Bet you’re humming that song- but why? The Second Graders at Grass Lake School were engaged in the classroom to learn about the location of their home on Google earth. Once that was relevant to them the students began asking a variety of questions that resulted in better understanding how we can communicate with each other. This became a natural transition to learn about the mail service which led to the art of communication through letter writing. After engaging in several discussions and the realization that writing was both a dying art and exciting all at the same time, the students asked if they could start a school mail service. This PBL initiative has been a full year opportunity for everyone in the building to become more connected and connected with a real life situation that requires problem solving and creative solutions. Students solicited names for the “streets”, created routes, landed on scooters for mail service, designed their uniform, mode of sorting and delivery, mailbox locations and receptacles to create standards for addressing and mailing letters. Service is up and running, safety measures are in place for safe scootering in the building and every person has access to the mail- rain or shine! These second graders have also thought ahead and have a plan in place to pass the baton to the next second grade mail deliverers. Paying it forward through the mail.
