For Parents

About Activities

Students of all ages are welcome to participate individually in any of our projects and have the chance to be published on our website.

1. First, choose which project you want to work on
   1. Historians: Choose an event or period in time that is of particular interest to you, or about which you’d like to learn more.
   2. Readers: Choose an event from a book you’re reading that is of particular interest to you, or that you’d like to analyze on a deeper level.
   3. Current event/issue: Choose an event from the news you’re following or is of particular interest to you, or that you’d like to analyze on a deeper level. For this activity, you are writing from your own perspective! 
2. Check out our topic resources to get you started and help you decide on a topic
   1. Topic resources: Historians (US & World), Readers, and Current Events (Coming Soon) 
3. Compile information on the event/topic (using primary and secondary sources as appropriate) that will help to set the stage for your Op-Ed. 
4. Outline the argument in your own words. Start with a strong thesis sentence (a sentence that clarifies what you are trying to convince others of) that ties together the rest of your article. Find supporting evidence from different sources to back up your argument. (You can use our outline worksheet to help you.)
5. Think about who your audience will be. Will you try to explain it to policymakers, parents, or voters? Think about the perspective from which you’re writing. What issues will your op-ed address? Keep in mind that whoever/whatever topic you address, your writing should try to persuade someone who disagrees with you. If you are writing from the perspective of a story or historical event, make sure you convey the context you are writing from. 
6. Create a draft of your article. Make sure to focus on the persuasiveness of the argument, at this point. Have someone read it. What questions did they have? Did they find it unclear? Is your piece convincing? 
7. Fix the errors you encounter in Step 5 and focus on final touches (grammar, syntax, clarity). You can send it to us for a final edit as well ([email protected])! 
8. Have a parent or legal guardian sign our permission slip so that your work can be posted on our website and shared through our social networks.