Sociology II’s Pen Pals

Story by Emerson Godfrey – Assistant Copy Editor

 There are often exciting cross-classroom connections around school at Lee’s Summit North. Sometimes, students in different classrooms are reading the same book, doing the same labs, et cetera. For Lauren Hollingsworth’s Sociology II class, these connections are built across the school district. Hollingsworth’s students are pen pals with third graders at Richardson Elementary.

   “So I wanted to build off the foundational content knowledge of socialization when they were in Sociology I, and do something more of, like, an application, something that is also kind of community building,” Hollingsworth said.

   The high school students are taking letters from the third graders to learn about their relationships with school and how it influences them. Even though this project has just started, the Sociology II students are learning a lot.

   “I think the high schoolers are seeing that their relationship with school is very similar to the third graders’,” Hollingsworth said.

   Even though there is a deep learning and curricular focus with the project, the high school students are building relationships with their pen pals.

   “And to experience the high schoolers’ feeling that from their pen pal is awesome. Also, like, I’ve gotten to go to a third-grade classroom, and the third graders are just wide-eyed and excited about, not just learning, but engaging with someone else who is learning. It is just fun, it is pure,” Hollingsworth said.

   The project has a sweet end product: Sociology II students will read a children’s book that they wrote for their pen pal.

   “So at the very, very end, I’m going to take the high schoolers on a school bus to Richardson, and they are going to read the book that they wrote for their pen pal to them. It is just going to be perfect.”

   This Sociology II pen pal project has helped create wholesome experiences and relationships that are sure to last.

 

Photo courtesy of Suzanne Godfrey