Break-Up Letter for The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is, in essence, a break-up letter from the thirteen colonies to England. It has a very set form: it begins with a declaration of rights; it establishes how England should have treated them; then it moves on to the grievances that have led to this document; and finally, it ends with a formal declaration of independence. Students can connect to the idea of a “break-up letter” by writing their own.

Have students imagine it is their senior year of high school, and they are breaking up with their school. Have them craft a letter that:

• Declares their rights
• Outlines what a perfect relationship with the school should have been like
• Lists three grievances against the school that has “messed up” the relationship
• Ends with a formal declaration of independence from the school, and what it means for the future

After completing the writing for the assignment, have students storyboard the different parts of their letter.

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard crafting a break up letter to your high school using the structure of the Declaration of Independence.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. In the first cell, create a declaration of rights.
3. In the second cell, outline what the relationship should have been like.
4. In the third cell, list three grievances against the recipient.
5. In the fourth cell, formally declare your independence from the school.
6. Create illustrations for each cell using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
7. Save and exit when you're done.