Postcard Geography

Postcard Geography integrates Geography, Math, Language Arts, History, Technology and even Science. You and your students will discover amazing things about our country. You'll be surprised at all the learning that is taking place unexpectedly!

Getting Started

• Read "How to Participate" at http://pcg.cyberbee.com/
• Register Online
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Getting Your Students Ready

• Print out the database off the Internet (make an extra copy of it!)
• Divide the addresses among your students.
• Purchase postcards or make postcards.
• Set up an area in your classroom for postcard materials.
• Discuss with your students what makes your community unique. Brainstorm topics - famous people, inventions, agriculture, industry, cultures, location, statues, etc.
• Have students write a message for the back of their postcard - it must be a descriptive paragraph about their state or community.
• Address the postcards. You'll want to practice this procedure several times.
• Set up a mailbox for postcards to be delivered and another mailbox for postcards to be sent.
• Give students jobs - proofreaders, postal workers, recorders.
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Ideas for Making Postcards

• Use 4x6 index cards and draw something that depicts your area.
• Using 4x6 index cards, cut up magazine or old calendars and make a collage.
• Design postcards on the computer - print them out on card stock. Set your margins exactly so you can turn the paper over and print the other side of the postcard. Use www.snap-shot.com for great pictures.
• Use a photograph and glue it on an index card.
• Use the perforated index cards for the computer.
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• Postcard Geography Track Star
• This is a resource list of websites to use with postcard geography.
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• Software that will help your students learn more about the USA:
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• Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego?
• The Learning Company
• www.carmensandiego.com
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• National Inspirer
• Tom Snyder Productions
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• Using AppleWorks or any other integrated software package:
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  • Database:
  • Have students set up a database of the schools they'll be sending cards to, then create a label layout. Set up the typical address fields and add a description field. When they receive a card from that school, write a description of that area.
  • Create the small return labels, your school ID# must be on it.
  • Spreadsheet:
  • Set up a spreadsheet to record cards received from each state. Turn it into a graph at the end of the session.
  • Where in the USA are the Denver Broncos? Follow the team as they travel the US. Chart their travels on a map. How many miles are they traveling? Enter their mileage from Denver to their destination. Use formulas to total their mileage. What time zone are they in? How many wins and losses?
  • Word Processing:
  • Type the paragraph using spell check and proper formtting.
  • Have students pick any postcard. This becomes the setting for a creative story. Somewhere in the story a detail from the back of the postcard must appear.
  • Drawing:
  • Create the postcards in drawing. Set the object size to 4x6.
  • Students learn to copy images from the internet.
  • Students learn to use drawing tools to enhance their postcard.
  • Create a states reference book to be filled out by the students.
  • Create a scavenger hunt using clues from the back of postcards.
  • Presentation or Slide Show:
  • Assign a state to each student to research and present to the class.
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• Mrs. Frazier's Home Page