Flat adventures

2005-05-20 / Education

By Harrietta P. Allen

By Harrietta P. Allen–Waldhour

For the past couple of years Harrietta Allen’s second grade class at Rosewood School has read a book titled Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. It is about a boy who was sleeping in his bed when an enormous bulletin board fell across him. He was not hurt but was flattened by its weight, just as flat “as a pancake.” Stanley has many adventures as a result of his dimensions, which are “four feet tall, about a foot wide, and half an inch think.”

The students enjoy the whimsical book, and upon the completion of their reading they mail out flat replicas of themselves to friends and relatives who are asked to mail back the “flats,” along with a journal of their adventures on those visits.

Aaron Jones and Flat Aaron Last year a Flat Paris Harper went to Washington, DC and a Flat Simeon Jackson flew to New Mexico to a hot air balloon festival. Another flat went to Ohio to visit Payne Blackstone’s grandparents. Flat Vincent Spahr traveled to Hilton Head Island. A Flat Stanley even went to the Oscars with Clint Eastwood this year.

There have been other “flat” adventures over the years too numerous to mention. The project provides the children with an exciting learning experience.

Grayson Stiglbauer and Flat Grayson This year’s travelers were no exception. Flat Savannah Mozingo went to visit relatives in New York and brought back two T–shirts as well as information specific to her travels. Flat Weston Dekle went to visit Weston’s grandmother, Helen Fellers, who lives in Columbia. Flat Dekle brought back treats for every child in the class from the USC Credit Union and USC’s Best Center.

Other flats visited Columbia and several went to Chapin to visit Allen’s home, which included a weekend journey to Myrtle Beach. Flat Grayson Stiglbauer went to Mullins High School where he visited with Grayson’s aunt, Dale Fowler and brought by a 1973 Mickey Mouse comic book, power beads, and a map of the beaches of SC. Flat Jordan Starr went to visit her aunt, Breanna Starr in Ward, SC and took a side trip to Charleston.

Griffin Burts and Flat Griffin Flat Aaron Jones went to TX and Flat Griffin Burts went to Wilmington, NC. Flat Wanda Felsenhardt went to John’s Island and brough back seashells. Flat Stacey Craig went to Virginia to visit Veronica Sedgewick, a friend of Stacey’s mom, who sent some souvenirs. Flat Shane Gardner went to Level Cross Elementary School in Randleman, NC and from there he went to have his picture taken with Richard Petty, and got to ride in Petty’s car.

Jordan Starr and Flat Jordan Allen’s class is part of a larger international Flat Stanely project which was started by Canadian teacher, Dale Hubert, ten years ago.