Our students LOVE the postcards. I have students from last year stopping by to see if Gulliver has written. The new classes are really enjoying the connection to geography and our social studies curriculum.

I have a third grade class that would like to join <also>.

Thanks so much for doing this. We would like to make/write postcards in another month or so. I’ll let you know when we are ready.

Cheers,

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Gulliver’s “mom” was able to go to Salinas classrooms and read to the class and answer questions on Gulliver and his travels around the time of America Reads week last spring.  It was interesting that eight year old children were happy to accept a cat traveling to exotic places, but nine/ten year old children questioned the concept and wanted to know who was actually writing the cards.

At the end of the school year, several classes sent messages to Gulliver. Since the age groups varied, some came in the form of pictures, some real letters and a few wrote short stories in booklet form.  The exchange of postcards between classes was not as popular last year, so this was a good way of having the students use their writing skills. The best part was the creativity of the students – sometimes it is easier to write to a cat than an unknown person.

Gulliver and I continuously thank family, friends and casually met individuals too numerous to name for finding blank postcards and sending them along for use in the project.  I have to confess, there are a few Gulliver hasn’t been willing to let go of, and will probably keep in his private collection and share here occasionally.  I haven’t asked his thoughts on Nessie – the Loch Ness Monster.  It would be almost as difficult to explain such a creature to a 6,7 or 8 year old as the northern lights and what causes them.

One good source of international postcards has been the fine postcard enthusists at http://www.postcrossing.com.  It is a free community of people who exchange postcards – some are random exchanges and others are swaps – I have a map of California I will swap for your card of ….  It is wonderful when people are agreeable with swaping several cards at one time, so Gulliver’s notes to classes can be standardized. Some postcrossers are willing to write directly to a classroom and tell something about their area. Travelers know the value of a local’s knowlege! That is all for this week. Next week, Gulliver wants to share some fan mail.  Purrs to all….

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