9am: Mail carrier delivers mail at George Washington Carver Academy in Waterloo, Iowa
9:03am: Office staff begins sorting mail
9:07am: Office staff puzzles over postcard addressed to Peanut, the Bulldog
9:10am: a knowledgeable administrator intercepts the postcard and leaves the office
9:12am: Said postcard is delivered to Mrs. Rott's Language Arts class
9:15am: 8th graders silence themselves and hold their collective breath in anticipation of the latest note from "THE TRAVELER"
9:16am: Today's postcard: Dublin, Ireland. Pictured: The Doors of Dublin
9:18am: Mrs. Rott fends off question after question about the identity of the mysterious "TRAVELER"
9:20am: a discussion about Dublin, the architectural doors of Dublin and Ireland as a whole ensues
9:23am: the students are engaged, interested, and mystified
Wanted: more TRAVELERS
Throughout their 8th grade year, my Language Arts students will complete many "Around the World" assignments, most of wihich stem from postcards from our mysterious Traveler. In order for these assignments to be successful, as large a variety of postcards as possible must be collected. STudents work on topics such as places they want to live, want to vacation, and the significance of area landmarks. As a result, I am ALWAYS looking for more TRAVELERS!
Willing to participate? Send postcards (school appropriate, please) to:
Peanut the Bulldog
George Washington Carver Academy (GWCA is ok too)
1505 Logan Avenue
Waterloo, IA 50703
All postcards should be signed "THE TRAVELER." Please also send me an email so I know to expect your card (and so I can tip of my administration!).
This has become a super fun activity in my room... if you don't travel anywhere this year but live outside of Waterloo, a postcard from your hometown is just as fun! The kids really like to see different places so the more visual your card is the happier they are. We hang the postcards on a memo board on my computer counter all year, and even this early in the year I see kiddos wandering over to look at them during their free time.
Who is Peanut?: Peanut the Bulldog is an actual member of our class. He's a full-time student at Carver, complete with the uniform. He sits quietly monitoring all of the classes from the director's chair at the front of my room, unless, of course, a student has invited him to sit on his or her lap for the period. Since a bulldog is our school mascot, Peanut fits right in. He LOVES getting mail.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks so much for reading this!
: )
T
