POST
CARD EXCHANGE IDEAS
You have signed up for
a post card exchange, but how are you going to use it in your
classroom? Here are some ideas from other teachers who participated in the 1998/1999 post card exchange I organized.
Because of time constraints, I will not be organizing an exchange
this year.
Menu:
 | Last year I was fortunate to obtain enough cards
through our city's "Welcome Center." They
donated all the cards we needed! I plan to contact them
again this year, once I know how many cards I will need.
I had also contacted our chamber of commerce. They got
me in contact with the photographer who had taken several
of the pictures for our cities postcards. He was able to
donated about 50 more for another project.
As far as the cost of the stamps ~ our school has a fund
raiser each year for "classroom expenses." Last
year we sold candy bars. My classroom's profit was about
$500.00. We could spend that on postage, field trip
expenses, science supplies, etc.
 | submitted by Kathy
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| Kids save their empty cereal boxes and bring them
in. We find the best area on the box to cut and we have a
colorful postcard for free.
| submitted by Edie
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| I called a postcard company (phone number and
address are usually found on the back of a state scenic
postcard) to see if I could buy in bulk at a cheaper
rate. The result? 14 cents per card in packs of 50. That
might help if you can't get donations for all the cards
you need.
| submitted by
Allison
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| In speaking to my 7th grade team-mates, one of
whom is our Fine Arts teacher, it was suggested that our
kids make their own postcards. The Art teacher will work
with the students to design cards that will depict them
and the area in which they live. Using some heavier
weight tagboard or cardboard is advised.
| submitted by
Barbara Ross
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| Hi! I'm new to this exchange, but I think it is a
great idea. I'm compiling pictures of the school, mascot,
my state, etc. & info. that other teachers would
like. I spoke with our principal and he thought this
exchange was terrific too. He okayed white cardstock for
me, as well as having the district send the postcards
out. I'll address them, but I'll put them into the
district's mailing envelope & they (hopefully) will
mail them out. This way I don't have to spend money on
postage as I'm already spending practically my paycheck
on other supplies. I'm typing up the info needed &
copying it onto one side of the cardstock, and I'm
copying the pictures I compiled onto the other side of
the cardstock. The postcard will be in black and white,
unless I have time for my kids to color them, but I'm
hoping this will be a good money saving idea. Good luck
to all of you! I'm looking forward to receiving all the
postcards soon. :o)
| submitted by Shinna
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| I started 4 years ago with a postcard exchange. I learned fast
that
postcards can be real expensive. My solution was to use old file
folders and cut them in postcard sizes. ( I called the post office for the
dimensions.) Once the folders were cut, I used travel brochures from our
state and cut out pictures to paste on each card. The students loved
cutting and pasting their own cards. As far as stamps go I use the
school mail and the district pays for it. I have yet used any personal
money for this great project.
| submitted by Heidi Campbell ~6th grade teacher |
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| I have my eighth graders address the post cards
after choosing a class from the list, which I have cut
apart and put on index cards. The students write their
names on the back of each address card they choose. When
a post card comes in, I put a sticky note on it with the
correct student's name. When there is some free time, I
give the student the post card to read and share with
others. The student then returns the post card to me so
we can display it.
| submitted by Kim
Steele
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| I want to get each child to bring a postcard from
home. Then I will get a fifth grade buddy to help address
the card. That way they will have ownership of the card.
I will make a master list of where each card goes to, and
we will all be excited when that card reaches its
destination. We will put a pin on the big map so we can
see where it is at.
| submitted by Bobbi
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| I found the easiest way to address post cards (I
teach K) was to make labels on my computer. I created a
generic message and put the label on each card. I made
address labels for addressing the cards. It was much
easier and the children could peel off the labels and
stick them to the cards themselves.
| submitted by Nancy
Dunaway
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| In third grade the first Social Studies Unit is
about community features. After we read in the book, we
brainstormed great things about our city, keying on what
makes Austin special. From the brainstormed list,
students wrote a rough draft letter describing Austin. We
revised, and students typed their letters on the
computer. I made the font size 10 and made 5 copies of
each of their letters. Once they were printed out,
students glued their letters to the back of 5 commercial
postcards. Then I sent the postcards home to 3 moms for
addressing.
| submitted by Marva
Solomon
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| Put your students' art skills to the task by
having them create the postcard design. Following a
discussion about what makes their city or town unique,
have the kids brainstorm to create a list of landmarks or
special events that stand our in your community. Students
select an item from the list and design a drawing for the
postcard. Teachers should have on hand a supply of
pre-measured, pre-cut rectangles from tagboard or Bristol board. Laminate to preserve the design. Print your
message in permanent marker and SEND!
| submitted by
Michelle B.
