idea to choose who you’ll be writing to.

You will see news stories relating to the person. Choose two articles from the first page of results (make sure that they aren’t about the same thing). Summarize them briefly but coherently on your worksheet.

Next, find the address to write to them. It’s best to start where they work (the Senate, White House, and so on). Start with Google and see what you come up with. If you have trouble, ask for help.

How to Address Politicians
When writing your politicians, you should always address them properly. Whenever e-mailing your politicians, you should use the same salutations as below. Letters should be addressed in the following manner:

Senators:
Honorable______________
United States Senator
(Address)
Dear Senator_____________

Representatives:
Hon.______________
Member of Congress
(Address)
Dear Congressman___________

Governors:
Hon.______________
(Address)
Dear Governor_____________


President:
Hon. ____________
President of the United States
(Address)
Dear President ______

Activity II: Postcards

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
Iraq War
Taxes
Postage
Driving age
Curfew
School rules
Immigration
Wages
Working age
Darfur (Sudan)
Global warming
Gas prices
School hours
Other topics?