students are studying a foreign country
or language, setting up a Stanley pen pal
with someone in that country would provide an opportunity to learn more from
someone who actually lives there.
• Contact a homeschool group in
another region.
As a family or as a homeschool group,
you may want to contact homeschoolers across the country (through various
homeschool groups or organizations) to
participate in the pen pal exchange. ;e
Old Schoolhouse® Magazine Facebook
page would be a great way to locate another homeschool family who would be
interested in participating in the project.
Children can learn about the world around
them through the Flat Stanley pen pal
exchange. Students can mail Stanley to host
families all across the world to learn more
about national landmarks, culture, climate,
and so much more. Here, Stanley is pictured
on a recent visit to the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
5. Contact a potential pen pal,
make arrangements for the Flat
Stanley exchange, and begin
correspondence.
;ere are a number of ways to begin the
pen pal exchange:
• Register on the Flat Stanley website.
Many participants enjoy signing up with
www.; atstanley.com to register their
projects and share them with others who
are working on similar projects. I recommend that copies of Stanley be made any
time you plan to submit him to another
person, because he may get lost.
If you register within the o;cial program, you can select the area you want to
send him to, based on which geographical
region you want your child to study. If the
• Recruit distant family members and
friends as pen pals.
Some families are blessed to have family
members and friends who live all over the
world. Willing relatives and friends can
document life in their area by hosting Flat
Stanley for a visit. We had the opportunity
to learn more about Philadelphia through
a family member who had moved to that
area. As she traveled the area, she took
pictures of Stanley at various national
landmarks and sent pictures back to us.
Another family visited Mexico and
documented Stanley’s adventures as he
sailed to that country. In both instances,
the families kept Stanley to join them on
future adventures, but they mailed back
postcards from those regions as they
traveled. ;is was a unique addition to
the program, and we loved it.
• Take Stanley with you as you travel.
As you travel, take Stanley along. You
can take his picture at the various sites
and prepare journal articles or reports
based on your adventures. Having students document their observations
through the eyes of Stanley is a fun way
to get them to study things around them.
Dale Hubert (top), creator of the Flat Stanley
Project, has had support for his project from
notable people such as President Barack
Obama, actor Clint Eastwood, autism
advocate and celebrity Temple Grandin, and
Mount Everest expedition members.
www.; eHomeschoolMagazine.com