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| We created a bulletin board for our post cards.
We used a very large map of the United States as the
background. We put bright construction paper around the
edges, where the map did not cover the board. When a post
card arrived, we stapled it to the construction paper and
attached a piece of yarn leading from the card to the
location on the map where the card originated. We stuck a
colored pin into the location on the map. The students
enjoyed seeing the bulletin board grow. We had to put
some post cards on the wall next to the bulletin board
because we ran of space on the board itself.
| submitted by Kim
Steele
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| I read a post card each day at calendar time. We
found the state the card was from on our big map. I
purchased a map pad of the USA at the local teacher's
store, so each child had their own map. (I had them
laminated). Then the students found the state on their
own maps and put a sticker on it. I displayed all the
postcards on a bulletin board with a map on it. I used
yarn to go from the card to the map.
| submitted by Amy
Griffin k/va
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| I put our cards onto a small ring so that kids
could flip through them during free time or silent
reading. I used tagboard to make dividers so that we
could organize them by state. At times, kids could take
the cards off and sort them into a graph or Venn diagram
according to living/nonliving, rural/urban, night/day,
east/west, etc.
| submitted by Julie
Hickman
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| I use a big map and the yarn idea, but I put it
in the hallway so the others could use it too. I am in a
crucial part of the hallway--by the restrooms! When
students are lined up they review the information on the
map. During a quiet time in the day we go into the
hallway and sit on the floor to update the map with
postcards. They really had developed an ownership for the
map! You'd be surprised how many times a day I look out
and see a student, on an errand, at the map tracing a
route, counting the sites, measuring with their hand,
etc.
| submitted by Dawn
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| This may change, but...I will have several GT
students for the first time this year, and I thought that
I would give them the first opportunity to be my
"secretary of states". This job would entail
presenting the cards to the class as they arrive, filing
them in a center for others to look at and place on the
map wall (done when work is finished...and finished
well), and supervising the writing and addressing of
cards to be sent out. Of course, all work will be
screened by me before it goes out!
| submitted by
Shirley Smith
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| I plan to hang a large US map on the wall. As the
postcards come in, we will transfer major information
onto sticky notes and post near the city that the card
was sent from. We will have a lesson on proper form for
addressing postcard, brainstorm ideas to include on the
card, and then use this as a writing assignment. Really
addresses will be given to the class and postcards to
address.
| submitted by Bev
Mathias
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| We displayed our postcards on a world map that
stayed up all year. If a postcard came in we would gather
on the rug by the map. I would read it and pass it
around. The students would look at it and ask questions
about the picture - for some. I would show them where the
card came from. We would post it on the map with a string
from Manitoulin Island to the new place. After quite a
few were posted we would look at where most came from and
count them. We also kept a running count as they came in
as we were trying to get 100 before the 100th day. Being
grade one that is about all we did with them. The
students loved going up to the board and looking at them.
We also found there were some favorites especially BIG
BRUTUS from Kansas. The exchange helped them to see that
there are others all over the world like them - children
excited about the exchange.
| submitted by Susan
from Manitoulin Island
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| First I plan to display them on a large map.
After awhile I plan to create a large graph by state.
| submitted by Missy
N.
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| I cut the addresses apart and glued them on index
cards. I filed the index cards alphabetically by state
then city and put them in a box. Each time I received a
post card, I placed a large checkmark on the correct
address card. This way, I could keep track of the cards
we received.
| submitted by Kim
Steele
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Teachers with
Multiple Classes
| I have three groups of students each day, and try
to keep things as fair between the classes as possible.
