A virtual assembly program for grades 5-8!

BE THE CHANGE brings to life over a dozen letters written by young people to their heroes throughout history, the responses they received, and their impact on society.

CONTENTS

PRESENTATION

A 45-Minute presentation dramatizes how young people throughout history have instigated positive change by writing letters to their heroes. BE THE CHANGE encourages the individual agency of young people in the world by demonstrating that the writing of a single letter can have wide-ranging impact.

Among the many letters in this program, Stan Lee makes good on a decades-old promise, a 9-year-old hoopster consults Stephen Curry on his shoe empire, a teen aged Tom Hanks tries to get “discovered”, and Ronald Reagan tells a 7th grader to clean his room.

Available as an in-person or virtual presentation.

EDUCATOR RESOURCE GUIDE

  • Synopsis of each letter and why it was written.
  • Brief history of letter writing and its continued impact.
  • Breakdown of different kinds of letters that can be written.
  • Historical overview of the U.S. Postal Service.
Resource guide sample page

LESSON PLAN

  • In-depth study guide to the BE THE CHANGE video.
  • Detailed workshop in which students will be guided to write a handwritten letter to their “hero”, in the hopes of affecting change.
  • Teacher-guided session where students can read their finished “letters aloud” in class.
Lesson plan sample page

TOPICS COVERED

Civil rights, LGBTQ issues, racial profiling, teenage depression, perseverance, following your bliss, and how to get a certain beloved U.S. President to grow out his beard.

CURRICULUM STANDARDS

BE THE CHANGE is aligned with Common Core State Standards in ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, as well as state standards in performing arts.

OTHER THINGS

  • Our lesson plan is designed to cover up to five (5) 40-minute class sessions but can easily be condensed to your teacher’s needs.
  • The BE THE CHANGE is curated and hosted by Letters Aloud founder, Paul Stetler and includes both professional actors as well as actual student voices reading each letter.
  • BE THE CHANGE includes dynamic images of the letter writers as well as the actual letters and historical context of each letter, why it was written, and the change that occurred as a result.
  • Once students write their letters, they will be encouraged to read them aloud in class in order to better share with their teachers and peers what they are passionate about.
  • Students will be encouraged to mail their letters via the USPS.
  • Teachers (and students) are encouraged to share images of student letters with Letters Aloud as a way to amplify their impact. You can follow us on Instagram (@lettersaloud) and tag us in your post, as well as add the hashtag #lettersaloud.
  • For an additional fee, founder and curator Paul Stetler is available for a live Q&A or Letters Aloud workshop with your students.
  • Scripts for BE THE CHANGE as well as some of our other shows are also available for licensing as an in-class or public performance opportunity.

Ready to book?

Drop us a line at booking@lettersaloud.com.

Private letters read in public