Having class pen pals is an incredible opportunity for students to learn about other people and places at the same time they practice their writing skills. Thereâs really no downside, except the coordination. So, how do you get a pen pal? Well, weâve taken care of that for you. If youâre a 2nd-6th grade teacher, you can sign up today to take part in The USPS Pen Pal Project.
Hereâs how easy it is
Itâs super easy to sign up. Click here to fill out the form. Weâll send you a confirmation email and get you matched up with a partner class. Then, weâll ship your free letter-writing kit. Youâll get:
- 26 student envelopes and cards.
- Four large teacher envelopes.
- One teaching poster.
- And one sheet of stickers.
Youâll send your first letters right away, and weâll be in touch throughout the rest of the school year to support you in keeping the correspondence going. Youâll have access to:
- Letter and envelope templates.
- A guide to doing a video call with your pen pal class.
- Letter-writing ideas.
- And more!
Whatâs in it for your students
Builds empathy. Some of your students may have never traveled out of their state. This is a chance for them to get to know someone in another part of the country and to build connections with a person who has different viewpoints and lived experiences than their own.
Provides writing practice. The best writing assignments have an authentic audience. Enter pen pals! You need your best writing on display if youâre going to communicate clearly, so thatâs some good motivation to check for clarity and, yes, spelling.
Boosts social skills. Having a pen pal promotes patience because you have to wait for that reciprocation. When students work on perspective-taking as well as look for common bonds, they can form true friendships. This is an especially great opportunity for our more introverted students to make connections.
What teachers are saying
âOur third graders are already asking so many questions about who their pals will be and the how-tos of letter-writing. As teachers, we recognized this project as an opportunity to engage our students in authentic writing tasks. Students will be able to develop and work on various writing skills such as editing, grammar, and language while learning about students in a different part of the country. We are ready to âmeetâ our partner class!â âAllyson Caudill, 3rd Grade Teacher