write

Writing
&
Social Studies

Key Pals

Key Pal Looking for a friend across the country or maybe around the world? We let you do just that, based on the hobbies and fun stuff you pick.

We will do this as a class. We will try and find a student or a classroom from Mexico to be our pen pal.

We will try and do this in February so that we have some information on Mexico before Cinco de Mayo.

Flat Stanley

FLAT STANLEY How Does It Work?
In the book, Flat Stanley, by Jeff Brown, Stanley is squashed flat by a falling bulletin board. One of the many advantages is that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by traveling in an envelope. This premise provides a reason for us to keep in touch with each other. The Flat Stanley Project is a group of teachers who want to provide students with another reason to write. Students' written work goes to other places by conventional mail and e-mail. Check out the Flat Stanley List of Participants to see where you can send a Flat Stanley or who might be sending a Flat Stanley to you.

Students make paper Flat Stanleys and begin a journal with him for a few days. Then Flat Stanley and the journal are sent to another school where students there treat Flat Stanley as a guest and complete the journal. Flat Stanley and the journal are then returned to the original sender. Students can plot his travels on maps and share the contents of the journal. Often, a Flat Stanley returns with a pin or postcard from his visit. Some teachers prefer to use e-mail only, and this is noted in the List of Participants.

We will try and do this in February so that we have some information on Mexico before Cinco de Mayo.

What I Liked Best about
Cinco de Mayo

Writing Activity When the Cinco de Mayo fiesta is over and we have completed all the activities, we will complete a follow-up activity.
In a group, I will ask the students, "What was the part of the Cinco de Mayo week of celebration did you like best?"
I will list their favorite activities on the board.
After reviewing and listing everyone's favorite activity on the white board, the project will be introduced.
1. The students will draw themselves doing their favorite thing. (Cinco de Mayo week)
2. The students will title the paper: Cinco de Mayo.
3. Students who have started phonetic writing will be able to write their own story, but for those who need help, an adult will write their story on their paper as the student dictates.