Social Studies Project Reaches Beyond the Walls

Courtesy of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School

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At St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, we are proud of our community, and this is one way we go beyond the walls. A project implemented in Mrs. Cremer’s first-grade class had the students requesting family and friends who live out of state to send a postcard from the location where they live, as well as write a little information about the place.

The background behind this project came from the first-graders’ social studies unit, where they are being introduced to mapping skills and various regions of the United States. They also studied landforms and the features that make these regions of the United States so different. This project was implemented to help students gain an understanding of the similarities and differences of other places and regions of the country.

The response from the families of these children was successful. Not only were responses received from the families of the first-grade students, but the project encouraged families from other grades to participate and send postcards, also teaching the adults and older children from the Saint Francis Xavier community.

One first-grader has a grandfather who is a retired high school teacher. He shared the school’s project and contact information and received tremendous results. Roughly 30 postcards were received from this grandfather’s message alone. Postcards were received from as far as Bolivia and China. The kids were very grateful for this and quite excited about this project. The students were fascinated and pleased that  people took the time to educate them about their own homes and lives in a completely diverse place from us. These first-graders will be replying to these people as well. Our community is growing beyond our walls!

Courtesy of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School