<p> Situation: Each year, students who work hard on their CATS test are rewarded with various special activities, such as an after school dance, a particular field trip, or homework passes. The celebration is planned by a special committee, which is made up of parents, teachers, and students. In order to get as much input from students about what they want the celebration to consist of, Mrs. Principal has asked all students to write a letter to the committee with suggestions. Only the best suggestions will be used. </p><p>Task: Write a letter to the CATS committee suggesting activities that you would like to see as a part of the day of celebration after the CATS test. Remember that only the best ideas will be considered, so be sure to include why you think your ideas would be the best.</p><p>Situation: Public-school students in Maryland are required to do 75 hours of community service during their middle and high school years in order to get their high school diplomas. A growing number of school districts across the country are deciding to require the same thing from their students.</p><p>Task: Write an editorial for local paper in which you respond to the information above. Should community service be a graduation requirement? Give reasons to support your position.</p><p>Situation: Dale Carnegie said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” </p><p>Task: In an article for the school newsletter, explain Mr. Carnegie’s advice on making friends, and give detailed examples of how to follow his advice. You will need to include his quote in your article so that your readers understand why you have chosen this topic to write about. Situation: You have been in middle school for almost one year now. Next year, several of your neighborhood friends, including the principal’s daughter, will be coming to Our Middle School (OMS) as 7th graders. She overheard you explaining to her daughter about how to have a successful year at OMS, and she knows that many new students feel worried about entering a new school. She’s asked you to write an article for the school newsletter that will be sent home to all parents of incoming students.</p><p>Task: Write an article for the school newsletter, which will be sent to all incoming 7th graders to OMS next year. In your article, include ways in which new students can have a successful 7th grade year. Use examples from your first-year experiences at OMS.</p><p>Situation: Your class is planning a field trip this spring. Many students have good suggestions of where to go but your teacher says it must be taken in one school day. She needs help deciding where to go.</p><p>Task: Write a letter to persuade your teacher that your choice is best for the field trip. Be sure to give several reasons to support your choice.</p><p>Situation: Your favorite author has announced that he or she will visit a school in Kentucky. This school will be the setting of his or her new book.</p><p>Task: Write a letter persuading your favorite author to visit your school. Convince him that your school is the best. Include at least three reasons why. Situation: There are many times when we all feel lost or afraid. Think of a itme when you felt lost or afraid and how you got through that time.</p><p>Task: Write an article for your elementary school newsletter to help other kids face situations they might be afraid of. Include your narrative as an example of overcoming your fears.</p><p>Situation: Our school needs to add a new teacher to the fourth grade team. Some students will be moved from your homeroom to the new classroom. You were chosen to move to the new teacher's room, and you will have to move from your team, friends, and favorite teacher. </p><p>Task: Your mom suggested you write to the principal and convince him/her to move you back to your favorite teacher's classroom. Explain in your letter why moving back to this classroom would be best for you.</p><p>Situation: Your school has formed a committee of students, parents, and teachers to explore the possibility of a uniform policy for the 2000-2001 school year. The SBDM council will consider their recommendation before they make a decision.</p><p>Task: As a student at Hooters Middle School, you have strong feelings. Write a letter to this committee expressing your opinion about the proposed uniform policy</p><p>Situation: The school site-based council has recently passed a rule on dress codes that includes no body piercing. Some students feel that this is infringing on their right to express themselves while others feel the piercing is distracting to their education. Task: Write an editorial for the local newspaper expressing your viewpoint on the issue of freedom of expression through body piercing and other dress code issues.</p><p>Situation: At Every Person High School, random drug testing of athletes during the season is being considered by the SBDM committee. Some have criticized this policy as discriminatory and/or invasive. </p><p>Task: Write a speech to the council, supporting or opposing the random drug testing policy.</p><p>Situation: The Kentucky General Assembly has recently passed a law making it possible for local school boards to allow cell phones in school. As of now, your local school board does not allow cell phones in school, but this issue is on the agenda for the next meeting.</p><p>Task: Write a letter in support of cell phones in your school. Include possible rules needed for successful implementation of this policy.</p><p>Situation: Your seventh grade science class has decided to start a recycling program at your school.</p><p>Task: Write a letter to the principal asking his/her permission to undertake this project. Include a description of the benefits for the school and how you will carry out the recycling proposal. Situation: Several school systems in Kentucky are studying an alternative school calendar. This calendar would mean that students would not have the typical three-month summer vacation. Instead, the same number of vacation days would be divided more equally throughout the year. Think about whether or not this alternative calendar would benefit the students of Kentucky.</p><p>Task: Write a letter to the school board, stating whether you agree or disagree with the alternative school calendar. Be sure to include the reasons why you feel this way.</p><p>Situation: It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week. Part of the celebration at your school includes collecting articles about kind acts people have received to persuade kids to get involved. </p><p>Task: Think of a time when someone did something for you that was especially kind. Write a feature article about that even to persuade other kids to perform Random Acts of Kindness for someone this week. </p><p>Situation: The fourth grade at your school has decided to elect a class president. The class president will take attendance each morning, help plan parties, and collect money for field trips.</p><p>Task: Write an article for the class newspaper describing what kind of person would make a good president and why. </p><p>Situation: Your class has earned money by recycling aluminum cans. The class has decided to purchase a pet. Your teacher is uncertain about this idea because she is afraid the pet might be noisy or messy. Task: Write a letter to your teacher convincing her to get a pet. Be sure to include details telling why your pet is the best choice and how your class would care for it.</p><p>Situation: Your principal would like to offer students a new after- school activity, such as a club or sport.</p><p>Task: Write a letter to your principal telling your choice of activity and persuading her that your choice is the best one for all the students in your school.</p><p>Situation: Our playground is constantly littered with trash. This has become an eyesore for our school and the community.</p><p>Task: Write an article for the class newspaper to convince other students that this is a health and safety issue. Include in your letter suggestions for correcting this problem.</p><p>Situation: You are worried about someone you know who smokes. You have just finished a unit in health on the dangers of smoking.</p><p>Task: Write a letter to someone special in your life to persuade him/her to stop smoking or not to start smoking. Include health risks and economic reasons to quit smoking.</p>