Life Skills
Senior Suffrage Centennial Activity
Writing the Op-Ed to Persuade
By reading some op-eds, you’ll learn how to express your opinions in ways that can influence others. Then, you’ll have a chance to practice that!
Activity Details
Time needed: 60 minutes
Materials Needed:
-
Writing paper and pen or a computer with word-processing software
Background:
By 1916, suffragists had grown tired of waiting to gain voting rights, so they began to protest and picket in front of the White House. They wrote letters and made speeches arguing for the right to vote.
Activity:
Read some opinion pieces, also called “op-eds” because in a paper newspaper, they appear opposite the page where the newspaper writes its own editorials. Online newspapers list these guest editorials under “Opinions.”
Op-ed pieces are written to highlight concerns and thoughts about current events that typically don’t appear in a newspaper article written by a journalist. Sometimes they are humorous, sometimes not.
Consider things that are happening in your town, school, or community. What do you think about the issue? What can you say that will persuade others that your view needs to be listened to?
Write your op-ed. A good length is 750 words (but don’t worry if it’s a little shorter or a little longer).
Girl Scouts at Home
activities have been adapted from existing Girl Scout programming
and optimized for use at home during a period of social distancing.
Adapted from the older girl Activities in the Suffrage Centennial Toolkit. Earn Your Suffrage Centennial Patch: A Guide for Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors.