pen pals

A great way for students to practice literacy skills is to write and receive letters. And it's a two-way benefit when the students exchange letters with classes from far away.

Second-year Arcade Elementary 4th grade teacher Cailynn Call said her class is once again writing letters to students in other states.


"Last year we wrote to a class in Arizona," Mrs Call said. "This year we are writing to a class in California."

She added, "The students build a relationship with each other. When they write to each other, they write about what has been happening such as what they are doing for Thanksgiving and Halloween. Students realize that Arcade is only a speck on the map and there is a whole world out there!"

"We spent a week exploring the area. We went to the beach, mountains and even Disney, all on Google earth. Students get to know different ethnicities and cultures. I am a part of a Facebook group that helps teachers internationally get kids to write pen pals to each other," Mrs. Call concluded.