FLAT STANLEY
Flat Stanley is the title character of a 1964 children's book
by Jeff Brown (1925–December 3, 2003).
Stanley Lambchop is flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. He survives
and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is sliding into rooms
through the opening at the bottom of closed doors and being kind to his younger
brother by playing as a kite for him. Stanley even helps catch some art museum
sneak thieves by posing as a painting on the wall! But one special advantage is
that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope.
The project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third-grade schoolteacher in
London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by
schoolchildren to each other as they document what Flat Stanley has done with
them. Dale Hubert received the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in
2001 for the Flat Stanley Project.
The Flat Stanley Project provides an opportunity for students to make
connections with students of other member schools who've signed up with the
project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the
story. Then they make paper "Flat Stanleys" (or pictures of the Stanley Lambchop
character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and
activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. The Flat Stanley and the journal
are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest
and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. The
project has many similarities to the Travelling gnome prank except, of course,
for the Flat Stanley Project's focus on literacy.
Students may find it fun to plot Flat Stanley's travels on maps and share the
contents of the journal. Often, a Flat Stanley returns with a photo or postcard
from his visit. Some teachers may prefer to use e-mail.
In 2005, more than 6,000 classes from 47 countries took part in the Flat Stanley
Project.
Flat Stanley is the title character of a 1964 children's book
by Jeff Brown (1925–December 3, 2003).
Stanley Lambchop is flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. He survives
and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is sliding into rooms
through the opening at the bottom of closed doors and being kind to his younger
brother by playing as a kite for him. Stanley even helps catch some art museum
sneak thieves by posing as a painting on the wall! But one special advantage is
that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope.
The project was started in 1995 by Dale Hubert, a third-grade schoolteacher in
London, Ontario, Canada. It is meant to facilitate letter-writing by
schoolchildren to each other as they document what Flat Stanley has done with
them. Dale Hubert received the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in
2001 for the Flat Stanley Project.
The Flat Stanley Project provides an opportunity for students to make
connections with students of other member schools who've signed up with the
project. Students begin by reading the book and becoming acquainted with the
story. Then they make paper "Flat Stanleys" (or pictures of the Stanley Lambchop
character) and keep a journal for a few days, documenting the places and
activities in which Flat Stanley is involved. The Flat Stanley and the journal
are mailed to other people who are asked to treat the figure as a visiting guest
and add to his journal, then return them both after a period of time. The
project has many similarities to the Travelling gnome prank except, of course,
for the Flat Stanley Project's focus on literacy.
Students may find it fun to plot Flat Stanley's travels on maps and share the
contents of the journal. Often, a Flat Stanley returns with a photo or postcard
from his visit. Some teachers may prefer to use e-mail.
In 2005, more than 6,000 classes from 47 countries took part in the Flat Stanley
Project.