For this project, I passed out an index card with one
address to each student in the first class. I held onto a
few extras and left the remaining cards for the other two
classes. I then gave the students a few minutes to make
exchanges with each other or me. Once the students made
their choices, they chose blank postcards, addressed them
cards, and wrote a line or two about each of the
following: himself, our class or school, and our
community. The students also had to sign the back of the
index cards. Any post cards that we had already received
in the mail were shared and used as examples. I then did
the same thing with the other two classes. Students
received participation points for the activity. Any extra
addresses were available as extra credit. With eight
graders, it is necessary to check what they write for
appropriateness.
| submitted by Kim
Steele
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| I would like to exchange homemade postcards with
other classes that are close in age. After the personal
postcards are first mailed, I would like to do a book
review postcard with other 8, 9, or 10th grade classes.
They could recommend books to each other from other parts
of the US or other countries.
| submitted by Evelyn/CA/9
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| I think it would be great to get a state/country
map of every state/country participating in the exchange
to find those little towns/townships that don't show up
on the atlas. I hope everyone will tell us details about
where they are located.
| submitted by
Teresa/2/OK/LS
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| This idea addresses most of the above categories.
Last year while taking part in the exchange I found many
ways to beat the "heat." I first copied the
addresses onto my label making program--saved a lot of
time. We are a very poor district and couldn't afford to
buy cards, nor do we have a Chamber of Commerce to help.
The kids helped decide what went on the cards. I then put
the message as a sign on my "Print Shop"
program, duplicated it twice, and printed them out on
very thin oak tag (card stock also works)--two post cards
at once. On the front, half was for the addresses and the
kids drew pictures on the other half of our community. We
put a map of the world in the hallway, as each card came
in we attached it to yarn and to the place it came from.
I also checked off names/addresses as the cards came in.
At the end of the year we sent cards to those we got from
wishing them a Happy Summer and thanking them for sending
us a card. Since I already had the "labels" it
was very easy! AND above all else be sure to put your
return address on!
| submitted by
Donna/NE
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| Last year my class and I did a postcard project
through the list serve. As the cards came in, each
student got a chance to hold and read the card. Then we
took the card to a large map in the hall and found the
location on the map. We displayed the card at the side of
the map and fastened a piece of yarn from the card to the
map site. In cooperative groups, I had the children
answer the post card with a post card of their own ( on
paper). We then put up all the responses on a bulletin
board and discussed each one as a class. We decided which
things should be included in the final response and
composed that response together on the blackboard. This
gave me an opportunity to teach postcard format, local
history, and main ideas/details with them. The final
postcard was then written on a real card by a volunteer
student. We usually got two or three cards a week, so
several students got an opportunity to be the writer.
Each card gave us a new discussion as we learned to
answer the card with responses dictated by the card we
received. By posting the maps in the hall, the whole
school got to share in the fun and information we
gathered. My students were very proud of the things they
learned and the locations they had found on the map.
| submitted by Sally
^.^ OH
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| I asked each child to bring in 4 stamped
postcards with pictures of the area or $2.00 and I would
purchase the cards and stamps. Each day a card came we
would locate the state on a map and mark it. We would
write information on a chart if the children had
relatives in that state, had lived there, vacationed
there, had a parent who went there on business, etc. It
was interesting to see what 1st graders knew about the
world!
| submitted by Irene
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| I have never participated in a post card
exchange. I teach language arts to junior high students.
I want to use the exchange in two ways: 1.) to get my
students to read during readers workshops some of the
books suggested by their "international" peer
group. I found I run out of suggestions on what my
students would like to read so I hope this helps and also
makes my students read to respond to their peers. 2.) I
would like to use post cards to "generate"
ideas for writing. In such a global world it would be fun
to exchange "starter" ideas for stories and
poems. Another idea would be using the post cards to
discuss ideas for how to get ideas to write.
| submitted by Read
What?
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| I have asked for weather and climate information
about the sender's state/country to be included on the
postcards. My 7th grade students will be studying
climatic conditions and will use the information provided
in this exchange as an additional resource. When the
cards come in, I will read the info to the students and
see if they can determine its origin based on the weather
conditions described.
| submitted by C. Lin
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| For primary teachers, use tally marks during your
morning calendar time to keep track of how many post
cards you have received. You can also discuss how many
more you will need to reach 100 by the 100th day of
school.
| submitted by Linda
Tompkins
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| I will be using the postcard exchange in a
special education classroom to promote correct letter
writing and addressing of a letter.
| submitted by Eva
Benson
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