Teacher's Guide
Each School Days & American Ways calendar comes with a 24-page companion Teacher’s Guide, which offers coordinated theme-based Lesson Plans, journaling exercises, class discussions and activities.
SAMPLE EXCERPT FOR SEPTEMBER:
Discussion:
The first US commemorative stamps were the Columbian Exposition stamps, issued in 1893 to commemorate the World Columbian Exposition on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to America. This series of 16 stamps illustrated the story of Columbus’ journeys in miniature, and set the stage for the future of the US Postal Service commemorative stamp program. Today, US postage stamps continue to commemorate American people, places, and events that help to define contemporary American times. Thousands of suggestions for stamps are submitted to the Postal Service every year. A committee of 15 people known as the Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee is tasked with combing through countless stamp suggestions to determine which ideas are stamp-worthy.
What ideas does the class have for new stamp designs?
Activity:
Students will design and illustrate their own stamp. Students will write a two to three sentence caption below the illustration explaining the subject matter, and why it is stamp-worthy. Display students’ stamp illustrations around the classroom. Stage a class vote to select the best stamp idea. Prepare the class’ selection for submission to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee for consideration as a US postage stamp. Directions for submissions will be included.
Desired Outcome
Through this lesson, students will be asked to consider why stamp commemoration, and to a larger extent, civic commemoration in general, is an important aspect of American heritage. They will further be challenged to demonstrate their understanding of “commemoration” by presenting – and defending – their own individual ideas of American patriotism, history, or values.
Curriculum Standards
- Social Studies: American individuals, American history
- Civics: Postal history and function, civic duty, public opinion and memorials