Letters to a Pre-Scientist
Grade: 5th and 6th
PURPOSE: Letters to a Pre-Scientist (LPS) is a year-long, snail mail pen pal program that connects students with a worldwide network of real STEM professionals to demystify STEM careers, humanize STEM professionals, and empower all students to explore a future in STEM. LPS works exclusively with schools in low-income communities and the program is provided at no cost. LPS covers the cost of all materials (such as stamps and envelopes). Watch the letter opening party to get a gist of the program.
Links:
Action Steps:
- Subscribe to the mailing list to receive notifications of when teacher recruitment launches (typically in the spring).
- The program requires at least 10 60-minute class periods spread throughout the year to successfully implement. LPS staff set program milestones individually with each teacher specific to their school calendar.
- With lots of LPS support, teachers guide students to write letters and address envelopes. Then, teachers collect the sealed envelopes and mail them out to STEM pen pals around the world! Throughout the following six weeks, teachers collect reply letters from STEM pen pals that arrive at their school and, when teachers have one for every student, begin the process all over again.
- There are four letter rounds per school year; each round has a theme. In addition to addressing the theme, LPS staff encourage students to share their stories and ask lots of questions to connect authentically with their pen pal. Over the course of the year, students write four letters and STEM pen pals write four letters.
- Upload a subset of student letters into the OSO SAP Google Form.