Second-graders in the Canastota and Rome school districts learned several skills in year-long project.
For eight years, the second-graders in Katrina Mercer’s class in the Canastota Central School District have been matched with pen pals from Mrs. Gina Pasqualetti second-grade class at John E. Joy Elementary School in Rome. This year, the Rome Teachers Federal Credit Union provided a first-time $250 grant to each classroom for the pen pal project.
Mrs. Mercer and Mrs. Pasqualetti, college classmates and friends, developed the pen pal project as a means to teach their students writing in specific formats and with purpose. It has evolved to include learning experiences with technology and honing social interaction skills.
The students in Canastota are matched as pen pals with students in Rome in the fall. They research and write three letters back and forth during the course of the school year. In the spring, the students set up a Skype time with their pen pal, during which they tell each other a joke they have researched and rehearsed. The Skype meeting is the first time the pen pals see each other. The pen pal project wraps up in June with a lunch and play date between the two classes.
“We just want the students to be able to use writing in a real form that has a real purpose.” Ms. Mercer says. “We also tie the computers in. They research and handwrite their letters first, and then they type their letters to their pen pals on a computer.”
The two teachers applied to the Rome Teachers Federal Credit Union for a classroom grant. This past school year the credit union offered $5,000 in grant money ($500 per classroom) to help area teachers achieve their goals for their students. The $250 that each classroom received for the pen pal project was applied toward the cost of stamps, envelopes, supplies, lunch, and t-shirts for the students.
Ms. Mercer says the students’ reactions to this project are really exciting for her. “It is interesting to see the kids when they are paired up, and interesting to see the relationships develop. Some kids you wouldn’t expect to hang tight with their pen pals, but they really do. This is one of the most motivational writing pieces we do all year long. They scream with joy when they get their letters back.”