“Stamps, Stories, and Friendship – Cal and the Classroom Pen Pals”
For National Pen Pal Day

Cal loved Room 12. It wasn’t the biggest or fanciest classroom, but it had one thing he loved more than anything—The Pen Pal Wall.

It all started in September, when Ms. Rivera asked the class, “What if we made friends around the world, one letter at a time?”

Each student got matched with a pen pal from a different country. Cal was paired with Aiko from Japan, Zoe from South Africa, and Luis from Brazil. Every month, they’d write a letter and pin a copy on the big world map at the back of the classroom.

Cal’s letters always started the same way:

“Hi! I’m Cal. I like frogs, building forts, and learning weird space facts.”

One day, Aiko sent a drawing of a frog in a spaceship, and Cal laughed so hard he nearly dropped his pencil. Zoe wrote about the animals she saw on a trip to Kruger National Park, and Luis sent a recipe for pão de queijo—cheese bread!—that Ms. Rivera helped the class bake on International Day.

For National Pen Pal Day, the class threw a celebration. They made “mailbox hats,” read each other’s favorite letters, and created postcards to send out.

Cal stood in front of the class and read aloud a message from Aiko:

“Even though we’re far apart, your words feel close. Happy Pen Pal Day!”

Cal smiled and held up a drawing he’d made of all four of them holding hands around the globe.
“Pen pals,” he said, “are proof that friends can be anywhere.”

Ideas for Classroom Activities:

• Map Activity: Pin letters on a classroom map based on each student’s pen pal location.
• Create Your Own Stamp: Have students design their own stamps based on their personality or hobbies.
• Letter Writing Station: Set up a table with envelopes, paper, and stickers for students to write real or imaginary pen pals.
• Role Play: Let students “be” their pen pals for a day and introduce themselves to the class in character.

✏️ Activity Prompt:

Design a postcard to send to a real or imaginary pen pal!
On one side: draw a picture of something you love or a place you’d like to share.
On the other side: write a short message about yourself and ask a question in return.

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Download this Story and Activity Prompts as a PDF – Clicky Click!