Postcards Update

Well ... today the fourth grade mailboxes EXPLODED! Ms. Leom had FORTY pieces of mail - over FIFTY postcards!!!

Mr. Greninger is at 25 states.

Ms. Leom is at 29 states.

 Mr. Lundeen is leading.

Today Ms. Leom had to have a talk with her class. We had to talk about "winning". Our REAL goal is to learn. We learn each time a postcard arrives, and we learn more facts about each state. We would love to "win" the race between the five fourth grade classes, but we will "win" just by participating and "playing the game".

We also want to win with "integrity", honestly. We are receiving so many wonderful packages in the mail ... coloring books, pamphlets, envelopes filled with a variety of postcards from many states. The people who are supporting us, helping us, have fantastic intentions. Each postcard costs money for the postcard, money to send it, and in some cases, gas money to find it and mail it. The additional postcards and items, the unbelievable generosity is welcome and a blessing. The rules, it must be a postcard, postmarked from that state. We want to play the game with integrity. We welcome all the gifts that will add to our learning about the fifty states. We will play fairly.

the postcards and items that arrived in envelopes

Next, we had to talk about the postcards themselves. Who knew 40 postcards would energize our room and inspire our imaginations! The questions were flying faster than Ms. Leom could help students fill in our map, or answer them!

We are going to need to find a new way to display and share the information on the backs of our postcards. There is not enough time in the school day for each student to read each postcard. We had over 60 cards arrive today, in total, and to read all the captions and information ... even at one minute per card is an hour, and from our experience in the past week, each card tends to be a three to four minute reading experience ...

When the Postcard race is over, students will be able to keep any and all cards addressed to them.

Ms. Leom didn't even try to contain the enthusiasm as we walked down the hall, anxious to see our treasures. It is truly amazing all the postcards, stories, people, and families who are making this learning happen!

Let the learning continue!